Makruk, also known as Thai chess, is a fascinating traditional strategy game that, while similar to chess, boasts unique rules and pieces, adding a distinct flavor to the gameplay. Played on an 8x8 board, Makruk features familiar pieces such as the king, queen, and various pawns, but each moves in its own specific way. The ultimate goal remains the same as in chess: to checkmate the opponent's king. However, Makruk places a strong emphasis on tactical skill and strategic planning, making it a beloved pastime in Thailand.
Features of Makruk:
- Play Against AIs: Sharpen your skills by challenging artificial intelligence opponents of varying difficulties, ranging from Easy to Expert.
- Daily Challenge: Put your abilities to the test with a fresh challenge presented every day.
- Global Leaderboard: Compete on a worldwide stage and strive to climb the ranks against other players.
- Share Your Games: Showcase your best moves by sharing them with friends and family.
- Undo & Save/Load: Correct your mistakes with the undo feature and save your progress to resume playing later.
- Timer-Based Game: Elevate the excitement with timed gameplay, adding an extra layer of challenge.
Makruk, known in Thai as หมากรุก (Mak Ruk), is a board game that traces its origins back to the 6th-century Indian game of chaturanga or a closely related variant. This heritage makes Makruk one of the closest living relatives to the common ancestor of all chess variants.
An impressive two million Thais are proficient in Makruk, in contrast to the 5,000 who can play international chess. According to former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik, Makruk is more strategic than international chess, requiring players to plan their moves with utmost care. This strategic depth can be likened to the anticipated endgame of International Chess.
Rules
The Pawn (เบี้ย, bia): This piece, symbolizing a cowry shell once used as currency, moves and captures similarly to a pawn in international chess. However, it cannot advance two steps on its first move and thus cannot be captured en passant. Upon reaching the sixth rank, a pawn is always promoted to a queen (med).
The Queen (เม็ด, met): Despite its name, this is the weakest piece on the board. It moves one step diagonally in any direction, reminiscent of the fers in shatranj or a cat sword in dai shogi.
The Bishop (โคน, khon): Representing a nobleman or mask, the bishop moves one step diagonally or one step forward, similar to the silver general in shogi.
The Knight (ม้า, ma): Just like in Western chess, the knight moves in an L-shape, jumping over any intervening pieces.
The Rook (เรือ, ruea): Symbolized by a boat, the rook moves any number of steps horizontally or vertically, as in Western chess.
The King (Ang): Moves like a king in international chess, one step in any direction. Traditionally, the king could make a Ses (knight jump) on its first move, though this special move is no longer used in Thailand. The game concludes when the king is checkmated.
What's New
- Bug fixed.
