Makruk, also known as Thai chess, is a captivating traditional strategy game that, while similar to chess, distinguishes itself with unique rules and pieces. Played on an 8x8 board, the game features familiar pieces like the king, queen, and various pawns, each with distinct movements. The ultimate goal is to checkmate the opponent's king, emphasizing tactical skill and strategic planning, which has made Makruk a beloved pastime in Thailand.

Features of Makruk:

Play Against AIs: Hone your skills by challenging AIs of varying difficulties, from Easy to Expert.

Daily Challenge: Keep your strategy sharp with a new challenge presented every day.

Global Leaderboard: Compete with players from around the world and strive to climb the ranks.

Share Your Games: Impress your friends and family by sharing your best moves and victories.

Undo & Save/Load: Correct your mistakes with the undo feature and save your progress to resume your game later.

Timer Based Game: Enhance the thrill of the game with timed gameplay, adding an element of urgency to your decisions.

Makruk, known in Thai as หมากรุก (rtgs: Mak Ruk), traces its origins back to the 6th-century Indian game of chaturanga or a closely related variant, making it a direct descendant and a close cousin to international chess. It is considered the living game most similar to the common ancestor of all chess variants.

An impressive two million Thais are proficient in Makruk, while only 5,000 can play international chess. According to former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik, Makruk is more strategic than its international counterpart, requiring players to plan their moves with meticulous care, akin to an anticipated endgame in international chess.

Rules

The Pawn (เบี้ย bia, a cowry shell): Moves and captures like a pawn in international chess but cannot advance two steps on its first move and thus cannot be captured en passant. A pawn that reaches the sixth rank is automatically promoted to a queen (med).

The Queen (เม็ด met): The weakest piece, moves one step diagonally, similar to the fers in shatranj or the cat sword in dai shogi.

The Bishop (โคน khon, nobleman or mask): Moves one step diagonally or one step forward, akin to the silver general in shogi.

The Knight (ม้า ma, horse): Moves exactly like a knight in Western chess, jumping over any pieces in its path.

The Rook (เรือ ruea, boat): Moves like a rook in Western chess, any number of steps horizontally or vertically.

The King (Ang): Moves like a king in international chess, one step in any direction. The king is also allowed a special move, a Ses (knight jump), on its first move, though this is no longer used in Thailand. The game ends when the king is checkmated.

What's New

Bug fixes have been implemented to enhance your gaming experience.