How to play Three-Player Chess

The 96-square board has three territories, with sixteen standard chess pieces per player. ChessPlayX's Modern variant defines movement across the centre and player elimination. It is not ordinary two-player chess with an extra opponent.

Turns go White → Black → Red (Wei → Shu → Wu). Each player competes independently.

The 96 cells form three sectors. Diagonals can fork at the centre; select a piece to see every legal route. Knights jump along the board's connections.

Pawns advance into either enemy sector and promote on an enemy back rank to queen, rook, bishop or knight. Castling requires unmoved king and rook, a clear route and safe king squares. En passant lasts through each opponent's next turn.

Both opponents can give check. You must leave your own king or general safe. Royals are never captured; checkmate is decided when the checked player's turn begins.

Mate, resignation or timeout eliminates one player. Their army stays as frozen, uncapturable blockers. The last active player wins; disconnection alone does not immediately eliminate anyone.

Threefold repetition or 150 quiet plies draws the game. In chess, stalemate skips a turn with three active players and draws with two. In Modern Xiangqi, stalemate eliminates that player. Historical special pieces and army transfer are not part of Modern.

Before moving, inspect threats from both opponents. A piece left by an eliminated player still blocks routes, so do not plan as if that territory were empty.