Three-Dimensional Chess

Three-dimensional chess may be played within a single cube, eight cubes on an edge, with a total of 512 cubes in play. (The planes may be spaced or separated to accommodate play. The object is to capture the opposing king by occupying its cube.

  • Each player in rotation, starting with white, places one piece at a time on any of the eight planes, within the first two ranks on their side. After black places the final piece, play begins with white.
  • Playing cube locations are by standard Cartesian coordinate system: x,y,z; starting from the lower left on the side of the player making the first move.
  • Opposing pieces are captured by occupying that piece’s cube.
  • Pieces may move in any direction allowed it.
  • Triagonal movements are made through the corners of the occupied cube.
  • Pawns may move through the walls of two cubes in the same direction on the first move; only to an adjacent cube thereafter, in any direction. The pawn captures opposing pieces by traveling in a triagonal movement, into an occupied cube. (Pawns do not make double, en passant, promotion, or castling moves.)
  • Knights may move to the closest cube that is not on the same rank, file, triagonal or level. Knights are the only piece which can move through occupied cubes; capturing only the destination cube.
  • Bishops may travel in one direction through any number of cubes in a triagonal movement.
  • Rooks may travel through the walls of any number of adjacent cubes in a single direction. (Rooks do not “castle”)
  • Queens may travel either as a Rook or Bishop.
  • Kings may travel one cube in any direction. A player is obliged to call “check” if a move puts the opponent’s king in a position of immediate capture.
  • The game ends when an opponent’s king is captured or surrenders.
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