Three-player chess Three-player chess Three-player chess (also known as Three-handed, Three-man, or Three-way chess) is a family of chess variants specially designed for three players. Many variations of three-player chess have been devised. They usually use a non-standard board, for example, a hexagonal or three-sided board that connects the center in a special way. The three armies are differentiated usually by color. Three-player chess variants (as well as other three-player games) are the hardest to design fairly, since the imbalance created when two players gang up against one is usually too great for the defending player to withstand. Some versions attempt to
Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati can play. Bhati's multiplayer design employs all the standard chess pieces and their moves. Individual armies are distinguished by colour. Each player starts the game with the same number and types of pieces as in standard chess. Non-pawn pieces start in their normal positions on the (the 8×1 extensions at the board perimeter), with queens always placed to the left of kings. Pawns are placed on the rank in front of the pieces as in standard chess. Red squares cannot be occupied or passed through when moving or capturing. The multicoloured central area can be passed through but not occupied.