How to play Makruk & Ouk Khmer — piece moves, English · ไทย · ខ្មែរ
Play Makruk (Thai chess) and Ouk Khmer (Khmer chess) online for free. Challenge real players in rated games with ranking and rematch, or play the AI, or a friend on one device. It runs in your browser — no download, and no sign-up for AI games.
អុកខ្មែរ (Khmer Chess) — លេងអនឡាញដោយឥតគិតថ្លៃ ជាមួយ AI ឬជាមួយមិត្តភក្តិ។ មិនចាំបាច់ទាញយក ឬចុះឈ្មោះ។
Ouk Khmer (also called Khmer chess, chess khmer, Cambodian chess or Ouk Chatrang) and Makruk (Thai chess) are traditional chess-like board games of Thailand and Cambodia, related to the ancestor of modern chess. Play free in your browser — online against real players (rated games, ranking and rematch), against the AI, or with a friend on the same device. No download; an ID is needed only for online games. Use the switch above the board to change between Makruk and Ouk Khmer, and choose from many board and piece styles.
How to play Makruk
Khun (king): one step in any direction.
Met (queen): one step diagonally.
Khon (bishop): one step diagonally, or one step straight forward.
Ma (knight): an L-shaped jump (two steps one way, one step sideways). It jumps over other pieces.
Rua (rook): any number of steps along a row or column.
Bia (pawn): one step straight forward (not a capture) and captures one step diagonally forward. No double step.
Promotion: a Bia that reaches the 6th rank (White) or the 3rd rank (Black) — the rank where the opponent's Bia start — becomes a Met.
Check and checkmate work as in chess. Having no legal move while not in check (stalemate) is a draw. There is no castling and no en passant.
How to play Ouk Khmer
Sdech (king): one step in any direction. Once per game, while still on its starting square, it may also make a knight-style leap to an empty square — but not while in check. The leap cannot be blocked: even if a piece stands on a square diagonally in front of the king, it may leap as long as the landing square (the knight-move square) is empty.
Neang (queen): one step diagonally. Once per game, while still on its starting square, it may leap two squares straight forward to an empty square.
Koul (bishop): one step diagonally, or one step straight forward.
Se (knight): an L-shaped jump (two steps one way, one step sideways). It jumps over other pieces.
Tuk (rook): any number of steps along a row or column.
Trey (pawn): one step straight forward (not a capture) and captures one step diagonally forward. No double step.
Promotion: a Trey that reaches the 6th rank (White) or the 3rd rank (Black) — the rank where the opponent's Trey start — becomes a Neang.
Check and checkmate work as in chess. Having no legal move while not in check (stalemate) is a draw. There is no castling and no en passant.
หมากรุกไทย (Makruk) เล่นออนไลน์ฟรี
หมากรุกไทยเป็นเกมกระดานดั้งเดิมของไทย เล่นฟรีบนเบราว์เซอร์ ไม่ต้องดาวน์โหลดและไม่ต้องสมัครสมาชิก เล่นกับ AI หรือเล่น 2 คนบนเครื่องเดียวกันได้ เลือกลายกระดานและแบบหมากได้หลายแบบ
About Thai and Cambodian chess: history and differences from modern chess
Makruk and Ouk Khmer belong to the family of chess games that developed from the ancient Indian game chaturanga. They keep an older style of play than modern chess: the queen and bishop are short-range pieces, pawns never move two squares, and games are played on an 8 × 8 board that is traditionally not checkered. Makruk is the Thai game and Ouk Khmer is the Cambodian game, and they are very close relatives.
The Met (Thai) or Neang (Khmer) moves only one step diagonally, so attacks build up slowly and endgames matter.
A pawn that reaches the 6th rank (White) or 3rd rank (Black) becomes a Met or Neang.
Because a lone king can be hard to checkmate, the games use a counting rule that limits how long a won ending may go on. The rules guide explains it step by step.
In Ouk Khmer the king and queen each have a special one-time leap early in the game.
Makruk and Ouk Khmer online: frequently asked questions
Is it free to play?
Yes. Play in your browser with no download. No account is needed for AI games; online games need a free ID.
How do I switch between Makruk and Ouk Khmer?
Use the switch above the board. You can also choose from many board and piece styles.
Can I play Makruk or Ouk Khmer online against real players?
Yes. Choose online play, find an opponent, and play a rated game with rematches and national flags. You only need to create an ID for online games.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Play against the AI, or with a friend on the same device — no sign-up needed for these.
What is the difference between Makruk and Ouk Khmer?
The pieces and most moves are the same. The main difference is that in Ouk Khmer the king and queen may each make a one-time leap from their starting squares. See the rules guide for the details.
អុកខ្មែរ និងអុកថៃ លេងអនឡាញ៖ សំណួរដែលសួរញឹកញាប់
លេងឥតគិតថ្លៃឬទេ?
បាទ/ចាស។ លេងលើកម្មវិធីរុករក ដោយមិនចាំបាច់ទាញយក។ ហ្គេមជាមួយ AI មិនចាំបាច់ចុះឈ្មោះទេ ហើយហ្គេមអនឡាញត្រូវការតែអត្តសញ្ញាណ (ID) ឥតគិតថ្លៃប៉ុណ្ណោះ។
หมากรุกไทย (ภาษาไทย)