Chaturanga (550)

Chaturaji

Chaturaji is an ancient Indian four-player game that is similar to Chaturanga. It was first described in detail around 1030 by Al-Biruni in his book India. Originally, this was a game of chance, and the pieces to be moved were decided by rolling two dice. A diceless variant of the game was still played in India at the close of the 19th century. The ancient Indian epic Mahabharata contains a reference to a game, which could be Chaturaji, but there is no certainty whether the mentioned game is really a chess-like game like Chaturaji or a race game like Pachisi.

Why is Chaturaji Popular?

Chaturaji is significant because it is an ancient Indian game that is similar to Chaturanga, which is considered to be one of the predecessors of chess. It is also a four-player game, which makes it unique compared to other chess-like games.

Game Components of Chaturaji

An 8×8 boardFour pawns for each playerA king, a bishop (originally an elephant), a knight, and a boat (which moves like a rook) for each player

Game Setup of Chaturaji

Each player starts with four pawns, which can only move one square at a time, perpendicular to its neighboring pawns. They also have a king, a bishop (originally an elephant), a knight, and a boat (which moves like a rook).

Gameplay Mechanics of Chaturaji

There are no clear and definite records of Chaturaji’s origins or rules, so it is impossible to know how the early Indians played it. Many historians claim that it was likely a game of chance, with players throwing dice to determine which pieces would move. On Chess.com, players can choose which piece to move, making the game more strategic.

Game Objective of Chaturaji

The objective of Chaturaji is to checkmate the opponent’s king.

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