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Board games
Board game

Gardner minichess

Every chess piece on a 5x5 board.

Board
5x5
Family
Chess family
minichess
All board games

Play

Starting a game records your moves under your name. Sign in to play

The clock starts once the first move is made; the solver plays itself untimed.

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How to play

Chess on a 5x5 board with one of every piece and five pawns a side. Pieces move as in chess; pawns step one square and promote on the last rank. There is no castling, double step or en passant. Checkmate wins, stalemate draws.

Beside chess

Martin Gardner's 5x5 chess, small enough that it was solved in 2013: with perfect play it is a draw.

Moves are written as the cells they touch: d4, e2e4, c3e5g7.

Quick pairing

Pick a clock. You meet the closest rating waiting in that pool; the range widens while you wait.

Nobody waiting

Sign in to play. Games record moves under your name.

Lobby

Create a game or challenge a player
Your side

Leave the opponent blank and the game waits in the lobby for anyone while this page is open. Name a player and only they can take it; a challenge waits up to a day.

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