# Chess

Chess is a board game for 2 players. It is meant for ages 6 and up. It is rated 7 out of 10 by 107 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $7.19 (United States).

- **Players:** 2
- **Minimum age:** 6+
- **Complexity:** 3.6 out of 5
- **Year published:** 1475
- **Categories:** Abstract Strategy
- **Mechanics:** Grid Movement, Static Capture, Once-Per-Game Abilities, Pattern Movement, Sudden Death Ending, Square Grid
- **Ludoya rating:** 7 out of 10, from 107 reviews
- **Owned by:** 211 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 1,881
- **Unique players:** 351

**Designers:** (Uncredited)

**Artists:** Karim Rashid, Paolo Chiari, Peter Ganine, Anika Fairooz Chowdhury, J. R. R. Tolkien, (Uncredited), Olin Jeong, Honoré Daumier, Jutta Griebel, Néstor Romeral Andrés, Rafael Guigou, F. Lanier Graham, Günter Griebel

**Publishers:** Киевпластмасс, (Unknown), (Self-Published), Οδύσσεια, (Public Domain)

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Atomic Empire | 7.19 $ | https://www.atomicempire.com/Item/354809 |
| Cardhaus Games | 44.99 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/the-legend-of-zelda-chess-set-2025/ |
| Gamers Guild AZ | 44.99 $ | https://gamersguildaz.com/products/zelda-chess |
| eFantasy | 74.99 € | https://www.efantasy.gr/en/products/board-games/142699-board-game-the-lord-of-the-rings-battle-for-middle-earth-chess-set |
| GryPlanszowe.pl | 23 zł | https://gryplanszowe.pl/product-pol-4900-Szachy-wersja-podrozna.html |
| Get Your Fun | 9.99 € | https://www.getyourfun.it/032762-scacchi-grandi-classici.html |
| Zatu Games | 8.79 £ | https://zatu.com/products/chess |
| TLAMA games | 259 Kč | https://www.tlamagames.com/deskove-hry/sachy-3/ |
| Fantasiapelit | 14.2 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_210189 |
| Juegos de la Mesa Redonda | 17.95 € | https://juegosdelamesaredonda.com/11079-ajedrez-de-40cm-y-set-de-fichas-de-madera-n4-stauton.html |
| Game Ninja | 199 kr | https://www.gameninja.no/produkt/chess/ |
| La Gameria | 21.95 € | https://gameria.es/juegos-de-mesa/ajedrez-288.html |
| Spilforsyningen | 179.95 kr | https://spilforsyningen.dk/products/skak-30x30 |
| Reflexshop | 10990 Ft | https://reflexshop.hu/sakk |
| Cogs Toys and Games | 59.95 € | https://www.cogstoysandgames.ie/products/the-legend-of-zelda-chess |
| Alphaspel | 685 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/335445-lord-of-the-rings-battle-for-middle-earth-chess-set |
| Ludifolie | 62.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/15510-jeu-d-echecs-deluxe-bois-cayro.html |

## Expansions

- [Knightmare Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/knightmare-chess)
- [Knightmare Chess 2](https://www.ludoya.com/games/knightmare-chess-2)
- [Knightmare Chess (Third Edition)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/knightmare-chess-third-edition)
- [Darkleaf Gambit](https://www.ludoya.com/games/darkleaf-gambit)
- [Devil's Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/devils-chess)
- [Spell Chess: an Expansion to Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/spell-chess-an-expansion-to-chess)
- [Royal Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/royal-chess)
- [Rogue Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/rogue-chess)
- [Musketeer Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/musketeer-chess)
- [Kingdom of Elbrandt](https://www.ludoya.com/games/kingdom-of-elbrandt)
- [Beguile: PaWN The Enemy](https://www.ludoya.com/games/beguile-pawn-the-enemy)
- [Code Geass: Knightmare Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/code-geass-knightmare-chess)
- [Castle-Mate](https://www.ludoya.com/games/castle-mate)
- [Super Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/super-chess-3)
- [CHUCK-A-CHESS](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chuck-a-chess)
- [Capto Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/capto-chess)
- [Chess Mixer](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess-mixer)
- [Forgotten Kings](https://www.ludoya.com/games/forgotten-kings)
- [Zugzwang](https://www.ludoya.com/games/zugzwang)
- [Chess Expansion: Wheel of Fortune](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess-expansion-wheel-of-fortune)
- [Chess: Counterstrike](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess-counterstrike)
- [Fairy Tale Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/fairy-tale-chess)
- [Heretik Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/heretik-chess)
- [x-Chess: the First Mutant](https://www.ludoya.com/games/x-chess-the-first-mutant)
- [Chess Equalizer](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess-equalizer)
- [Chess Mage](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess-mage)
- [Epic Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/epic-chess)
- [Fantasy Crusaders Chess](https://www.ludoya.com/games/fantasy-crusaders-chess)
- [Sovereign's Stratagem: Original](https://www.ludoya.com/games/sovereign-s-stratagem-original)
- [Военно-морская игра](https://www.ludoya.com/games/-190)

## Similar games

- [Xiangqi](https://www.ludoya.com/games/xiangqi)
- [Chess960](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess960)
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- [Tintas](https://www.ludoya.com/games/tintas)
- [Ichor](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ichor)
- [Onitama](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama)
- [Lines of Action](https://www.ludoya.com/games/lines-of-action)
- [The Duke](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-duke)
- [Go](https://www.ludoya.com/games/go)
- [Trench](https://www.ludoya.com/games/trench)
- [Case Blue](https://www.ludoya.com/games/case-blue)
- [Barragoon](https://www.ludoya.com/games/barragoon)

## Rules questions

### Can I castle if my king would have to pass through a square that is attacked?

No — castling is not allowed if the king is in check, would cross over a square that is attacked, or would land on an attacked square; castling is also lost if the king or the chosen rook has previously moved (see pages 6–7).

### If an opponent moves a pawn two squares past my pawn, how long do I have to capture en passant?

You may capture en passant only on the very next move immediately after the opponent’s two-square pawn advance (see page 5).

### What pieces can I promote my pawn to — can I promote to another king?

When a pawn reaches the furthest rank it must be exchanged immediately for a queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour (the choice is not limited to captured pieces); you cannot promote to a king (see page 6).

### I accidentally touched a piece — am I forced to move or capture it?

Yes — except when adjusting pieces after announcing your intention, if you deliberately touch one of your own pieces you must move the first touched piece that can be moved, and if you deliberately touch an opponent’s piece you must capture the first touched piece that can be captured (see Article 4, page 7).

### Is stalemate a win or a draw?

Stalemate is a draw: the game is drawn when the player to move has no legal move and his king is not in check (see page 8).

### How do I claim a draw by threefold repetition or the fifty-move rule?

A player having the move may claim a draw: for threefold repetition either before making a move that will produce the repetition by writing the move and informing the arbiter or after the position has just appeared; for the fifty-move rule the claimant must write the intended move and declare to the arbiter or claim once the 50 moves have occurred; incorrect claims have specified penalties and the clocks may be stopped when making the claim (see page 13).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/chess)
- [Chess in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/chess)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._