Chaturanga chess rules are not hard to learn. At least the version that researchers managed to restore based on various text resources. We’ll cover basic things that are required to enjoy the predecessor of modern entertainment.
4-Player Variant
Today’s version allows only two parties to play against each other. However, the original was meant for up to 4 people. So, you’ll need 4 friends to enjoy the challenge. As well as:
- A 64-square board
- 4-foot soldiers, 1 shah, 1 elephant, 1 horse, and 1 boat (for each army)
- 2 dice
Place them all like in the picture above.
Chaturanga Chess Rules Explained
The players sit at the 4 corners of the board taking turns in throwing 2 dice. The original one had only 4 sides. This is why 5 and 6 dots are not counted as such. If you get 5, it’s considered 1, while 6 means 4.
Dots denote which of the pieces can move:
- 1 = pawn or the shah (king)
- 2 = boat (previously a chariot)
- 3 = horse
- 4 = elephant
We’ve depicted the movement patterns in the pictures below:
We’ve used classical pieces to show how to use them on the board. Shah, foot soldier, horse and elephant move the same as the king, pawn, knight and rook. The boat resembles a bishop but can only go to the third diagonal square. And it can fly over other fighters.
Use dice in turns to defeat the opposing armies and get more scores in the end.
Complicated But Satisfying
There are other nuances to remember about chaturanga chess rules. Click this link to watch them on the board and learn how to play the challenge.
Attention: the board entertainment has other variations as well. The one we describe in this article was written down by Al-Biruni. This gifted polymath lived in the 10th century. Additionally, the rules were influenced by the work of Jean-Louis Cazaux (the 20th century). This board game designer and writer made some vital improvements to this logic-driven entertainment. Join chess clubs in Little Rock, AR and meet new people.