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River ChessBoard & Card · Two Player · Brain
How to play River Chess
River Chess is a board game for two armies on a nine by ten board cut by a river. Each side has a general and two advisors that never leave the palace, two elephants that cannot cross the water, two horses, two chariots, two cannons and five soldiers. Ember moves first, Tide answers, and the side that traps the enemy general wins.
Every piece moves in its own way. Chariots slide along lines, horses jump but can be blocked, cannons capture by leaping over exactly one piece, and soldiers learn to step sideways once they cross the river. The two generals may never face each other on an open column, which makes checks and traps sharper than you expect. Tap a piece to see its legal moves, tap a square to play.
Climb a ladder of eight computer opponents from the gentle Pebble to the River King, earning stars and coins. Spend the coins on new board looks. Play a friend on the same screen, or solve 80 generated mate puzzles, where you must find the one move that forces checkmate in one or two moves. Hints and undo are there when you are stuck. Your progress is saved on your device.
Controls
Mouse: click a piece, then a highlighted square. Keyboard: arrow keys move the cursor, Enter or Space selects and moves. U undo, H hint, F flip the board, M sound, P or Esc pause.
Tap a piece, then tap a highlighted square. The buttons under the board undo, hint, flip the board, mute and open the menu.
FAQ
Who moves first?
Ember always moves first. When you play the computer you can choose to be Ember (first) or Tide (second).
How does a game end?
A game is won by checkmate, or when the side to move has no legal move at all. It is a draw when the same position appears three times, when 60 moves each pass without a capture, or when neither side can attack any more.
Can I take a move back?
Yes. The first undo of each computer game is free; later ones ask you to watch a short video. Two-player games and puzzles can always take moves back or restart.
What are coins for?
Wins and solved puzzles pay coins. Spend them on new looks for the board. An optional video doubles the coins of a result.
Is River Chess free?
Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no download and no account.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. It runs on phones, tablets and computers. Tap a piece, then tap a highlighted square. The buttons under the board undo, hint, flip the board, mute and open the menu.