You only need three rules to begin: White moves first, each turn you move one of your pieces, and checkmate of the khun wins. The starting position is already set. The met, khon, and bia are the pieces that differ most from chess; the rest of this page covers those differences when you meet them.
Starting Position
The board is eight files by eight ranks. White sits at the bottom. White's back rank, left to right, is ruea, ma, khon, khun, met, khon, ma, ruea. Black's back rank is ruea, ma, khon, met, khun, khon, ma, ruea. Bia occupy the third rank for White and the sixth rank for Black.
White's khun starts on d1 and the met on e1; Black's khun starts on e8 and the met on d8. The kings and queens are not mirrored the way they are in chess, which is worth noticing before the first exchange.
Makruk pieces and how they move
Start with the white set below. Black uses the same shapes in a darker finish; learn the shape first, then the move.
Two pieces of the same color cannot share a square. Landing on an enemy is a capture if the move is otherwise legal. The ruea cannot jump. There is no castling.
Bia and Promotion
A bia steps one square forward and captures one square diagonally forward. It cannot move two squares and there is no en passant.
When a bia reaches its own sixth rank it becomes a met automatically. There is no other promotion choice, and it does not wait for the last rank. The new met still moves only one square diagonally.
Winning and Draws
Checkmate of the khun wins. If a player has no legal move and the khun is not in check, this site records a stalemate. Insufficient material, or fifty moves without a capture or a bia advance, is a draw. Threefold repetition is also a draw in an online room.
In an online room, either player may resign or offer a draw. Against AI or on one device, you can resign or start over.
Complete a Move
Check whether White or Black is shown in the turn indicator, then select a piece of that color. The board marks every legal destination, including enemies it may capture. Choose one marked square to finish the move. If no square is marked, that piece cannot move from its current position; select another one instead.
Illegal Moves
You cannot walk the khun onto an attacked square, slide a met like a queen, step a khon straight backward, move a bia two squares, capture en passant, or castle. You also cannot move an opponent's piece, or leave your own khun in check.
How the Modes Differ
The rules do not change between modes. AI games include hints, undo, and move-by-move replay. Same-device games include undo and replay without move suggestions. Online rooms keep both boards in sync and support resignations and draw offers, but one player cannot undo a move alone.
Only the opponent and available tools change. The legal moves stay the same. For help using the met, the khon's forward step, and sixth-rank races, read the Makruk strategy guide.
FAQ
Can you castle in makruk?
No. There is no castling, no double bia step, and no en passant. The khun is protected by development and a modest bia shield, not by tucking behind a ruea.
What does a bia promote to?
Only a met. Promotion happens automatically on your sixth rank. You cannot choose a ruea, ma, or khon.
Is the met the same as a queen?
No. The met moves one square diagonally. It cannot sweep a file or a long diagonal the way a queen can.
Does a khon move like a bishop?
No. A khon only steps one square: diagonally, or straight toward the opposite side. It cannot slide along a diagonal.
Does White always move first?
Yes. Every mode starts with White. Against AI you may choose White or Black; if you choose Black, the AI makes the opening move.
Can a game continue forever without captures?
No. This site declares a draw after fifty moves without a capture or a bia advance. Players in an online room may also agree to a draw before reaching that limit.
