Cambodia Has Its Own Version of Chess at the 2023 SEA Games. How Is It Different?

Time to play "Ouk chaktrang".

May 9, 2023

Cambodia Has Its Own Version of Chess at the 2023 SEA Games. How Is It Different?

Though you might not play it, you're probably pretty familiar with the game called chess — at least in the sense of how it's played and what you need to do to win.

But beyond the original version of the game made popular over decades through political episodes and countless media representations (The Queen's Gambit, anyone?), you might be far less aware of the many variants of chess in other cultures.

For instance, you've got Xiangqi (Chinese chess), Shogi (Japanese chess), and of course Ouk chaktrang — the version from Cambodia which is now one of the medal sports at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

Taking a look at Ouk chaktrang, you might at first confuse it for its original Western variant, but there are some notable differences.

The Queen is always placed to the right of the King in the setup. Unlike European Chess, the Kings do not face each other.
The King moves the same as in European Chess, but in Cambodia, it is allowed to make a Knight jump on its first move.
The Queen moves one step diagonally, conserving the old Indo-Persian move. In Cambodia only, she can jump two squares straight ahead (e1-e3) on her first move.
The Bishop can move one square in any of the four diagonal directions, as well as straight forward.
The Knight and Rook move exactly as their European counterparts.
The Pawn moves one step forward and captures one step diagonally forward, as in European Chess. There is no initial double step allowed, and no en-passant capture.
The Pawns are small flat tokens or cowries that are flipped upside down when promoted.
Promotion is only for Queen and is obtained when Pawns reach the sixth row (the initial row of opposite Pawns).
The game is won when the opposite King is checkmated. Draws occur in cases of stalemate or an isolated King (if all pieces have been taken).

While the history of Ouk chatrang, also known as Cambodian chess or Khmer chess, isn't extensively documented, it's believed to have been played in Cambodia for centuries.

One theory suggests that Ouk chatrang was introduced to Cambodia by Indian traders and scholars during the early centuries of the Common Era.

This theory is supported by the similarities between Ouk chatrang and some of the traditional chess games played in India, such as Chaturanga, which is believed to have also inspired the Thai version of chess called Makruk that has very similar rules and playstyles to Ouk chatrang.

Another theory suggests that Ouk chatrang originated in Cambodia itself, possibly as a way to simulate battles and warfare strategies. This theory is supported by the fact that the game uses military-themed pieces, including elephants, horses, and soldiers.

Regardless its origins, it's obvious that Ouk chatrang has been an important part of Cambodian culture for many years. The game has been played by both the common people and the royal court, and has been featured in many traditional celebrations and ceremonies.

In recent years, efforts have been made to promote and preserve the game of Ouk Chatrang, both within Cambodia and internationally, and its appearance at the latest SEA Games as a medal sport can only mean good things for its exposure to international observers.