Rules
How to play Rogue Chess
Rogue Chess is a two-player chess variant where you develop your army by upgrading pieces as the game unfolds.
- Start with a different army. Each side has a king and pawn-like pieces. These pieces move one square diagonally forward and may move onto an empty square or capture an opposing piece there.
- Take turns and protect your king. Make a legal move on your turn. A move that leaves your own king in check is not allowed; checkmate ends the game, and a position with no legal moves but no check is a stalemate.
- Upgrade after moving. If you have an eligible piece, choose one of your pieces to upgrade before your opponent moves. A pawn-like piece can become a rook, bishop, queen, or knight. An upgraded piece can only level up as that same type.
- Build stronger movement. Rook and bishop range grows with level. Queens split their level between straight and diagonal range; knights gain their full set of eight L-shaped moves at level 2. The king moves one square in any direction and does not upgrade.
Rogue Chess currently supports check, checkmate, and stalemate. Castling and en passant are not part of this variant.