Complete rules for Shatranj and Chaturanga — the 6th-century Indian and Persian ancestors of modern chess. Play Shatranj online free at Chaturanga.online, the only dedicated Shatranj game on the internet.
Shatranj is the Persian form of ancient Indian Chaturanga, played across the Islamic world from the 7th century onward. The word "Shatranj" derives from Sanskrit "chaturanga" through Persian. The game uses the same 8×8 board and six piece types: Shāh (king), Farzīn (counsellor), Fīl (elephant), Faras (horse), Rukh (chariot), and Baidaq (pawn).
Shatranj and Chaturanga have no castling, no en passant, no double pawn push, and pawns promote only to Farzīn (Mantri). Stalemate is a win for the player who forces it. Baring the opponent's king (leaving it as the sole remaining piece) is an immediate win.