Ukimix: I was thinking of than, along with Changgi (Korean Chess). Actually, I didn't want to release new games until BrainKing 3.0 is completed, but since Makruk seems to be easy to implement (and, unlike Changgi, does not require any new images of pieces), I can try to spend some time on it, heh. No promises, though.

Ukimix: Ah, there seems to be a problem:

"Object of the game is to mate the opponents king. Stalemate is a draw. Also, when a player has no rook, bishop, or knight anymore, the other player must mate him within a certain number of moves, depending on how many `big' pieces the player has, otherwise the game is declared a draw. The precise numbers are omitted here (also, my sources on this seem to contradict - is there a native player of this game who can provide full information on this topic?). "

The rules at Chessvariants are not certain about this subject. Would you have any other source of reliable information?

Ah-ha! Wikipedia is our friend. That's what it says:

When neither side has any pawns, the game must be completed within a certain number of moves or it is declared a draw. When a piece is captured the count starts again from scratch only if it is the last piece of one side in the game.

* When neither side has any pawns left, mate must be achieved in 64 moves. The disadvantaged player does the counting, and may at any time choose to stop counting. If the disadvantaged side checkmates the advantage side and did not stop counting, the game is declared a draw.

When the last piece (that is not the King) of the disadvantaged side is captured, the count may be started, or restarted from the aforementioned counting, by the weaker side, and the stronger side now has a maximum number of moves based on the pieces left:

* If there are two rooks left: 8 moves
* If there is one rook left: 16 moves
* If there are no rooks left, but there are two bishops: 22 moves
* If there are no rooks left, but there is one bishop: 44 moves
* If there are no rooks or bishops left, but there are two knights: 32 moves
* If there are no rooks or bishops left, but there is one knight: 64 moves
* If there are no rooks, bishops, or knights, but queens: 64 moves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makruk

Fencer:

Yes, I was about to tell you about wikipedia, that explains it. :-)

Ukimix: Very well, so how is it really used? For instance: "When neither side has any pawns left, mate must be achieved in 64 moves. The disadvantaged player does the counting."

How do you determine the disadvantaged player?

Fencer:

Accourding to: http://ancientchess.com/page/play-makruk.htm, the disadvantaged player is the player with the less powerfull group of pieces. Take a look on the site, it could help.

Ukimix: What if both players have the same pieces when the last pawn is captured?

Fencer:

I was wondering about it. I wil try to find info.

Ukimix: I sense problems here because of the disadvantage condition. I can be kind of variable, e.g. one player has less pieces (ergo, the disadvantage), then manages to capture some opponent's pieces and turn the advantage to own side, etc.

It would be nice if some Thai players give us an enlightenment on this.

Fencer:

Yes, good idea. I think that there is some groups in facebook that could help.

I found this site to play on line: http://www.pathguy.com/chess/ThaiChss.htm. We can use it to figure it out.

Fencer:

"one player has less pieces (ergo, the disadvantage), then manages to capture some opponent's pieces and turn the advantage to own side, etc."

The counting begins again, in that case.

Ukimix: You know, the more the rules are complicated, the less people actually play the game. I must think it over and decide if it is worth my time do implement all these counting rules and be prepared for a lot of bugs that will probably appear later.

Fencer:

The site says:

"Drawn Games:

Many games of makruk end in draws, and this is because of special rules in the endgame which permit the disadvantaged player to claim a draw in very peculiar, and sometimes rather complex, ways. "

This means that those special rules apply only when a player is in disadvantadge condition. If there is not such a player, the rules doesnt apply. That is what I interpret, tought I have never played. Better to verify it.