Chess960: Fischer Random
Chess960 (also called Fischer Random) randomises the starting position of the pieces on the back rank. There are 960 possible starting positions, all following specific rules. Bobby Fischer invented it to eliminate opening memorisation and return chess to creativity.
How it works
The back-rank pieces are shuffled randomly with these constraints: the king must be between the two rooks, bishops must be on opposite-coloured squares, and Black's position mirrors White's. This generates exactly 960 valid positions (hence the name).
Castling in Chess960
Castling still exists but works differently. After castling, the king and rook end up on the same squares as in standard chess (king on g1/c1, rook on f1/d1), regardless of their starting positions. The notation is still O-O and O-O-O.
Why GMs love it
Magnus Carlsen has championed Chess960, arguing that opening preparation has become too dominant in classical chess. In Chess960, there is no prepared theory, every game starts with a fresh position. This tests pure understanding, creativity, and calculation rather than memorised lines. Carlsen won the inaugural FIDE Chess960 World Championship.
Where to play
Chess960 is available on Lichess and Chess.com. FIDE has recognised Chess960 since 2019 with its own World Championship. See our opening encyclopedia for standard opening theory.