Chess variants
The chess variant determines the tournament discipline: the rules at the board and how the service handles registration, matches, results and ratings. Select it at the first step of creating a tournament. It appears on tournament cards and pages with a dedicated icon.
Five variants are available: Standard, Chess960, Bughouse, Doubles 2x2 and Hand and Brain.
Main differences
| Variant | Available format | Team size | Team result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | individual or team | set by the organizer | total board points |
| Chess960 | individual or team | set by the organizer | total board points |
| Bughouse | team only | exactly 2 players | a win on either board ends the match |
| Doubles 2x2 | team only | exactly 2 players | one shared team result |
| Hand and Brain | team only | exactly 2 players | one shared team result |
What this setting affects
The chess variant is more than a label on a tournament card. It affects several parts of the service.
- Competition format. Standard and Chess960 support individual and team play. Bughouse, Doubles 2x2 and Hand and Brain are team-only: selecting one automatically enables team format and disables individual play.
- Participant registration. The three team-only variants require two players per team. The team size field cannot be changed during registration.
- Matches and results. Team Standard and Chess960 combine results from separate boards. Bughouse, Doubles 2x2 and Hand and Brain use other team match formats described below.
- Ratings. Each variant has separate ratings. Standard results do not affect Chess960 or Bughouse ratings. Ratings are also separated by time control and recalculated only when a rated tournament is completed. See Ratings.
- Display and search. The variant appears on tournament cards, tournament pages, ratings and tournament/player list filters.
Tip
Choose the variant before registering participants and configuring play. Once matches exist, it cannot be changed because it determines participant, match and rating data structures.
The variant does not determine the tournament system or time control; configure them separately. See Tournament systems.
Standard
Traditional chess. Pieces start in their familiar positions. Use this for traditional individual events or team competitions played on separate boards.
- Individual format. One player plays one game against another; the result goes into the standings.
- Team format. The organizer chooses the team size. A match contains separate board games whose points are added together. For example, a three-board score of 2 points against 1 produces a 2–1 team match result.
- Ratings. Uses the separate Standard rating for the selected time control.
Choose Standard when you do not need a special starting position or team rules.
Chess960
Chess 960. Pieces on the first and eighth ranks start in randomized positions. Bishops remain on opposite-colored squares and the king is between the rooks. Castling is still possible, but differs from Standard.
- Format. Chess960 supports individual and team play. Team results are calculated as in Standard, by adding board points.
- Playing detail. Participants must know the selected starting position before the game begins.
- Ratings. Chess960 has separate ratings; its results are not mixed with Standard.
The service manages pairings, lineups and results but does not yet generate starting positions.
Bughouse
Two boards and transferred pieces. Each team has two players playing simultaneously on two boards. A piece captured by one partner is passed to the other, who can place it on their board under Bughouse rules.
- Teams only. Individual play is unavailable and each team has exactly two players.
- Team result. The service creates board games within a team match. The first team to win on either board wins the match.
- What the service records. Players and colors are assigned automatically. The organizer enters game results and the service determines the match result.
- Ratings. Bughouse has its own ratings, separate from other disciplines and time controls.
Explain the playing rules and how match completion is recorded before the tournament; this is particularly important in Bughouse.
Doubles 2x2
Two partners on each side of one board. Each team has two people. Partners take turns making moves without discussing them.
- Two-player teams only. The service automatically enables team format and fixes the team size at two.
- Shared match. Pairings record one shared game between two teams, not a sum of boards. The service determines both lineups automatically; the organizer enters only the final result.
- Playing roles. Both partners play the same color, alternating moves. Turn order and the prohibition on discussion are rules the organizer must explain.
- Ratings. Results belong to the separate Doubles 2x2 discipline.
Hand and Brain
A shared decision. Each team has two players: the brain names the piece type to move, and the hand chooses a legal move with that piece type.
- Two-player teams only. As in Doubles 2x2, individual play and other team sizes are unavailable.
- Shared match. The team receives one game result; the service stores both rosters and the outcome of their shared game.
- Roles. The brain chooses the piece type; the hand chooses the move. The service does not assign these roles automatically. Tournament rules determine them: for example, the first player may be the brain, or roles may be chosen by agreement, drawing lots or another announced method.
- Ratings. A rated tournament affects only the Hand and Brain rating.
Choosing a variant
After choosing a variant, configure format and teams, time control and participant registration.