Chess Variants (thing)

Just as the number of possible games in chess is infinite (almost), there is an infinite number of variants on the game of Chess. Every aspect of the game can be altered. And when I say "every", I mean every. However, not all variations will yield an interesting (or even playable) variant. Here are some common variants of Chess:

• Rule Variants
  The most common type of variants, as they involve the same chess board as regular chess. These include:
  1. Loser's chess - you must try to lose, i.e. be left with a king only, or be checkmated.
  2. Pieces start on different squares. For example, the pieces are all placed randomly, or the kings start in the middle of the board.
  3. Kriegspiel - you can't see the opponent's pieces.
  4. Crazyhouse Chess - when an enemy piece is captured, it becomes yours (changes colour), and you can place in lieu of a turn.
  5. Progressive Chess - white moves one move, black moves 2, white moves 3, etc.

• Shape Variants include:
  
  1. 3D Chess - the most famous of which is Raumschach, played on a 5x5x5 board, with an extra piece - a unicorn.
  2. Hexagonal chess - the board of which is hexagonal. The most famous of these is Glinski's Hexagonal Chess.
  3. Round Board Chess.
  4. Tamerlane Chess - thanks atesh!

• Oriental Chess Variants
  Chess started in the orient, and there are many variations, such as Shogi (Japanese Chess), Changgi (Korean Chess), and Chaturanga an Indian Chess variant, believed to be the first chess variant ever.

• Size Variants
  This is split up into (obviously):
  1. Large Chess Variants - such as Omega Chess, with 104 squares (10x10 and 4 in the corners) and two extra (types of) pieces. Also Gothic Chess (thanks Phssthpok).
  2. Small Chess Variants - played on boards as small as 4x4. These include Minishogi, a small variant on Shogi, and Flip Chess, where pieces can also flip and change type.

• Multiplayer Chess Variants
  Include:
  1. Bughouse Chess - like Crazyhouse, but with 2 teams of 2, and captured pieces go to your partner.
  2. Four Handed Chess, for four players, on a cross-shaped board.
  3. 3 Player Chess, played on a strange 3-sided board.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. These are the better known (and more playable) chess variants. The rest you can find wandering about, or in your imagination.