Play:Computer – easyComputer – normalTwo players
Colour:Red – first moveWhite – the computer starts
Your move – you play red
White pieces taken: 0
Red pieces taken: 0
Won against the computer: 0 of 0
How to play
- The king (Santa) moves one square in any direction and may never step onto a square the other side attacks.
- The queen (the crown with a star) moves any number of free squares along a file, a rank or a diagonal.
- The rook (the gingerbread tower) moves any number of free squares along a file or a rank.
- The bishop (the Christmas tree) moves only diagonally, so it always stays on squares of one colour.
- The knight (the reindeer) jumps in an L – two squares straight, then one to the side – over any pieces in the way.
- The pawn (the bauble) moves one square forward (two from its first square) and captures diagonally, can take en passant a pawn that has just stepped two squares past it, and on the last rank becomes a queen, rook, bishop or knight.
These are the standard rules of chess (FIDE), with castling, en passant, promotion, check, checkmate and stalemate.
Tap one of your pieces: dots mark the free squares it can go to and rings the pieces it can capture; then tap the target, and on promotion pick a piece. Checkmate wins the game; stalemate, 50 moves without a capture or a pawn move, the same position three times and too little material to mate are draws.
Why play? A game with grandpa at the Christmas table is a tradition in many families – here a phone or tablet is all it takes, no board to look for. Children learn chess on the easy level: the computer makes mistakes, and the highlighted squares show how each piece moves.
Also useful
More on santa.haus
- Christmas quizzesTrivia and emoji puzzles, checked as you play, with sheets to print for teams.
- Christmas bingoa card of its own on each phone, a caller that draws the words, or up to 40 different cards to print.
- Party gamesCharades, “Who am I?” and fifteen one-minute games – played in teams on one phone.
- Advent calendarMake one online and send it: a door a day until Christmas Eve.
- Online Christmas cardPick a picture, write your wishes and send the card as a link. Free, no account.
- Christmas printablesColoring pages, cards, gift wrapping and decorations to cut out – print them at home, free.
Drawing names for gifts too? Secret Santa on santa.haus.