Deploy Chess

Deploy Chess is chess — reimagined from move zero.

Every game begins not with a fixed starting position, but with a deployment phase. You and your opponent receive an identical, randomly generated set of pieces. One by one, in alternating turns, you place them on your half of the board — watching each other in real time. Once both kings are down, the battle begins.

No two games start the same. Opening theory is obsolete. The fight starts before the first move.

TWO PHASES. ONE CLOCK.

▸ DEPLOY — Place 8 to 16 pieces across your back two ranks. Bishops on opposite colors. King last. The clock is already ticking.
▸ BATTLE — Standard chess from the position you built. Same clock, no reset. Every second you spent deploying is a second you don't have to attack.

TWO RATINGS. BOTH MATTER.

We track your skill in both phases separately:
▸ DEPLOYMENT ELO — Updated after every game using Stockfish evaluation of your starting position. Did you build a better army than your opponent?
▸ BATTLE ELO — Classic chess rating based on game outcome.

Glicko-2 under the hood. Real ratings, real progression.

GAME MODES

▸ RANKED — Matchmaking pairs you with opponents of similar combined skill. Both Elos update.
▸ VS FRIEND — Generate a 6-character code, send it anywhere. Choose random or custom piece sets. Pick your time control.

TIME CONTROLS

▸ Blitz — 3 min + 2 sec increment
▸ Rapid — 10 min, no increment

BUILT FOR SERIOUS PLAY

▸ Server-authoritative clock — no client-side cheating
▸ Real-time deployment — see every piece your opponent places, the instant they place it
▸ Full game replay — step through deployment and battle move by move
▸ Resign, draw offers, rematches with the same pieces
▸ Reconnect mid-game — your match state is preserved

FIELD MANUAL AESTHETIC

Amber on graphite. Mono numerals. Sharp edges. Classified labels. Deploy Chess looks like a tactical briefing — because that's what every game is.

CROSS-PLATFORM

Play on Android, iOS, or web at deploy-chess.com. Full feature parity. Your rating follows you.

FREE. NO ADS DURING GAMES. NO PAY-TO-WIN.