DownloadMakruk, also known as Thai chess, is a traditional strategy game that shares similarities with chess but is distinguished by its unique rules and pieces. Played on an 8x8 board, Makruk includes pieces such as the king, queen, and various pawns, each with distinct movements. The ultimate goal is to checkmate the opponent's king, requiring players to exhibit exceptional tactical skill and strategic planning. This game remains a beloved pastime in Thailand due to its engaging and challenging nature.
Features of Makruk:
- Play Against AIs: Hone your skills by challenging artificial intelligences set at different difficulty levels, ranging from Easy to Expert.
- Daily Challenge: Sharpen your Makruk prowess with a new challenge presented every day.
- Global Leaderboard: Compete against players from around the globe and strive to reach the top of the rankings.
- Share Your Games: Showcase your finest strategies and moves by sharing your games with friends and family.
- Undo & Save/Load: Correct your moves with the undo feature and save your game to resume playing later at your convenience.
- Timer Based Game: Elevate the thrill of the game by playing with a timer, adding a competitive edge to your matches.
Makruk, known in Thai as หมากรุก (Mak Ruk), is a board game that traces its origins to the 6th-century Indian game of chaturanga or a closely related game. As a direct descendant, Makruk shares a common ancestry with chess and is considered the living game most similar to this ancient precursor of all chess variants. An impressive two million Thais are adept at playing Makruk, while only around 5,000 can play international chess.
Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has praised Makruk for its strategic depth, noting that it demands meticulous planning and can be likened to an anticipated endgame in international chess.
Rules
The Pawn (เบี้ย bia, a cowry shell, formerly used for money): Moves and captures similarly to a pawn in international chess but cannot advance two steps on its initial move and, thus, cannot be captured en passant. Upon reaching the sixth rank, a pawn is always promoted to a queen (med).
The Queen (เม็ด met), the weakest piece, moves one step diagonally in any direction, akin to the fers in shatranj or a cat sword in dai shogi.
The Bishop (โคน khon, nobleman or mask): Moves one step diagonally or one step forward, similar to the silver general in shogi.
The Knight (ม้า ma, horse): Moves identically to a knight in Western chess, jumping over any intervening pieces.
The Rook (เรือ ruea, boat): Moves like a rook in Western chess, any number of steps horizontally or vertically.
The King (Ang): Moves like a king in international chess—one step in any direction. Historically, the king could make a Ses (knight jump) on its first move, though this special move is no longer practiced in Thailand. The game concludes when the king is checkmated.
What's New
- Bug fixed.
