Makruk

Makruk, also known as Thai chess, is a traditional strategy game that, while similar to international chess, boasts unique rules and pieces. Played on an 8x8 board, the game includes familiar pieces like the king, queen, and pawns, yet each moves differently, adding a fresh layer of complexity. The ultimate goal remains the same: to checkmate the opponent's king. Makruk places a strong emphasis on tactical skill and strategic planning, making it a beloved pastime in Thailand.

Features of Makruk:

Play Against AIs: Hone your skills by challenging artificial intelligences set at various difficulty levels, ranging from Easy to Expert.

Daily Challenge: Engage in a new challenge every day to test and improve your strategic prowess.

Global Leaderboard: Compete with players from around the world and strive to ascend the ranks.

Share Your Games: Showcase your best moves and strategies with friends and family.

Undo & Save/Load: Correct any mistakes with the undo feature and save your game to resume playing later.

Timer-Based Game: Add an element of thrill with timed gameplay, intensifying the strategic challenge.

Makruk (Thai: หมากรุก; RTGS: Mak Ruk), or Thai chess, traces its origins to the 6th-century Indian game of chaturanga, a close ancestor of all chess variants. This connection makes Makruk one of the most direct descendants of this ancient game.

In Thailand, around two million people are adept at playing Makruk, whereas approximately 5,000 can play international chess. According to former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik, Makruk is more strategic than international chess, requiring meticulous planning as it resembles an anticipated endgame of the international version.

Rules

The Pawn (called เบี้ย bia, a cowry shell, formerly used for money): Moves and captures like a pawn in international chess but is restricted to one-step moves from the start and cannot be captured en passant. A pawn reaching the sixth rank is always promoted to a queen (med).

The Queen (called เม็ด met), the weakest piece, moves one step diagonally, akin to the fers in shatranj or a cat sword in dai shogi.

The Bishop (called โคน khon, nobleman or mask): Moves one step diagonally or one step forward, similar to the silver general in shogi.

The Knight (called ม้า ma, horse): Moves exactly like a knight in Western chess, jumping over any intervening pieces.

The Rook (called เรือ ruea, boat): Moves like a rook in Western chess, any number of steps horizontally or vertically.

The King (called ขุน khun): Moves like a king in international chess, one step in any direction. It can also make a Ses (knight jump) on its first move, though this special move is no longer used in Thailand. The game concludes with the checkmate of the king.

What's New

Bug fixed.