Question 1

What is Chaturanga?

Accepted Answer

Chaturanga is the 6th-century Indian strategy game that is the earliest known ancestor of modern chess. It is played on an 8×8 board and features six piece types: Raja (king), Mantri (counselor), Gaja (elephant), Ashva (horse/knight), Ratha (chariot/rook), and Padati (infantry/pawn).

Question 2

How does the Gaja (elephant) move in Chaturanga?

Accepted Answer

The Gaja jumps exactly two squares diagonally in any direction, leaping over any pieces in between. It cannot be blocked, unlike a bishop in modern chess.

Question 3

How does the Mantri (counselor) move?

Accepted Answer

The Mantri moves exactly one square diagonally. It is much weaker than the modern chess queen, which can move unlimited squares in any direction.

Question 4

Can I play against an AI in Chaturanga Online?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Select 'Player vs CPU' mode and choose a difficulty from 1 (beginner) to 10 (maximum strength). The AI engine runs directly in your browser.

Question 5

Does Chaturanga Online save my games?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when you are signed in with a Google account your completed games (wins, losses, and resigns) are saved automatically. You can view your game history in your profile.

Question 6

Is Chaturanga Online free to play?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Chaturanga Online is completely free to play. You can even play as a guest without creating an account.

Question 7

What is the opening book in Chaturanga?

Accepted Answer

The opening book implements the complete set of 16 historical Shatranj ta'biyat (battle formations) as documented by H.J.R. Murray in A History of Chess (1913), drawing on 9th–10th century manuscripts of al-Adli, as-Suli, and al-Lajlaj. The crown jewel is the authentic Mujannah — al-Lajlaj's masterwork that achieves full piece development in exactly 12 moves. At higher difficulty levels the AI follows these openings precisely; at lower levels it occasionally deviates to create variety.

Question 8

What do the piece values mean in Chaturanga?

Accepted Answer

Piece values indicate relative strength: Ratha (chariot) = 5 pawns, Ashva (horse) = 3.5 pawns, Mantri (counselor) = 2 pawns, Gaja (elephant) = 1.75 pawns, Padati (pawn) = 1. The material advantage number shown next to captured pieces reflects the total lead in these values for the player who is ahead.

Question 9

Is stalemate a draw in Chaturanga?

Accepted Answer

No. Unlike modern chess, stalemate in Chaturanga is a loss for the player with no legal moves. Driving your opponent into stalemate is a valid winning strategy.

Question 10

Does the Hint use the same search depth as the engine difficulty?

Accepted Answer

No. The Hint always searches at a fixed depth of 6 plies (up to 600 ms) regardless of the difficulty level you have chosen. This ensures you consistently receive strong move suggestions even when playing at a beginner difficulty.

Question 11

Under what conditions can a game end in a draw in Chaturanga Online?

Accepted Answer

Chaturanga Online supports two draw conditions. Threefold repetition: if the same position occurs three times, the game is automatically declared a draw — perpetual check and repetition of moves are both attested in the 9th–10th century manuscripts as qawā'im (standing positions). Draw by agreement: either player can offer a draw mid-game, which the opponent may accept or decline; this is a modern convenience not found in the historical manuscripts. Not implemented: material impossibility (positions where remaining pieces geometrically cannot force a bare king) and the 50-move rule (no half-move clock in historical Chaturanga). Stalemate remains a win, not a draw.

Question 12

Can I play Shatranj online for free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Chaturanga.online is the only dedicated Shatranj game on the internet, and it is completely free. You can play Shatranj online against a purpose-built AI engine at 10 difficulty levels, or challenge another player in live multiplayer — no account or download required. Sign in with Google to save your game history.

Question 13

Where can I play Shatranj online?

Accepted Answer

Chaturanga.online is the only dedicated site to play Shatranj online. Most chess sites do not offer Shatranj because the piece movements differ from modern chess. At Chaturanga.online the AI engine (Vyuha Rachana) is purpose-built for Shatranj rules, with authentic historical opening books (ta'biyat) drawn from 9th–10th century Arab manuscripts.

Question 14

How do I play Shatranj online against a computer?

Accepted Answer

Go to Chaturanga.online and select 'Player vs CPU'. Choose a difficulty from 1 (beginner) to 10 (master strength). The AI plays authentic Shatranj rules including the Farzīn (weak queen), Fīl jump, stalemate-as-loss, and bare-king win. You can also enable hints and post-game move analysis.

Question 15

What is Shatranj, and how is it related to Chaturanga?

Accepted Answer

Shatranj is the Persian adaptation of Chaturanga and the direct predecessor of modern chess. When Chaturanga spread from India into Persia around the 6th-7th century CE, it was adopted as Chatrang and later Shatranj. The rules remained very close to Chaturanga's — same board, same six piece types, same goal. After the Arab conquest of Persia, Shatranj spread across the Islamic world, producing master players and composed problems called Mansubas. It reached medieval Europe by the 10th-11th century, where the pieces gained new powers and rules like castling were added. The lineage: Chaturanga (India, 6th c.) → Shatranj (Persia and Islamic world, 7th-10th c.) → Chess (medieval Europe, 10th c. onward).

Question 16

Why do both Rajas start on the d-file? Isn't the historical Chaturanga position different?

Accepted Answer

You are not wrong — there are two attested starting positions. The Shatranj convention (Arabic manuscripts, 9th–10th century) places both Shahs on the d-file facing each other: White Raja d1, Black Raja d8. Some Asiatic reconstructions of older Indian Chaturanga place the Rajas on opposite files (White e1, Black d8) so they never face each other. We use the Shatranj convention because it is the best-documented medieval position, shared by both the Islamic world and early European chess. If this bothers you, reach out at @chaturangaX — we want to hear from you.

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