Makruk (Thai Chess) & Ouk Khmer (Cambodian Chess): rules and how to play
Overview
Makruk (หมากรุกไทย) is Thai chess, and Ouk Khmer (អុកខ្មែរ, also called Ouk Chatrang) is Cambodian chess. Both come from the same ancestor as modern chess (chaturanga) and are played on an 8×8 board with no checkered pattern. The pieces are slower than in international chess, so games are tactical and need patience. White moves first.
Starting position (Makruk)
- Back row for White, left to right: Rua (rook), Ma (knight), Khon (bishop), Khun (king), Met (queen), Khon, Ma, Rua.
- Black's setup is White's rotated 180 degrees, so each Khun faces the other side's Met: Rua, Ma, Khon, Met, Khun, Khon, Ma, Rua.
- Pawns (Bia) stand on the third row from each player: rank 3 for White, rank 6 for Black. The second rank and the seventh rank are empty.
- There are 16 pieces per side: 1 Khun, 1 Met, 2 Khon, 2 Ma, 2 Rua, 8 Bia.
How to play Makruk
How to read the diagrams: green dot = a square the piece can move to; red ring = an enemy piece it can capture; ✕ = blocked, cannot go there; gold ring = the piece being explained.
- 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.
- Counting draw (simplified): once no Bia remain, the game is drawn if it is not won within 64 moves each. When one side has only a bare king, the other side must checkmate within a limit set by its strongest pieces: two Rua 8, one Rua 16, two Khon 22, two Ma 32, one Khon 44, otherwise 64 moves. Any capture restarts the count.
The Met is the weakest of the strong pieces: it moves just one step diagonally. A promoted Bia becomes a Met, not a stronger piece.
How Ouk Khmer differs
- 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.
- Counting draw (simplified): once no Trey remain, the game is drawn if it is not won within 64 moves each. When one side has only a bare king, the other side must checkmate within a limit set by its strongest pieces: two Tuk 8, one Tuk 16, two Koul 22, two Se 32, one Koul 44, otherwise 64 moves. Any capture restarts the count.
The piece names are Sdech (king), Neang (queen), Koul (bishop), Se (knight), Tuk (rook) and Trey (pawn). The setup is the same as Makruk.
Beginner tips
- Rooks (Rua / Tuk) are the strongest pieces. Open files for them and trade other pieces carefully.
- Khon and Met only move one step, so they are best used together to guard the king and support pawns. Keep them near each other.
- Pawns are the key to avoiding a counting draw. If you are ahead, keep a pawn on the board and promote it when it is safe to do so.
- A promoted pawn is only a Met, which is weak. Promote to gain extra pieces, but do not expect it to win by itself.
- In the endgame, learn the basic mate with two rooks. The counting rule means you have a limited number of moves to deliver mate.
- Because there is no castling and no double pawn step, plan your king safety by moving pieces forward together.
Questions
- Is stalemate a draw? Yes, in this game.
- Can pawns capture forward? No. They capture one step diagonally forward.
- Is there castling or en passant? No.
- Can I play for free? Yes. Switch between Makruk and Ouk Khmer above the board, and play against the AI or with a friend in your browser.
หมากรุกไทย: กติกาและวิธีเล่น
หมากรุกไทยเบื้องต้น
หมากรุกไทย (Makruk) เป็นเกมกระดานดั้งเดิมของไทย เล่นบนกระดาน 8×8 ฝ่ายขาวเดินก่อน
การตั้งหมาก
- แถวหลังของฝ่ายขาว (จากซ้ายไปขวา): เรือ ม้า โคน ขุน เม็ด โคน ม้า เรือ
- แถวหลังของฝ่ายดำ: เรือ ม้า โคน เม็ด ขุน โคน ม้า เรือ
- เบี้ยอยู่แถวที่ 3 ของแต่ละฝ่าย (ฝ่ายขาวแถวที่ 3 ฝ่ายดำแถวที่ 6)
วิธีเดินหมากและกติกา
วิธีดูภาพ: จุดสีเขียว = ช่องที่เดินได้ วงแหวนสีแดง = หมากฝ่ายตรงข้ามที่กินได้ ✕ = ถูกขวาง เดินไม่ได้ วงแหวนสีทอง = หมากที่กำลังอธิบาย
- ขุน: เดินได้ 1 ช่องทุกทิศทาง
- เม็ด: เดินเฉียงได้ 1 ช่อง
- โคน: เดินเฉียงได้ 1 ช่อง หรือเดินตรงไปข้างหน้า 1 ช่อง
- ม้า: กระโดดเป็นรูปตัว L (2 ช่องทางหนึ่ง แล้ว 1 ช่องไปด้านข้าง) กระโดดข้ามหมากอื่นได้
- เรือ: เดินตรงในแถวหรือคอลัมน์ได้กี่ช่องก็ได้
- เบี้ย: เดินตรงไปข้างหน้า 1 ช่อง (กินไม่ได้) และกินหมากที่อยู่เฉียงหน้า 1 ช่อง ไม่มีการเดิน 2 ช่อง
- เบี้ยหงาย: เบี้ยที่ไปถึงแถวที่ 6 (ฝ่ายขาว) หรือแถวที่ 3 (ฝ่ายดำ) ซึ่งเป็นแถวที่เบี้ยของคู่ต่อสู้เริ่มต้น จะกลายเป็นเม็ด
- การรุกและรุกฆาตเหมือนหมากรุกสากล ถ้าไม่ถูกรุกแต่ไม่มีทางเดินที่ถูกกติกา (อับ) ถือว่าเสมอ ไม่มีการเข้าป้อมและไม่มีการกินผ่าน
- เสมอตามกติกานับ (แบบย่อ): เมื่อไม่มีเบี้ยเหลือ ถ้าชนะไม่ได้ภายใน 64 ตาของแต่ละฝ่าย เกมเสมอ ถ้าฝ่ายหนึ่งเหลือแต่ขุน ฝ่ายที่เหลือต้องรุกฆาตภายในจำนวนตาตามหมากที่แรงที่สุด: เรือ 2 ตัว 8 ตา, เรือ 1 ตัว 16, โคน 2 ตัว 22, ม้า 2 ตัว 32, โคน 1 ตัว 44, นอกนั้น 64 ตา การกินหมากจะเริ่มนับใหม่
អុកខ្មែរ៖ ច្បាប់ និងរបៀបលេង
អុកខ្មែរ
អុកខ្មែរ (Ouk Khmer) ជាល្បែងអុកប្រពៃណីរបស់កម្ពុជា លេងលើក្តារ ៨×៨។ ខាងសដើរមុន។
ទីតាំងចាប់ផ្តើម
របៀបដើរកូនអុក និងច្បាប់
របៀបមើលរូប៖ ចំណុចបៃតង = ប្រអប់ដែលអាចដើរបាន រង្វង់ក្រហម = កូនអុកគូប្រកួតដែលអាចស៊ីបាន ✕ = ត្រូវបានរាំងស្ទះ ដើរមិនបាន រង្វង់មាស = កូនអុកដែលកំពុងពន្យល់
- ស្តេច៖ ដើរបាន ១ ជំហានគ្រប់ទិស។ មួយដងក្នុងមួយហ្គេម ពេលនៅទីតាំងដើមនៅឡើយ អាចលោតដូចសេះទៅការ៉េទទេ ប៉ុន្តែមិនបានទេពេលត្រូវឆែក។ ការលោតនេះមិនអាចត្រូវបានរារាំងទេ៖ ទោះបីមានកូនអុកនៅការ៉េទ្រេតខាងមុខស្តេចក៏ដោយ ក៏ស្តេចអាចលោតបាន ឲ្យតែការ៉េដែលទៅដល់ (ដូចសេះ) ទទេ។
- នាង៖ ដើរទ្រេត ១ ជំហាន។ មួយដងក្នុងមួយហ្គេម ពេលនៅទីតាំងដើមនៅឡើយ អាចលោត ២ ជំហានត្រង់ទៅមុខ ទៅការ៉េទទេ។
- គោល៖ ដើរទ្រេត ១ ជំហាន ឬដើរត្រង់ទៅមុខ ១ ជំហាន។
- សេះ៖ លោតជារូបអក្សរ L (២ ជំហានទិសមួយ រួច ១ ជំហានទៅចំហៀង) លោតរំលងកូនអុកដទៃបាន។
- ទូក៖ ដើរត្រង់តាមជួរដេក ឬជួរឈរ បានប៉ុន្មានជំហានក៏បាន។
- ត្រី៖ ដើរត្រង់ទៅមុខ ១ ជំហាន (មិនអាចស៊ី) ហើយស៊ីកូនអុកនៅទ្រេតខាងមុខ ១ ជំហាន។ មិនមានការដើរ ២ ជំហានទេ។
- ឡើងថ្នាក់៖ ត្រីដែលទៅដល់ជួរទី ៦ (ខាងស) ឬជួរទី ៣ (ខាងខ្មៅ) ដែលជាជួរដែលត្រីរបស់គូប្រកួតចាប់ផ្តើម នឹងក្លាយជានាង។
- ការឆែក និងម៉ាត់ដូចអុកអន្តរជាតិ។ បើមិនត្រូវឆែក ប៉ុន្តែគ្មានកំណើរដើរត្រឹមត្រូវ (ជាប់គាំង) ចាត់ទុកថាស្មើ។ មិនមានការចូលបន្ទាយ ឬការស៊ីកាត់ទេ។
- ស្មើតាមច្បាប់រាប់ (សង្ខេប)៖ ពេលគ្មានត្រីសល់ បើមិនឈ្នះក្នុង ៦៤ កំណើរម្នាក់ៗ ហ្គេមស្មើ។ ពេលម្ខាងសល់តែស្តេច ម្ខាងទៀតត្រូវម៉ាត់ក្នុងចំនួនកំណើរតាមកូនអុកខ្លាំងបំផុត៖ ទូក ២ = ៨, ទូក ១ = ១៦, គោល ២ = ២២, សេះ ២ = ៣២, គោល ១ = ៤៤, ក្រៅពីនេះ ៦៤។ ការស៊ីកូនអុកនីមួយៗចាប់ផ្តើមរាប់ឡើងវិញ។
គន្លឹះសម្រាប់អ្នកចាប់ផ្តើម
- ទូកជាកូនអុកខ្លាំងបំផុត។ បើកជួរឈរ ឬជួរដេកឲ្យទូក ហើយប្តូរកូនអុកផ្សេងៗដោយប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ន។
- គោល និងនាងដើរបានតែ ១ ជំហាន ដូច្នេះប្រើវាជាមួយគ្នាដើម្បីការពារស្តេច និងគាំទ្រត្រី។ ទុកវាឲ្យនៅជិតគ្នា។
- ត្រីជាគន្លឹះដើម្បីជៀសវាងការស្មើតាមច្បាប់រាប់។ បើអ្នកនាំមុខ សូមទុកត្រីមួយនៅលើក្តារ ហើយឲ្យវាឡើងថ្នាក់នៅពេលសុវត្ថិភាព។
- ត្រីដែលឡើងថ្នាក់ក្លាយជាត្រឹមតែនាង ដែលមានកម្លាំងខ្សោយ។ ឡើងថ្នាក់ដើម្បីបានកូនអុកបន្ថែម ប៉ុន្តែកុំរំពឹងថាវាអាចឈ្នះដោយខ្លួនឯងបាន។
- នៅចុងហ្គេម ត្រូវរៀនម៉ាត់មូលដ្ឋានដោយប្រើទូក ២។ ច្បាប់រាប់មានន័យថា អ្នកមានចំនួនកំណើរមានកំណត់ដើម្បីម៉ាត់។
- ដោយសារគ្មានការចូលបន្ទាយ និងគ្មានការដើរត្រី ២ ជំហាន សូមគ្រោងសុវត្ថិភាពរបស់ស្តេច ដោយដើរកូនអុកទៅមុខជាមួយគ្នា។
សំណួរដែលសួរញឹកញាប់
- ជាប់គាំង (មិនត្រូវឆែក តែគ្មានកំណើរដើរ) ស្មើឬទេ? បាទ/ចាស ក្នុងហ្គេមនេះចាត់ទុកថាស្មើ។
- ត្រីអាចស៊ីទៅមុខត្រង់បានទេ? ទេ។ ត្រីស៊ីកូនអុកនៅទ្រេតខាងមុខ ១ ជំហាន។
- មានការចូលបន្ទាយ ឬការស៊ីកាត់ទេ? ទេ មិនមានទេ។
- លេងឥតគិតថ្លៃបានទេ? បាទ/ចាស។ ប្តូររវាងអុកថៃ (Makruk) និងអុកខ្មែរ (Ouk Khmer) នៅពីលើក្តារ ហើយលេងជាមួយ AI ឬជាមួយមិត្តភក្តិលើកម្មវិធីរុករក។