Suicide chess and antichess are usually two names for closely related games in which you try to lose all your pieces, while losers chess is a separate variant where checks and mates still matter. Names vary by site and country, so always read the rules before you play.
Why the Names Get Mixed Up
All three variants flip the usual goal of winning material. Because they came from different communities, the same name can mean slightly different rules in different places. Online sites also pick their own labels, which adds to the confusion.
Suicide Chess and Antichess
In the common version, captures are compulsory: if you can capture, you must. The goal is to lose all your pieces or to be left with no legal move. Kings have no special status in many rule sets, so there is no check or checkmate, and a pawn can usually promote to a king.
Some sites use the name antichess for exactly this game. Others use suicide chess for a version with small differences, such as how a stalemate is scored. If you play on a particular site, its rules page is the final word.
Losers Chess
Losers chess keeps check and checkmate, and captures are still compulsory. The twist is that you win by getting checkmated, or by losing every piece. Because check rules still apply, you must answer a check even when you would rather give up material.
Quick Comparison
- Compulsory capture: all three.
- Check and checkmate: absent in common antichess and suicide rules, present in losers chess.
- Winning aim: lose all pieces or be unable to move, except in losers chess where being checkmated also wins.
- Feel: antichess is a forcing puzzle of sacrifices, while losers chess feels closer to normal chess played backwards.
Tips for Beginners
- Learn how forced captures chain together, because one sacrifice can drag several pieces away.
- Keep an eye on your opponent’s forced replies, since you can often make them take what you want.
- Do not hold pieces back near the end; the aim is to give them up.
- Try the variant against a bot first to see how the rules behave.
Where You Can Play
Large chess servers usually list these games under a variant menu, and the exact name on the menu tells you which rules apply. Some sites offer only antichess, others offer losers chess too, and a few treat both as the same game with minor setting changes. Look for a rules page or a short tutorial before your first game. A few minutes of reading prevents surprises such as an illegal move or an unexpected result.
FAQ
Is antichess the same as suicide chess?
Often yes, but not always. Check which rules the site uses, especially for stalemate and king promotion.
Do normal chess skills help?
Some do. Calculation and awareness of forcing moves carry over, but opening theory and positional ideas change a lot.
The Short Version
Suicide chess and antichess usually mean the same give-it-all-away game with no check, while losers chess keeps check and mate. Read the exact rules on the platform you choose, then practice forcing sequences.
