Thank you Capto Chess for providing us with a review sample!

Capto Chess is designed to be played alongside a traditional Chess match. The necessary chess board and game pieces are not included. Capto Chess is comprised of fifty-two cards that can be broken down into three categories: Time, Advantage, and Option cards. Advantage cards are the only ones in the deck without a symbol on the bottom.

Time cards remain in play until a new one appears. These cards grant abilities not found in normal Chess games. I was able to take advantage of the “Forward only” card to get my opponent’s king in check mate. With this card in play, they couldn’t move any of their pieces backwards. Other examples of time cards include ones that allow the bishop or queen to move like a knight (L maneuver). The shielded pawn card is nice as well since it prevents your opponent from capturing them. The imprisoned king card causes you to lose the game if you move him, as a check mate would be unavoidable if put in check.

Advantage cards are not always advantageous as you may lose a turn or card(s) you’re holding. These cards typically tell you to move a specific piece or multiple pieces vaguely. Some of the cards tell you to move two or three pieces and give you the same number of options. It’s unclear if you have to move each type or if you can move a specific piece multiple times. It’s also uncertain what happens if you don’t have all of the pieces available. The included instructions cards don’t go into too much detail. There is a YouTube video available, but it doesn’t cover these scenarios.

Option cards can be held to play later. Don’t hold onto them too long as you can lose them! A couple examples of Option cards include allowing the king to move like a queen or the bishop to teleport to any square.

Playing a standard chess turn is always an option if you are not able to do what the card says. However, cards currently in play would still override standard chess rules. I found that playing Capto Chess goes pretty quickly, as a match can take roughly fifteen minutes. Strategy is still required, but with Capto Chess there’s a luck element as well. Unfortunately, my opponent got hit with some unlucky cards.

The cards themselves have a nice texture to them and feel nice and durable. The art style is classy and looks good. Outside of some unclear instructions, I enjoyed playing this unique twist to Chess. The entry fee of $19.99 is quite reasonable for a standalone deck, and I highly recommend it for any avid Chess players looking to spice up their game. I look forward to playing it again as I haven’t played Chess in a while and forgot how fun it is!