Everything you need to know about Void Chess. Tap any question to expand the answer.
The basics — what Void Chess is and what makes it unique.
Three things are different:
1. The board is 9x9 instead of 8x8. One extra column (the i-file) and one extra row.
2. A new piece called the Minister sits between the bishop and the knight on the king's side. It has unique powers no other piece has.
3. Every capture creates a red unstable tile. On the next turn that red tile becomes a permanent black void that no piece (except the Minister) can ever stand on or cross.
Yes. Void Chess is completely free to play. There are no in-app purchases that affect gameplay, no paywall to access features, and the app has no ads during gameplay.
Yes — Void Chess is an original chess variant created by J&L Tech. It is not officially recognized by FIDE (the international chess federation) and does not compete with traditional chess. It is a new game inspired by chess that uses all classical rules as a foundation.
Void Chess was created and developed by J&L Tech. The game's AI engine, board logic, Minister piece design, and void mechanic are original works. For business inquiries or media questions, email voidchessgame@gmail.com.
The new pieces and rules unique to Void Chess.
The Minister is a new chess piece that only exists in Void Chess. It moves up to 2 squares in any direction, with the ability to change direction between steps. It has three special powers:
1. Captures without creating red tiles (other pieces always create a red tile when they capture).
2. Heals red unstable tiles by capturing enemy pieces on them.
3. Is the only piece that can walk onto a black void tile and restore it to a normal square.
Learn more on the Minister page.
A void tile is a permanent black square on the board. When you capture a piece, the tile becomes red and unstable. At the end of the owner's next turn, the red tile transforms into a black void. No piece (except the Minister) can ever stand on a void or pass through it. Sliding pieces like rooks and bishops are blocked by voids, just like they are blocked by other pieces.
See the Void Tile page for a step-by-step walkthrough.
A red tile is a square that just had a capture happen on it. It is temporary — it will become a permanent void at the end of the owner's next turn. The piece sitting on a red tile is safe for one turn after capturing. If the piece stays on the red tile, it gets destroyed when the tile turns into a void.
Only by the Minister. The Minister is the only piece in Void Chess that can move onto a void tile. When it does, the void is healed back to a normal square. No other piece — not even the queen — can remove a void.
Yes. All classical chess rules apply: pawns move one square forward (or two from their starting position), pieces capture as in regular chess, check, checkmate, castling, en passant, and pawn promotion all work exactly the same. The only differences are the 9x9 board, the new Minister piece, and the void mechanic.
See the official rules page for full details.
Yes. When a pawn reaches the back rank of the opposite side, you can promote it to any piece — Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, or Minister. Promoting to a Minister is sometimes the strongest choice in Void Chess because of the Minister's unique powers, especially if your original Minister has been captured.
The extra column gives room for the new Minister piece without changing the symmetry of the back rank. With 8 squares, you would have to remove one of the classical pieces to add the Minister. The 9th column lets us add the Minister between the bishop and the knight on the king's side, keeping all classical pieces intact.
Devices, downloads, and your first game.
You can play on any modern web browser (desktop, laptop, tablet, phone) at voidchess.com. The dedicated Android app is available on Google Play. iOS is not currently supported as a native app, but iPhone and iPad users can play through the web version in Safari.
Not yet. Void Chess is currently available on Android only. iPhone and iPad users can play through the web version at voidchess.com, which works in Safari and other mobile browsers. A native iOS app may come in the future.
Yes. The Android app supports offline play against the AI opponent at any difficulty level. You can also play in Two Players mode (pass and play on the same device) without an internet connection. Live PvP and global rankings require an internet connection.
The fastest way is to read the How to Play guide, which takes about 5 minutes. Then open the app or website and start a game against the easy AI. The first time you play, the app shows a 10-step interactive tutorial that walks you through the board, the Minister, and the void system in about 3 minutes.
Live matches, friends, and the rating system.
Void Chess uses an ELO-based rating system — the same system used by FIDE and major chess organizations. Every new player starts at VR 1000. Win a rated PvP match and your VR goes up. Lose and it goes down. The amount of change depends on your opponent's rating: winning against a higher-rated opponent gives more points, while losing to a lower-rated opponent costs more.
See the live global rankings to see top players worldwide.
Only live PvP matches against signed-in players affect your VR. Games against the AI, two-player pass-and-play games, and casual games with friends do not change your rating. This makes sure your VR reflects skill against real opponents.
You can play Live PvP in two places: in your browser at voidchess.com/play, or in the Android app. Sign in with Google, tap Play Live (called Play Online in the browser), and you will be matched with another signed-in player worldwide, usually within 30 seconds. The matchmaker tries to find opponents close to your rating.
Sign in with Google, go to Play with Friend, and you can either generate a private match code to share with your friend, or pick a friend from your friends list. Both of you must have accounts. Friend matches do not affect your VR.
Your data, your account, and your control.
You can delete your account directly from inside the app. Go to your Profile, scroll to the bottom, tap Delete Account, and confirm. Your account and all associated data (rating, match history, friends, settings) will be permanently deleted. You can also email us at voidchessgame@gmail.com to request deletion.
See the full delete account guide for details.
We collect only what is needed to run the game: your Google email (if you sign in with Google), a display name, your custom username, your country code (for the leaderboard), your Void Rating, and your match history. We do not sell data to third parties.
Read our full Privacy Policy.
Yes. After a PvP match, you can report or block your opponent. Blocked players will not be matched with you in future games. You can manage your blocked list from the Profile screen under Blocked Players.
Open the app, go to your Profile, and tap Send Feedback. This will open your email client with a pre-filled message to voidchessgame@gmail.com. You can also email us directly. We read every message.
If your question is not answered here, send us an email. We read every message and reply to most within 24 hours.