Ulster Fischer Random Rapidplay Championship 2026

Quick Rules for Fischerandom Chess

1. Fischerandom Chess is played with a normal chess board and pieces. All rules of Orthodox Chess apply except as otherwise noted.
2. The initial configuration of the chess pieces is determined randomly for White, and the black pieces are placed equal and opposite the white pieces. The piece placement is subject to the constraints:
   1. the king is placed somewhere between the two rooks, and
   2. the bishops are on opposite colors.
   3. pawns are placed on each player's second rank as in Orthodox Chess.
   There are 960 such configurations.
3. Castling, as in Orthodox chess, is an exceptional move involving both the King and Rook. Castling is a valid move under these circumstances:
   1. Neither King nor Rook has moved.
   2. The King is not in check before or after castling.
   3. All squares between the castling King's initial and final squares (including the final square), and all of the squares between the castling Rook's initial and final squares (including the final square), must be vacant except for the King and Rook.
   4. No square through which the King moves is under enemy attack.
   The movement of the King and Rook during castling should be easily understood by players of Orthodox Chess:
   1. When castling on the h-side (White's right side), the King ends on g1 (g8), and the rook on f1 (f8), just like the O-O move in Orthodox chess.
   2. When castling on the a-side (White's left side), the King ends on c1 (c8), and the rook on d1 (d8), just like the O-O-O move in Orthodox chess.
   3. Sometimes the King will not need to move; sometimes the Rook will not need to move. That's OK.
4. The object is to checkmate the opponent's King. Have fun!