A move sequence showcasing the Jump spell. In this example, white casts the Jump Spell on f7 and captures the king.

Spell chess is a chess variant created in 2023. Standard rules of chess apply, but players can now cast spells. The objective of each player is to either checkmate or capture their opponent's king. The variant was created in a partnership between Chess.com and Supercell.[1]

Rules

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The rules of Spell Chess are the same as standard chess, but with a few key differences and changes.

Spells

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Spell chess adds two spells that are optionally cast before the players turn. Each player can only cast one spell each turn. When a spell is cast, it goes on cooldown for that player for three moves.[1]

Freeze Spell

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When cast, the freeze spell freezes all pieces, including their own, in a three by three radius of where the spell was cast. Frozen pieces cannot move until your next turn.[2] The freeze spell can also be used to temporarily get out of check, by freezing the attacking piece.[3] It is possible to stalemate your opponent by freezing all of your opponent's pieces.[4] Each player is given five freeze spells per game.[5]

Jump Spell

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When the jump spell is cast on either your or your opponent's piece, that piece can then be jumped over as if it wasn't there for one turn. This allows for surprising attacks and capturing key pieces.[2] Each player is given two jump spells per game.[5]

End of the Game

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The game ends the same way as standard chess, but additionally the king can also be captured to win. This can be achieved by using spells to jump over a piece defending the king, or to freeze the king while it's in check.[3] A draw can also be achieved by using a freeze spell on a players last piece(s)[4]

History

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Spell chess is a relatively new variant compared to others. It was originally created in late 2023 in a partnership between Chess.com and Supercell, creators of Clash of Clans.[1] The variant was featured in Chess.com's Chess Played Quick in September 2023, in which participants would have to stream themselves speedrunning 15 challenges in order, with increasing difficulty, such as using a spell to get rid of a check, and forcing a stalemate after freezing your opponent's last piece(s)[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Spell Chess". Chess.com. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Yawn, Matthew. "What is the spell mode in chess?". OCF Chess. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "What is Spell Chess?". Chess.com Support. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Chess Played Quick - Spell Chess Edition: All The Information". Chess.com. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b Muller, H.G. "Spell Chess". The Chess Variant Pages. Retrieved 4 July 2024.