👑 King of the Hill: rules and free online play

Bring your king to d4, e4, d5 or e5 and the game is yours, even without a mate.

Win: King on a central square
Hill: d4, e4, d5, e5
Also: Checkmate

Rules

Play as in standard chess, with one extra goal: if your king reaches any of the four central squares and survives, you win.

Because the king is a runner, the centre matters even more than usual, and the endgame starts early.

Try the rules

Pick a position and press a button to see the rule in action.

How it differs from classic chess

Defence becomes active: the king can no longer hide at home when the opponent's own king is marching. Control of the four central squares is worth more than extra material.

Tips for beginners

Watch the opponent's king path, not only its safety.
Keep pieces controlling d4, e4, d5 and e5.
In an endgame, a spare tempo often decides who gets to the hill first.

Play and practise

Choose “King of the Hill” in the game window and play against the Fairy-Stockfish engine or send a link to a friend. Ratings are kept separately for every mode. The site interface is currently in Russian; this page explains the rules in English.