Chess Variants/Racing Kings

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Starting position of Racing Kings.

Racing Kings is a variant that turns chess into a racing game, for lack of a better phrase. It is played using a standard board and standard pieces, but no pawns.

This variant was invented in 1961 by prolific chess variant creator V. R. Parton. It is currently one of the variants supported on Lichess.org.

As its name suggests, Racing Kings is a racing game - the goal is to get one's king to any square on the eighth rank. All pieces move the same as in standard chess.

It is forbidden to make a move that would place your opponent's king in check.

To compensate for White's first-move advantage, if White manages to move their king to the eighth rank, and Black does the same on the very next turn, the game ends in a draw.

• Dodo chess uses fewer pieces than Racing Kings.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Starting position of Dodo chess.