SPLACHESS

Paint the board. Target the king. Find two paths to victory in every move.

SplaChess is a competitive board game that adds ink-based territory control to the rules of chess. Every move spreads your color across the board. Winning is about more than cornering the enemy king: where you paint and what you defend also matter.

Another way to win at chess

A moved piece paints its destination and the empty squares it attacks. Squares occupied by other pieces cannot be painted, and those pieces block the spread of ink. Pawns paint their diagonal attack squares, not the squares in front of them. Each piece's movement becomes a tool for expanding your territory.

Checkmate wins immediately. If all 64 squares are painted first, the player with more squares of their color wins. Equal areas are a draw, as is stalemate. Checkmate and stalemate take priority over the territory result.

Protect your king and expand your territory

Move into a position that paints more ground, or strengthen your king's defenses? Repainting an opponent's territory and exchanging pieces both take on new meaning. Check the paint preview and current territory counts before committing to your next move.

Castling, en passant, and pawn promotion are supported. However, repetition and insufficient material do not automatically end the game in a draw. This is a territory variant with rules that differ from standard chess.

Play at your own pace

Play against the CPU, face another player on the same device, or compete online through Steam. Find public rooms or play with friends in private rooms.

Choose opponents from 20 characters. CPU strength and playing style vary by character, from beginner-friendly opponents to players with distinct personalities. Local matches offer time controls of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or unlimited time.

Features

• Chess combined with ink-based territory control
  
• Win by checkmate or territory when the board is fully painted
  
• 20 characters with distinct CPU personalities
  
• CPU matches, same-device multiplayer, and Steam online play
  
• Move and paint previews, match records, and rematches
  
• Mouse, keyboard, and controller support