Chess

1v1 online chess with 66+ mutator rules that change the game every 3 moves. Built with Node.js, Express, Socket.IO, and chess.js.

Based on a concept by DougDoug

Play at playanarchychess.com.

Features

• Mutator system - every 3 moves, the current player picks from 3 random rule changes (e.g. pieces swap, squares become blocked, pawns gain new abilities)
• 66+ rules with varying durations, categories, and interactions
• Room codes - create/join games with human-readable codes
• Spectator mode - watch live games
• Bot opponent - practice mode with minimax AI
• Scoreboard - persistent leaderboard tracking wins/losses/draws per player (IP-hashed, no PII stored)

Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+

Install

git clone https://github.com/your-username/chess.git
cd chess
npm install

Environment Variables

Create a .env file:

PORT=3000
BASE_PATH=/chess

Run

npm start        # production
npm run dev      # development (auto-reload)

Project Structure

• handlers/ - Socket.IO event handlers (join, move, mutator, spectator)
• mutators/ - Rule definitions, lifecycle engine, hooks, board utilities
• public/js/ - Modular client (state, board, UI, socket handlers)
• utils/ - Validation, config, room codes, RPS logic
• bots/ - Minimax chess AI

How Mutators Work

Every 3 moves, the active player is shown 3 randomly-weighted rule cards. They pick one, it activates, then they play their move. Rules can:

• Modify piece movement (knights move like bishops, pawns get extra range)
• Add board hazards (minefields, blocked squares, tornadoes)
• Trigger instant effects (swap pieces, destroy squares, shuffle the board)
• Persist for N moves or until expiry conditions are met

Multiple rules stack simultaneously. The system handles conflicts, field restrictions, and deadlock detection automatically.

##Responsible AI Disclosure

Claude Code used to handle deployments/git pushes and generate changelog summaries because I am lazy.

License

ISC