Join the game
The rules
- Every player gets a full chess army and their own side of the board.
- Players take turns going around the board. Each move has a time limit, usually 1 minute.
- Pieces move like normal chess. Tap your piece to see where it can go.
- There is no check. Capture a king and that player is out!
- Every capture earns points. When the clock runs out, the most points wins.
How to play
New to Chess Royale? Watch this short video first. Turn your sound on to hear it.
Chess
Royale
How to play
The rules, step by step
1A side for everyoneEvery player gets 16 pieces on their own side of the board. Your side is always at the bottom of your screen.
2Take turnsTurns go around the board, one player at a time. Watch the board while you wait, and plan your next move!
3Tap, then tapOn your turn, tap one of your pieces. Dots show every square it can move to. Tap a dot to move.
4Capture the kingThere is no check or checkmate. If someone captures your king, you are out and your whole army leaves the board.
5The move timerYou get 1 minute for each move, unless your teacher picks a different time. If time runs out, your turn is skipped.
6Most points winsEvery capture earns points. When the clock runs out, or only one king is left, the player with the most points wins.
Points for every capture
A pawn that reaches the far edge of the board becomes a queen. There is no castling.
The board grows with the class
With 5 or more players, the board is a ring. Your army starts on the outside edge, and the open middle is where armies meet. Stone walls guard the two home rows between armies, so nobody can slide in from the side. Every attack comes from the middle.
Practice board
On a bigger board, pieces bend around corners and through the middle. Pick a board and a piece, then tap any square to see where it can go.
1. Pick a board
2. Pick a piece
Tap any square on the board.
Start a game room
Show this page on the board. You will get a room code for students to type in.
How it runs
- Students click Play and type the room code and their real first name.
- Up to 10 students share one board. With more, the class splits into even boards, like 6 and 5 for 11 students.
- Pick the move timer and the game clock. Then press Start.
- Your screen shows every board with its own scoreboard.
- Press End the game any time to see who is winning.
Teacher note
- Board size: 2 players get a normal chessboard. 3 players get a six sided board, 4 players get the classic cross board, and 5 to 10 players get a ring with one side for each player. On the ring, stone walls sit between armies on the two home rows, so no rook can slide straight into a neighbor at the start.
- Splitting: no board ever has more than 10 players, and a split never makes a board of 2. For example 11 becomes 6 and 5, and 23 becomes 8, 8, and 7. Seats are shuffled each game.
- Turns: the move timer skips a student who does not move in time. A student whose page is closed is skipped after 10 seconds, so one empty seat never holds up a board.
- Rules: no check, no checkmate, no castling. Capturing a king knocks that player out and their pieces leave the board.
- Points: pawn 1, knight 3, bishop 3, rook 5, queen 9, king 10. The scoreboard always shows the leader with a crown.
- Late students can join and watch. They get a seat in the next game.
- Rooms close by themselves after four quiet hours. Up to 40 students can join one room.