The pieces are set up the same as in International chess, except that the pawns start on the third rank and the king and queen on the white side are reversed. The rules of checkmate are the same. However, the Thai equivalent of the fifty move draw rule is much more complex. In Thai Chess, the player with the stronger side is given points for each piece he has left on the board and, the more points he has, the quicker he must mate to avoid a draw. For example, in the endgame of king and two rooks against a lone king, the player with the two rooks must mate in just four moves. However, if the lone king is near the center of the board or attacking an undefended rook, there are positions in which it is impossible to mate in four. Thus, if a situation arises in which there is a king and two rooks against a king and only one rook, the player with only one rook may be able to force a draw by sacrificing his lone remaining rook.

Overall, while chess players will be able to pick up Thai chess quite easily, there are enough rule differences to require a different strategy to succeed. I like to think that you must be more aggressive and take more risks in Thai chess (e.g. be willing to sacrifice pieces) to succeed, but what do I know – I'm just a rookie ;) Anyway, I hope this program, which is one of the best computerized versions of Thai chess I've ever seen, will spark some interest in the eclectic version of chess played in my homeland :) Recommended!