Bughouse Chess: Rules and How to Play
Captured pieces go straight to your partner. Four players play on two boards at once, dropping pocket pieces to help their team. Play solo with three CPUs.
Setup
- Four players use two boards. CPUs fill empty seats. Each team has one white and one black player.
- The default is 3 minutes per player with no increment. You may wait, but your clock keeps running.
How to play
- Pieces move as in chess. Captures immediately pass to your partner.
- Dropping counts as a move. Pawns may drop only on ranks 2–7. Checking and mating drops are allowed.
- Promoted pieces have a P mark and pass as pawns when captured. A pawn dropped on its starting rank may advance two squares.
- If a future drop could block a check, you wait for a piece instead of being checkmated. With no legal move and no check, you also wait. Settings can disable waiting for a block or make stalemate a draw.
- Signals go only to your partner. Party chat is visible to everyone.
Winning and scoring
- Checkmate, a flag or resignation on either board ends the entire game: the other team wins.
- If two players on opposing teams flag at the same instant, the game is drawn. If both belong to one team, that team loses. There is no repetition, fifty-move or insufficient-material draw.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 4 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time per player | Each player’s starting time. | 3 minutes | Changeable |
| Increment | Seconds added after each move. | None | Changeable |
| Wait for a block | Wait for a piece if a drop could block check, even with an empty pocket. When OFF, it is checkmate if no current move or drop can stop the check. | On | Changeable |
| No legal moves without check | What happens when a king is not in check but its player has no legal move or drop (stalemate). | Wait for a piece | Changeable |
| Legal move hints | Mark legal destinations for moves and drops. | On | Changeable |
| Swap colors | Swap colors on rematches, keeping the same teams. | On | Changeable |
Terms
- Pieces received from your partner and available to drop.
- Drop
- Place a pocket piece on an empty square.
- Waiting for a block
- Waiting for a piece that can block a check; the clock keeps running.
- Partner
- Your teammate playing the opposite color on the other board.
FAQ
Can a drop give checkmate?
Yes. You may give check or checkmate by dropping a pocket piece.
Where can I drop a pawn?
On an empty square on ranks 2–7. Pawns cannot be dropped on ranks 1 or 8.
What happens when a promoted piece is captured?
Your partner receives a pawn. Promoted pieces carry a P mark on the board.
Why is an unanswered check not checkmate?
If a future drop could block it, the player waits for a piece while their clock runs. You can disable this in settings, so checkmate is judged using only the current pocket.
What if I have no legal moves?
Without check, you wait for a piece while your clock runs. This is called stalemate. Settings can make it a draw instead.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-10-31 · Run by Qdan, Inc.