To play Chaturanga you need an 8x8 board. You also need the specific Chaturanga game pieces, but you can also use modern chess pieces.

1. In Chaturanga there are the following game pieces : Raja (King) - Moves like the king in chess. Chaturanga starting position. The Rajas do not face each other; the white Raja starts on E1 and the black Raja on D8.

2. Mantri (Minister) - also known as Senapati (General) - Moves one square diagonally, like the Fers in shatranj.

3. Ratha (Chariot) - also spelled Śakata - Moves like the rook in chess.

4. Gaja (Elephant) - the moves of this piece are not known, but there are some theories. Two squares in any diagonal direction, jumping over one square, as the Alfil in shatranj. One square forward or one square in any diagonal direction. ---

5. --- Or two squares in any orthogonal direction, jumping over one square.

6. Ashva (Horse) - also spelled Ashwa or Asva - Moves like the knight in chess.

7. Padàti /Bhata (Foot-soldier); also spelled Pedati, Bhata - also known as Sainik (Warrior) - Moves like the pawn in chess.

8. The game board of Chaturanga

You can win Chaturanga the same way you would win in Chess. Either by Checkmate or if the other player gives up.

Chaturanga plays like modern Chess with the exception of the way that the game pieces move and the different game board.

1. Chaturanga is an ancient Indian strategy game which is the closely related to the well known game - Chess.

2. Chaturanga developed in the Gupta Empire in India around the 6th century AD. In the 7th century, it was adopted as shatranj in Sassanid Persia, which in turn was the form of chess brought to late-medieval Europe.

3. The exact rules of chaturanga are lost to history. Chess historians suppose that the game had similar rules to those of its successor shatranj. In particular, there is uncertainty as to the moves of the Gaja (The elephant), the equivalent of modern chess bishop.