This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Antichess, also called losing chess, loser's chess, zero chess, giveaway chess, suicide chess, or take me is a chess variant in which the objective of the participants is to get all of their pieces captured. The most widely played variation, as described in the book Popular Chess Variants by D.B. Pritchard, is described below.

The rules of the game are the same as those of chess except for the following additional rules:

• Capturing is compulsory.
• When more than one capture is available, the player may exercise choice.
• The king has no special prerogative and accordingly:
  • It may be captured like any other piece.
  • There is no check or checkmate.
  • There is no castling.
  • Pawns may also promote to King.
• In the case of stalemate, there are different rules:
  • It is a win for the stalemated player (international rules).
  • It is a draw.
  • It is a win for the player with the fewer number of pieces, and if both have the same number it is a draw. The type of the piece makes no difference (FICS rules).

A player wins by losing all his pieces, or being stalemated (as detailed.) Apart from move repetition, mutual accord and the fifty-move rule, the game is also drawn when a win is impossible, such as if a dark-squared bishop and a light-squared bishop are the only pieces remaining. In another little-played version, forcing the opponent to checkmate the king is another option to win.

P.H. Törngren
Tidskrift för Schack 1929

Suicide chess, white to play and win.
Solution goes: 1.h3! a5 2.h4 a4 3.h5 a3 4.h6 a2 5.h7 a1R! 6.h8B!! Ranywhere (Black is in zugzwang) 7. Ba1 Rxa1 1-0

Because of the forced capture rule, antichess games often involve long sequences of forced captures by one player. This means that a minor mistake can ruin the game. Losing openings include 1.d4, 1.e4, 1.d3, 1.Nc3, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, 1.h4, 1.b4, 1.h3.^[1] Some of these openings took months of computer time to solve, but the wins against 1.d3, 1.d4, and 1.e4 consist of a single series of forced captures and can be played from memory by most experienced players.

[edit] See also

• Chess terminology

[edit] Notes

[edit] Internet sites where antichess can be played

• FICS
• ICC
• Playchess

[edit] External links

• KPanta at Freshmeat – AntiChess Game for Linux
• Nilatac's Suicide Opening Book
• The complete review of suicide chess by Fabrice Liardet
• An interesting look on suicide chess by Vladica Andrejić
• Web site of Stan Goldovski, pioneer of suicide chess
• Suicide and Losers Chess database
• SuicideChess