ZakuChess
Win the day's chess battle with pixel-art troops, in the turns the scouts predict.
Every day: One chess challenge a day, the same for everyone: a position played with pixel-art units in which you must defeat the computer's undead army, with a target number of turns. New puzzle: Once a day; the site does not state the time.
ZakuChess is a daily chess challenge dressed as a fantasy battle. Your pieces are pixel-art soldiers, archers, riders and mages; the computer plays the undead. Each day sets up a new position and says how many turns it can be won in, and you can retry or see a solution.
About ZakuChess
ZakuChess plays by the rules of chess but swaps the pieces for pixel-art characters. Sword fighters are pawns, mounted characters are knights, archers are bishops, flying creatures are rooks, staff-wielding mages are queens and heavily armoured figures are kings. Your troops have a green circle under them; the opposing army is the undead, played by the computer.
Each day there is a new challenge, the same for everyone: a position set up mid-battle, and a note from your scouts on how many turns the battle can be won in, such as seven or eleven. You move your pieces, the computer answers, and the aim is to take the enemy king within that count. You can restart from the beginning at any time with Retry, and if you are stuck, See solution shows a winning line. Options let you change the game speed and the board's look, and a stats panel tracks your results.
ZakuChess is free, open source and made in Scotland. It suits chess players who enjoy short tactical puzzles, and newcomers who find a story easier to follow than notation.
How to play ZakuChess
- Open ZakuChess and read today's target: the number of turns the battle can be won in.
- Find your troops, the pieces with a green circle, and tap one to move it.
- Play your move; the undead army answers.
- Use Retry to start again from the beginning if a line goes wrong.
- Win within the turn count, or press See solution to learn a winning line.
Tips
- Learn the mapping first: swords are pawns, riders knights, bows bishops, flyers rooks, staffs queens and heavy armour kings.
- Look for checks and captures first; a short turn count usually means forcing moves.
- Retry freely: each attempt is counted, but you can always restart.
Questions
Which character is which chess piece?
Swords are pawns, mounted characters knights, bows bishops, flying characters rooks, staffs queens and heavy armour kings.
What if I cannot solve the challenge?
Press See solution to see a winning line.
Is it the same challenge for everyone?
Yes, there is one new challenge a day.
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