# Checkless chess

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Chess variant

**Checkless chess**, also known as **prohibition chess**, is a [chess variant](/source/Chess_variant) where neither player may give [check](/source/Check_(chess)) unless it is [checkmate](/source/Checkmate). All other rules are as in regular [chess](/source/Rules_of_chess). The origin of the game is unknown, dating from the mid-19th century.[1][2] The variant is a popular [chess problem](/source/Chess_problem) theme,[3] usually requiring a [fairy](/source/Fairy_chess) mate.[4]

This article uses [algebraic notation](/source/Algebraic_notation_(chess)) to describe chess moves.

## Observations

The single rule change has a profound impact on gameplay. Since the king is immune to most attacks as long as it avoids being checkmated, checks cannot be used to gain time or chase the king to an unsafe position. Also, mating patterns are generally significantly more difficult to execute.[5]

Another effect of this rule is that the king, immune from attack, is now a powerful force. The king can defend pieces by placing itself such that their capture would place the king in check. The king can advance into the enemy position, creating havoc in the enemy camp as enemy pieces need to avoid moving to squares from which they would give check.[6]

## Variations

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h This is stalemate if White is to move in this variant. 1.b5+ puts the black king in check but does not deliver checkmate, so it is illegal. a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h In variants where a check is considered checkmate if the only responses are cross-checks, then White checkmates with 1.Re2 or 1.Rd5, as all king moves would result in discovered check from the black bishop.

Some rules variations exist:

- If on their turn a player is not in check and no move is possible without delivering check without being checkmate, the player might be considered either to be [stalemated](/source/Stalemate) or to lose.

- A checking move might be considered either to be legal only if it would be a checkmate in orthodox chess or to deliver checkmate if any response would be a [cross-check](/source/Cross-check_(chess)). The latter is an example of a fairy mate.[7]

- Absolute Checkless Chess is a variant by Dr. Roger Powell in 1975, whereby pieces may not cross any square from which they would give check.[3]

- Some authorities have suggested a variation where checks are permitted if they are part of a series of checks resulting in [forced mate](/source/Glossary_of_chess#forced_mate).[3]

## Problem

 [T. R. Dawson](/source/T._R._Dawson), *[Die Welt](/source/Die_Welt)* (1951)[3]

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h

White mates in 2

*Solution:* 1.f6 (threatening 2.Qf5#)

- 1...Qc8 2.Nxd6#

- 1...Qxf6 2.Nc5#

- 1...d5 2.Qe5#

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 74.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Pritchard (2007), p. 46: "the eariest definite reference I [Beasley] have seen is a quotation from [Max Lange](/source/Max_Lange)'s 1857 book *Sammlung neuer Schachpartien* in *Nouveaux Jeux d'Echecs Non-orthodoxes*."

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ECV_p50_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ECV_p50_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ECV_p50_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ECV_p50_3-3) Pritchard (1994), p. 50.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 75.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Pritchard (1992), p. 50: "To effect mate, a markedly superior force is usually necessary."

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Schmittberger (1992), p. 190: "If you move your king out into the center of the board, the opponent's pieces must avoid squares that would check the king and can become cramped. Thus, the king in this game becomes a formidable offensive weapon."

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 131. *fairy mate*.

### Bibliography

- [Hooper, David](/source/David_Vincent_Hooper); [Whyld, Kenneth](/source/Kenneth_Whyld) (1996) [First pub. 1992]. "checkless chess". *[The Oxford Companion to Chess](/source/The_Oxford_Companion_to_Chess)* (2nd ed.). [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press). pp. 74–75. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-280049-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-280049-3).

- Keller, Michael, ed. (June 1991). "A Panorama of Chess Variants". *World Game Review*. No. 10. Michael Keller. p. 65. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1041-0546](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1041-0546).

- [Pritchard, D. B.](/source/David_Pritchard_(chess_player)) (1994). "Checkless Chess". *The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants*. Games & Puzzles Publications. pp. 49–50. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-9524142-0-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9524142-0-1).

- [Pritchard, D. B.](/source/David_Pritchard_(chess_player)) (2007). "Checkless Chess". In Beasley, John (ed.). *The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants*. John Beasley. p. 46. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9555168-0-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9555168-0-1).

- Schmittberger, R. Wayne (1992). "Checkless Chess". *New Rules for Classic Games*. John Wiley & Sons Inc. pp. 189–190. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0471536215](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0471536215).

## External links

- [Checkless chess](http://www.chessvariants.org/usualeq.dir/checklss.html) by [Hans Bodlaender](/source/Hans_Bodlaender), *[The Chess Variant Pages](/source/The_Chess_Variant_Pages)*

v t e Chess variants (list) Orthodox rules Different starting position Fischer random chess Displacement chess Transcendental chess Different number of pieces Dunsany's chess Handicap Unorthodox board Balbo's game Circular chess Cylinder chess Double chess Grid chess Hexagonal chess (Cross chess, Masonic chess) Infinite chess Millennium 3D chess Minichess (Los Alamos chess) Rhombic chess Spherical chess Three-dimensional chess Triangular chess Unorthodox rules with traditional pieces Standard 8×8 board Andernach chess Atomic chess Beirut chess Checkless chess Chessplus Circe chess Crazyhouse Cubic chess Dynamo chess Extinction chess Hostage chess Knight relay chess Legan chess Losing chess Madrasi chess Monochromatic chess Patrol chess Portal chess Progressive chess Three-check chess Way of the Knight Multimove variants Avalanche chess Kung-Fu Chess Marseillais chess Monster chess Progressive chess Elements of chance Dark chess Dice chess Knightmare Chess Kriegspiel Penultima Unorthodox rules on an unorthodox board 5D Chess with Multiverse Time Travel Alice chess Apocalypse Chad Chessence Congo Diplomat chess Dragonfly Jeson Mor Parallel worlds chess Rollerball Unorthodox rules using non-traditional pieces Standard 8×8 board Baroque Berolina Chakra Chess with different armies Duell Falcon–hunter chess Grasshopper chess Musketeer chess Pocket mutation chess Cheskers Compound pieces Almost chess Capablanca Chess Capablanca random chess Gothic chess Grotesque chess Ladorean chess Maura's Modern chess Schoolbook chess Seirawan chess Univers chess Chancellor chess Grand Chess Embassy chess Janus Chess Maharajah and the Sepoys Modern chess Tutti-frutti chess Unorthodox boards and pieces 2000 A.D. Chesquerque Chess on a really big board Courier-Spiel Dragonchess Gess Omega Chess Stratomic Dekle's triangular chess Wildebeest chess Wolf chess Multiplayer Bosworth Bughouse chess Business chess Djambi Duchess Enochian chess Forchess Fortress chess Four Fronts Four-player chess Gala Hand and brain Quatrochess Superchess Three-man chess Three-player chess Tri-chess Inspired games Arimaa Camelot Jetan Martian Chess Navia Dratp The Duke Chess-related games Historical Chadarangam Chaturaji Chaturanga Courier chess Grant Acedrex Semedo Shatranj Short assize Great chess Tamerlane chess Great chess Completed Turkish Great chess Regional Janggi variants Makruk Senterej Shatar Shatra Shogi Chu shogi Dai shogi Other variants Sittuyin Xiangqi Jungle Banqi Manchu chess Game of the Three Kingdoms Game of the Three Friends Game of the Seven Kingdoms Other variants Software ChessV XBoard Fairy-Max Zillions of Games Related Correspondence chess Fairy chess Fairy chess piece Fairy Chess Review The Chess Variant Pages Checkers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Checkless chess](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkless_chess) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkless_chess?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.