Losing chess

Losing chess is one of the most popular chess variants. It reverses the usual aim of the game, so that each player tries to lose all of their own pieces or to be stalemated. To make that possible the rules force a capture: a player who has a capturing move available must make it. Some versions of the variant add a second route to victory, allowing a player to win by delivering checkmate or, in other versions, by being checkmated. Because it keeps the board, pieces and movement of ordinary chess while turning its strategy upside down, it is a common casual variation.