- BGG rank
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- BGG rating
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Alexander the Great
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 1971
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- BGG rating
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Dragonchess
1985
Rules assistance for Dragonchess
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 75 min
- 8+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Dragonchess
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dragonchess is a board game released in 1985 for 2 players, 75 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Gary Gygax and its main mechanics are Grid Movement.
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About the game
Dragon Chess first appeared in Dragon Magazine issue 100, and was also featured in the short story "At Moonset Blackcat Comes" in the same issue. It is a 3D Chess game that is played on three 8x12 boards stacked above each other. The top board represents the air and features pieces like the Griffon and the Dragon. The middle board represents the land and has pieces like the Oliphant, the Thief, and (of course) the King. The bottom board represents the underworld and contains pieces like the Dwarf and the Elemental. Like regular chess, the object is to checkmate your opponent's King. Many pieces move like their chess counterparts, but many others have unconventional moves taken from other chess variants that are further complicated by the game's three dimensional nature. For example, on the upper board, a Sylph piece moves like a Berolina pawn. It may make a non-capturing move one space diagonally forward, or it may capture by moving directly forward one space. It may also capture by moving straight down to the middle board. While on the middle board, the Sylph cannot move at all except to make a non-capturing move back to the top board. It may move to the square directly above it OR any empty one of the six home squares that any friendly Sylph occupied at the start of the game.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Tactical Studies Rules (TSR)
Questions and answers
Dragonchess supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Dragonchess is 75 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Dragonchess for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Dragonchess has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Dragonchess belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Dragonchess are: Gary Gygax. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Dragonchess as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.