Four-Player Chess/Tactics

All tactics that are found in regular chess also apply to four-player chess. These tactics can be found in the Chess Wikibook. Playing with four players, however, gives rise to different tactics in addition to these traditional tactics, because players can combine forces against another player without that player being able to intervene (as he will have to wait for his turn). This section covers the tactics that are specific to four-player chess.

Check

This is a basic, but very strong tactic. Checks are potentially deadly in four-player chess and players need to be very wary of them. Particularly a check from the player on the left side is very dangerous, because it may give the other opponent (in Teams) or other two opponents (in FFA) a free move to capture material, to give another check (i.e. double check and possibly checkmate) or to move another piece into position or take away escape squares for a checkmate. A check from the player on the right can also be dangerous, because the other opponent(s) may attack or capture material in anticipation of the coming check.

Double attacks and threats

In four-player chess players can cooperate to create double attacks and double threats against another player, making use of the fact that a player has to wait for his turn before he can respond to the threats. In the FFA variant players can take advantage of other players' threats and attacks to create another threat of their own or capture material or they may even choose to cooperate temporarily, if it benefits them both. In the Teams variant teammates will, of course, always actively cooperate and seek to create multiple threats.

X-ray

X-ray defence

The green queen cannot capture the red knight, because the yellow queen defends the knight through the f-pawn. If Green would capture, Red moves the f-pawn up and Yellow captures the queen.

In regular chess the X-ray is known as a tactic where a piece indirectly attacks a piece through another piece or defends a friendly piece through an enemy piece. In four-player chess Teams a similar tactic can also occur where a piece attacks an enemy piece or defends a friendly piece through a friendly piece or pawn of a teammate. If the teammate moves the piece or pawn, the piece behind it can be captured.