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Four-Player Chess (Free-for-All) Strategy and Tips

Here is how to think about winning at Four-Player Chess (Free-for-All), split into short lessons. Each one reads on its own, and each one comes with a real position: press Try it on the board and you play the move yourself.

Check two kings with one move

Lesson 1

In free-for-all you score for captures and 20 for a mate — and also a bonus when one move checks two kings at once: 5 points (1 if the checking piece is a queen), or 20 for three kings (5 with a queen).

The knight is the easiest piece for it. It jumps over anything in between, so when two kings stand close together, one square can attack both. Each checked player must spend their turn answering, which can freeze their other plans.

Here the Blue ▲ and Yellow ■ kings stand side by side near the centre. Jump your knight so it checks both kings at once.

Free-for-all promotes in the middle

Lesson 2

Where a pawn promotes depends on the format. In teams it is your 11th rank — the far edge of the central square — and you choose a queen, rook, bishop or knight. In free-for-all it is your 8th rank, the middle of the board, and the pawn becomes a queen.

That is only six squares from the start. While the other three fight over pieces, a quiet pawn on the side often walks through and queens. A promoted queen is worth just 1 point to whoever captures it, so treat it as a strong piece rather than a prize.

Here your red pawn stands on the 7th rank. Step it forward and promote it to a queen in the middle of the board.

Block a check with a piece

Lesson 3

The board is 14×14 with the 3×3 corners removed — a cross of 160 squares. The four players sit at its four arms. Pieces move exactly as in chess. Pawns advance towards the player opposite and capture diagonally forwards; a pawn's first move may be two squares.

Against a long-range check, putting one of your pieces on the checking line is usually safer than moving the king. If the blocker is taken, the capturing piece has come close to your camp, and you get to take it back.

Here Green ◆'s queen checks your king along a diagonal. Jump your knight onto that line: the king stays on its home square and the check is gone.

Earn 20 points with mate

Lesson 4

Free-for-all: captures score points (pawn 1, knight 3, bishop 5, rook 5, queen 9, promoted piece 1). Checkmate scores 20. A single check scores nothing, but checking two kings with one move scores 5 (1 if the checking piece is a queen) and three kings scores 20 (5 with a queen). Checkmate means the king has no escape. It is decided at once and scores 20 points.

Against a long-range check, putting one of your pieces on the checking line is usually safer than moving the king. If the blocker is taken, the capturing piece has come close to your camp, and you get to take it back.

Here Blue ▲'s king sits on the left edge. Slide your queen to that edge to give check along the file; your rook already guards the next file, so there is nowhere to go. Blue's turn comes at once, and it is mate.

Try it on the board

Pick a lesson and the board starts from that position. Start over as often as you like.

Now put it to work

Play with friendsLearn how to play (5 min)

Last updated 2026-10-30 · Run by Qdan, Inc.