Horde rules
Horde is an unbalanced chess variant: one side has a huge mass of pawns, the other a normal army.
Setup and goals
White, the Horde, has 36 pawns and no king; Black has the usual pieces. White moves first and wins by checkmating Black's king. Black wins by capturing all White's pieces.
Special rules
White pawns on the first rank may move two squares, like pawns on the second rank. All other rules, including promotion, are standard. Black can castle as usual.
Playing tips
- White: advance in a compact group so that pawns protect one another.
- Black: look for weak spots and trade pieces for pawns to thin the horde.
- Beware of White pawns promoting: one new queen can decide the game.