Object: capture your opponent's flag. Each flag is stationary and will never move.

Quicksilver is played on a regular 8x8 Chess board. Additionally, there is a 3x2 board to the right called the Guide Board. On this smaller board, neutral pieces, called Guides, mark the current movement possibilies for pieces of the corresponding color. The three ranks of the Guide Board signify orthogonal (+), diagonal (x), or both orthogonal and diagonal (*) movement. The files signify the number of squares a piece may move, either one space (1) or any number of open spaces (A). Therefore a Blue-Guide on the +A space on the Guide Board would mean all Blue pieces would move like Rooks in Chess, a Green-Guide on the *1 space would mean all Green pieces move like a King in Chess.

At the beginning of a player's turn, the player can move any Guide to an open position on the Guide Board. If the player does not wish to change any of the Guides simply click on Pass. The player then must move a piece on the regular board. This continuously shifting of the positions of the Guides means that the way all the pieces move will constantly change throughout the game. If all the pieces of a particular color are captured, the corresponding Guide will still remain on the Guide Board.