Chess RPG

About the game

Chess RPG is a chess variant to play in the browser, with a d20 die and power cards. You play White against a robot, and the goal is still checkmate, but each turn starts with a roll that decides how much energy you gain and how many moves you can make.

Energy pays for the cards in your hand: leap, march, shield, teleport, trap and more, 14 types in all. A roll of 6 to 19 gives energy equal to the value and one move; a critical 20 gives 20 energy and two moves; 1 to 5 is a failure, you lose the turn's move but still gain energy. Energy carries over between turns, up to 40.

If you win by checkmate, the score adds 1000 points, 10 per unit of leftover energy and a bonus for finishing early, before turn 40. On a loss or draw, you get 10 points per enemy piece captured. If you prefer the game without luck, classic Chess uses the same pieces and the traditional rules.

How to play

1. At the start of your turn, click Roll d20: the value sets the energy gained and the turn's moves.
2. With a 6 or higher, click one of your pieces and then a highlighted square to move, as in normal chess.
3. Click a card in your hand to use it and follow the highlights to choose piece and destination; energy pays the cost.
4. Cards like March and Leap move pieces without spending your move for the turn, and Dash gives an extra move.
5. If the die fails (1 to 5), only the Reroll card can be used; otherwise, end the turn.
6. Click End turn when you are done. The hand holds at most 5 cards, and you draw one per turn.

Game modes

• 1 player. One player with White against the robot with Black. The robot also rolls the d20 and uses cards such as Shield, Dash and March.

Tips

• Save energy: every leftover unit is worth 10 points if you win by checkmate.
• The Shield card protects a piece from being captured until the start of your next turn, great for a queen under attack.
• Sabotage takes 6 energy from the robot, and Poison stops an enemy piece from moving on its next turn.
• A Trap on an empty square captures the first enemy piece (except the king) that steps on it.
• Reroll costs 3 energy and only works before any other action of the turn, once; use it when the die comes up low.

The pieces

Frequently asked questions