Features / 9 games featured
Chess and Shogi Around the World: Boards and Pieces
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Last updated 2026-10-19 · Run by Qdan, Inc.
Compare nine chess and shogi games by board size, piece counts, the treatment of captures, player numbers, visibility and winning goals.
Explore regional games separately from modern variants, then follow Play to try their differences in your browser.
Three Games to Try First
- Chess
Try moving, capturing and protecting a king on a fully visible 8×8 board.
- Shogi
Try returning captured pieces to the board as your own.
- Makruk (Thai Chess)
Keep the 8×8 board and explore short-range pieces and a different pawn setup.
Choose Your First Board
Start with a fully visible board for two players. Compare Chess and Makruk on 8×8 squares, Shogi for returning captured pieces as your own, or Xiangqi and Janggi for play on intersections. The Shogi Variants and Rule Differences feature linked below covers the larger collection of shogi variants.
Compare Boards, Pieces and Winning Goals
Piece counts are the starting army for one player; board sizes distinguish squares from intersections. Players, time and learning effort are estimates for each game. Winning goals and visibility describe BGJ defaults, with settings marked where relevant. This is a rules comparison, not a family tree or a chronology of inventions.
2–4 players
15–30 min
- Quick to learn0 games
- Learn step by step1 game
- More to learn8 games
- Mostly skill7 games
- Luck and skill1 game
- Mostly luck1 game
Player counts and times span the smallest to largest values in this group. Learning and luck describe each game, rather than a quality score.
| Game | Players and time | Board size | Pieces and treatment of captures | Winning goal | Visible information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chess | 2 players, About 20 min | 8×8 squares | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Checkmate the king | The whole board is visible |
| Shatranj (Ancient Chess) | 2 players, About 20 min | 8×8 squares | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Mate, stalemate or bare king (settings available) | The whole board is visible |
| Makruk (Thai Chess) | 2 players, About 20 min | 8×8 squares | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Mate the king / endgame counting can draw | The whole board is visible |
| Xiangqi | 2 players, About 25 min | 9×10 intersections / river and palaces | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Mate the general or leave no legal move | The whole board is visible |
| Janggi | 2 players, About 30 min | 9×10 intersections / palaces, no river | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Mate the general / BGJ also uses points adjudication | The whole board is visible |
| Shogi | 2 players, About 20 min | 9×9 squares | 20 each / captured pieces can be dropped as your own | Checkmate the king | The whole board and both hands are visible |
| Chaturaji | 4 players, About 20 min | 8×8 squares | 8 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Capture points / keep your king and take three others | The whole board and dice results are visible |
| Four-Player Chess | 4 players, About 30 min | 14×14 with corners removed / 160 squares | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Team checkmate by default / free-for-all points option | Everyone sees the whole board |
| Fog of War Chess | 2 players, About 15 min | 8×8 squares | 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board | Capture the king / no check | Only your pieces and their reachable squares are visible |
Boards Played Across Regions: Chess, Shogi and Related Games
Compare pieces placed in squares or on intersections, and whether captures can return to play. Alongside two-player games, try four-player Chaturaji with dice, using the current BGJ rules to explore how play differs.
Chess
Trap the opposing king so it cannot escape capture on the next move. Two players start with sixteen pieces each on an 8×8 board. The queen moves along ranks, files and diagonals; pawns promote on the far rank. Captures remove pieces from play, and both players can see the entire position. [10]
- Board size
- 8×8 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Checkmate the king
Shatranj (Ancient Chess)
Win by trapping the enemy king or capturing all its other pieces. This historical game uses an 8×8 board and sixteen pieces per side, but the one-step diagonal ferz and two-step diagonal elephant change the available routes. BGJ offers settings for stalemate and the immediate reply after a king is left alone; consult its rules for the chosen treatment. [15]
- Board size
- 8×8 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Mate, stalemate or bare king (settings available)
Makruk (Thai Chess)
Coordinate short-range pieces to trap the opposing king in this Thai game. Each player has sixteen pieces on an 8×8 board, with pawns starting on the third rank and promoting on the sixth. The met moves one step diagonally, while the khon also steps forward. BGJ’s endgame counting rules can produce a draw; its rules explain the available settings. [11]
- Board size
- 8×8 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Mate the king / endgame counting can draw
Xiangqi
Open routes for chariots and cannons to trap the opposing general in this Chinese game. Sixteen pieces per side occupy intersections of nine files and ten ranks. A river divides the board, and palace markings limit generals and guards. Cannons capture across one intervening piece; soldiers gain sideways moves after crossing the river. Captures stay off the board. [12]
- Board size
- 9×10 intersections / river and palaces
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Mate the general or leave no legal move
Janggi
Use palace diagonals and cannon jumps to trap the opposing general in this Korean game. Sixteen pieces per side use a 9×10 grid of intersections without a river; elephants can cross the centre. Cannons jump a piece even when moving without capture. Passing is allowed outside check, and BGJ defaults to a material-points decision after consecutive passes and certain other endings. [13]
- Board size
- 9×10 intersections / palaces, no river
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Mate the general / BGJ also uses points adjudication
Shogi
Combine moves on the board with captured pieces to trap the opposing king. Each player begins with twenty pieces on a 9×9 board. Captured pieces become yours and can return to empty squares on later turns, a move called a drop. Captured promoted pieces revert to their original type. Both the board and each player’s pieces in hand remain visible. [14]
- Board size
- 9×9 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 20 each / captured pieces can be dropped as your own
- Winning goal
- Checkmate the king
Chaturaji
Roll dice to determine which types of piece you may move, then capture opposing pieces for points. Four players begin with eight pieces each on an 8×8 board. In BGJ, a captured king does not end that player’s participation; keeping your own king and taking all three others produces a special finish. This four-player game is presented separately from ancient chaturanga. [16]
- Board size
- 8×8 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 8 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Capture points / keep your king and take three others
Modern Variants: Different Player Counts and Visibility
Four-Player Chess changes the number of players and the board, while Fog of War Chess changes visibility and the winning goal. Compare BGJ’s team, individual and visibility settings separately from the regional traditions above.
Four-Player Chess
Work with the partner opposite you to trap a king from the opposing team. Four players start with sixteen pieces each on a cross-shaped board of 160 squares and move clockwise. BGJ defaults to two teams of two, allowing a partner to help meet a threat before your turn. A separate free-for-all setting awards capture and other points. Everyone sees the full board.
- Board size
- 14×14 with corners removed / 160 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Team checkmate by default / free-for-all points option
BGJ rules [8]
Fog of War Chess
Read the visible squares to locate the opposing king and capture it while protecting your own. The 8×8 board and sixteen-piece starting armies match chess, but you see only your own pieces and their reachable squares. There is no check warning: the king must actually be captured. BGJ includes a setting that changes visibility directly in front of pawns.
- Board size
- 8×8 squares
- Pieces and treatment of captures
- 16 each / captured pieces stay off the board
- Winning goal
- Capture the king / no check
BGJ rules [9]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Shogi and Chess in the treatment of captured pieces?
Shogi adds captured pieces to your hand so you can drop them back onto the board as your own on later turns. The other eight games here do not let you deploy captures as your own army. In Shogi, consider both the board and the pieces held by each side.
Do Xiangqi and Janggi use the same board?
Both use a 9×10 grid of intersections, but Xiangqi has a central river and Janggi does not. Palace diagonals, elephant and cannon moves, and the treatment of passing also differ.
Does every game end by checkmating a king?
Goals differ. Fog of War Chess requires an actual king capture, and Chaturaji awards capture points. Shatranj also allows victory by leaving a bare king. Check the settings for other endings in Four-Player Chess and Janggi.
Is Chaturaji the same as ancient chaturanga?
They are treated separately here. The featured Chaturaji has four players, dice determining piece types and points for captures. This guide does not identify that four-player form as the starting point of all chess and shogi games.
What should four players compare?
Chaturaji uses an 8×8 board with eight pieces each, and dice restrict which types can move. Four-Player Chess uses 160 squares and sixteen pieces each, without dice; BGJ defaults to partnerships between opposite players. Both provide a full view of the board.
Sources and How BGJ Plays
- BoardGameJoin — Chess: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Shatranj (Ancient Chess): BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Makruk (Thai Chess): BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Xiangqi: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Janggi: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Shogi: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Chaturaji: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Four-Player Chess: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- BoardGameJoin — Fog of War Chess: BGJ rulesBoard, setup, captures, winning goals and settings / Checked: ↩
- Japan Shogi Association — Chess (Europe, the Americas and worldwide)Board, sixteen pieces per side and moves / Checked: ↩
- Japan Shogi Association — Makruk (Thailand)8×8 board, army size, pawn setup and promotion / Checked: ↩
- Japan Shogi Association — Xiangqi (China)9×10 intersections, river, palaces and moves / Checked: ↩
- Japan Shogi Association — Janggi (Korean Peninsula)9×10 intersections, no river, cannons and passing; BGJ adjudication settings differ / Checked: ↩
- Japan Shogi Association — Rules of PlayArticles 3–6: board, pieces, moves, drops and endings / Checked: ↩
- Nader Daoud Daou — Historical Chess VariantsII. Shatranj–Chatrang: board, pieces, mate, stalemate and bare king; used for rules comparison only / Checked: ↩
- Japan Shogi Association — World Shogi: Chaturaji Boards and PiecesChaturanga section: four-player form, 8×8, eight pieces each and dice; BGJ scoring and endings are separate / Checked: ↩