Object: Checkmate the opponent's Kings.
 
In Greek mythology, Hades is the underworld, separated from the living beings by the river styx. Once someone has crossed this river, there is hardly any return.
In Hades Chess, the line between the fourth and fifth rank represents this river. Pieces that have crossed this line cannot come back.
 
If a piece reaches the eighth rank (for Black the first rank), however, this situation is reversed. A white piece then can come back below the fifth rank, but can only cross this line upwards again after visiting the first rank and so on.
 
Since this is true for the kings as well, in some rare positions one king can attack and checkmate the other king.
 
In Variant 2 of Hades Chess, when moving to the eights rank the pieces revert to standard chess pieces, being able to cross the Hades at any time. They never change again.
 
Apart from this, the standard chess rules apply.
 
 
More freeware as well as real puzzles and games at my home page: http://karl.kiwi.gen.nz/.