The Fun Chaotic World of Duck Chess
Chess is a game that has been captivating minds for centuries. But have you ever thought about making it more challenging and filling it with new tactics by slightly changing the rules? Well, welcome to Duck Chess! It's a chess variant where a rubber duck takes center stage, offering an interesting twist on the traditional game.
If you have never heard of duck chess, you might be confused by how the rules of regular chess apply to this variant. And what on earth does the duck do? So let's clarify everything you need to know to play your first game of duck chess.
What is Duck Chess?
Duck chess retains the original structure and mechanics of traditional chess with one interesting addition - a rubber duck. So, how does this work?
Rubber duck serves as an obstacle on the chessboard that blocks the moves of other pieces. But not all of the pieces - knights are granted the ability to jump over the duck, adding a level of unpredictability and strategic depth to the traditional game.
How to Play Duck Chess?
Playing is quite simple. Each player's turn consists of two parts - moving the piece and moving the duck. The duck has to be moved to a different, empty square each time.
Also keep in mind that the duck doesn’t move as other pieces on the board, meaning you can move it to any open square. This is a key piece of information you should digest in order to be competitive and strategic.
Related: Discover the Core Elements of Chess Tactics.
As there is no check or checkmate in this variant, the winner is the one who captures the opponent’s king. So, be careful! The duck, on the other hand, can’t be captured. This means that you can use the duck to unpin pieces, trap them, block your opponent’s attacks, and much more.
Related: Get your own copy of the US Chess Federation Rules of Chess.
Rules of The Game
Here are all the rules of Duck Chess you need to know before you play your first game:
- You have to make a standard chess move with one of the pieces and move the duck afterward to an empty square, anywhere on the board.
- You must move the duck in each turn.
- The duck completely blocks the square it's placed on, making it impossible for all the pieces except the knights to move through it. Knights can jump over it.
- No checkmates or checks - you need to capture the opponent's king in order to win.
- You can also win by getting stalemated. This only happens where there are no legal moves available - all of the pieces are blocked by other pieces or by the duck.
- The white player places the duck on any empty field on the board after the initial move.
The History of Duck Chess
Duck Chess was invented by Dr. Tim Paulden in 2016 and has captured the attention of players worldwide with its unpredictable and engaging gameplay. However, the game hasn’t been that popular ever since.
Related: Discover the Fascinating History of Chess with GM Yuri Averbakh.
This chess variant went viral back in 2022, after a popular creator IM Eric Rosen played it on one of his live streams. Many other chess streamers followed and the game’s popularity skyrocketed over the last year.
Limitations of Duck Chess
Even though a rubber duck adds a very unique and delightful twist to the traditional game of chess, there are certain limitations and disadvantages you should be aware of.
- Accessibility - Unfortunately, the truth is that this game is not widely recognized or available as the original game of chess. Therefore, finding opponents to play will probably be more challenging. There are also no official tournaments yet!
- Strategic Balance - Keep in mind that the introduction of a rubber duck and its unique abilities could potentially impact the strategic balance of the game. In other words, even experienced players may end up questioning their strategies.
How Notations Work
The notation in works the same as in the traditional version of chess. However, when recording a move, in addition to the move related to the piece, you need to add the duck as well.
The symbol “@” is used to label the duck. In other words, once you make a move by one of the pieces, the full notation would be the regular move plus the duck move. So if the move was “Qxh8” and the duck was placed at a1, it would be “Qxh8@a1”.
Related: Get started with our Duck Chess Rubber Ducky.
Bottom Line
Long story short, adding a rubber duck to a traditional game of chess can make quite an interesting twist. It is a great challenge, especially for professionals who are used to the original rules of the game. While the rules of this variant might be new, there are just a couple of them, so you can learn and teach them easily and quickly.
So, if you like the idea of playing chess with a rubber duck that blocks movements and the idea of winning the game by capturing the king, just follow the rules we mentioned above and you'll be ready to go!
FAQs
Yes, it is beginner-friendly. As a matter of fact, due to the new rules and the impact they have on the traditional game, professionals may have more trouble getting used to the than beginners.
Duck chess introduces the concept of “fowling”, which is a new version of stalemate. So if you have absolutely no possible moves, you win the game immediately. Unlike the original version of the game where, in this situation, it would end up in a tie.
Luckily, the only thing you need is a rubber duck that can fit on one square of the board. All the other things such as the pieces and the board itself are from regular chess.