Makruk (Thai Chess): Rules and How to Play
Makruk is a traditional game from Thailand for two players (about 20 minutes). Each piece moves its own way; checkmate the opposing Khun before the endgame count runs out.
Setup
- Two players, 16 pieces each, on an 8×8 board.
- From each player’s left, the back rank is Ruea, Ma, Khon, Khun, Met, Khon, Ma, Ruea.
- Bias start on each third rank. Opposing Khuns and Mets are diagonally offset. White moves first.
How to play
- Move one piece per turn, capturing an enemy on the destination. Captured pieces stay off the board.
- Khun: any direction one step; Met and Bia Ngai: diagonal one step; Khon: forward or diagonal one step; Ma: a two-plus-one jump; Ruea: straight lines.
- Bia: one empty square forward; captures diagonally forward. No double step, en passant or castling.
- At its sixth rank a Bia must become a Bia Ngai, which steps diagonally.
- Answer check by moving, capturing or blocking. A Khun may never move onto an attacked square.
- Once no unpromoted Bias remain on either side (Bia Ngais may remain) and piece counts differ, the side with fewer pieces starts a board count at zero, up to 64. In declaration mode press Start counting or Stop counting; neither uses a turn. Starting again after stopping counts afresh (the first move is 1).
- With no unpromoted Bias and only a Khun on one side, a piece count starts at the total number of pieces, both Khuns included. Automatic mode starts it by itself; in declaration mode the lone Khun’s side presses Start counting (a board count it already declared switches over). Limits: two Rueas 8; one 16; two Khons 22; two Mas 32; one Khon 44; one Ma or only Mets/Bia Ngais 64. Use the smallest.
- Only the counting side’s moves increment n. Captures do not reset the number or limit. A board count stops if that side gains more pieces; automatic mode then starts the other side’s count.
Winning and scoring
- No legal escape from check is checkmate and a win.
- No legal move without check, only two Khuns, or the same board and turn three times draws.
- After the counting side reaches the limit, the opponent has one last move. Checkmate wins; otherwise draw.
- In declaration mode, if the counting side checkmates without stopping its board count, the game is a draw (press Stop counting first to play for the win). In automatic mode the count cannot be stopped, so such a checkmate wins.
- A piece count starting at or beyond its limit draws immediately. Either player may resign.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting a count | Automatic, or declared by the side with fewer pieces (a lone Khun too). A declared count can be stopped; checkmating while still counting draws. | Automatic (standard) | Changeable |
| Show legal moves | Show destination dots when selecting a piece. | On | Changeable |
| Swap first player | Swap White each game. | On | Changeable |
| Piece name labels | Show short name labels on the pieces. | On | Changeable |
Terms
- Khun
- One step in any direction; never onto an attacked square.
- Met
- One diagonal step.
- Khon
- One forward or diagonal step.
- Ma
- A two-plus-one jump.
- Ruea
- Slides in straight lines without jumping.
- Bia
- Steps forward and captures diagonally forward.
- Bia Ngai
- A promoted Bia, moving like a Met.
- Board count
- Once no unpromoted Bias remain (Bia Ngais may), the side with fewer pieces counts to 64.
- Piece count
- With no unpromoted Bias and only a Khun on one side, that side counts within a limit set by the opposing force.
- Stalemate
- No legal move without check: a draw.
FAQ
When does counting begin?
When no unpromoted Bias remain (Bia Ngais may) and piece counts differ. With only a Khun on one side it is a piece count (automatic, or declared by that side in declaration mode).
What does a count do?
The weaker side increments once each move. Reaching the limit draws after the opponent’s final chance to checkmate.
What if the counting side checkmates?
In declaration mode, a checkmate without stopping the board count is a draw; press Stop counting first to win. In automatic mode the count cannot be stopped, so it wins.
Must a Bia promote?
Yes. White promotes automatically on rank six, and Black on rank three, on the move that reaches it.
How does it differ from chess?
Met and Khon take single steps; Bia never moves two squares and promotes at the sixth rank. No castling or en passant; endgames use counts.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-10-07 · Run by Qdan, Inc.