Hall III

North SultanSatranç

Chess with real opponents, in palace splendour.

Ivory and ebony pieces, a walnut inlaid board, a quiet candle-lit corner. Set the clock, think your move through and raise your Elo rating, against a rival or with a friend. No ads; just the game, the company and the fun.

For adults 18+. Chips have no cash value; the game does not offer real-money gambling.
The ivory King and Queen of North Sultan: Satranç: a crescent-topped King and a crowned Queen set with lapis, in a candle-lit palace library
Your move, my lord

Why North Sultan: Satranç?

The chess you know, with finely crafted pieces, server-kept clocks and a fair rating.

Real chess

FIDE rules: castling, en passant, promotion, checkmate and stalemate. Repetition, the 50-move rule and insufficient material are drawn automatically.

Elo and rankings

Start at 1200 and climb according to your opponents' strength. See your place on the leaderboard and race in the weekly league.

Practice vs the computer

Practise offline for free at Easy, Medium and Hard; your rating is not affected.

Private games with friends

Add friends with your friend code, chat, pick a time control and invite them. Your Okey and Batak friends are here too.

Tournaments

The Daily Chess Cup and the Weekly Chess League; rewards are in-game chips, titles and cosmetics.

Ad-free, premium

No ads, ever. Choose your board, piece set and frame; as you level up, the palace doors open.

Board and pieces

Walnut and ivory marquetry in a lapis-studded gold frame. Classic shapes, palace soul.

The North Sultan: Satranç board: walnut and ivory squares in a carved gold frame set with lapis, ivory and ebony pieces in an Italian Game position
  • King Şah

    The palace Sultan. One square in any direction; checkmate ends the game.

  • Queen Vezir

    The strongest piece: straight and diagonal, as far as she likes.

  • Rook Kale

    An Ottoman fortress; moves straight and joins the King when castling.

  • Bishop Fil

    Master of the diagonals; long-ranged and patient.

  • Knight At

    An Arabian horse; moves in an "L" and jumps over pieces.

  • Pawn Piyon

    A janissary; reach the last rank and become a Queen.

Clocks

The server keeps the clocks; your increment is added after every move. Pick your time control when you sit down.

  • Blitz

    3 minutes per player. Think fast and keep an eye on the clock.

    +2 seconds per move.

  • Blitz

    5 minutes per player, no increment. Classic coffee-house blitz.

    When time runs out, the game is over.

  • Rapid

    10 minutes per player. Time to think, pace to play: the default.

    +5 seconds per move.

  • Rapid

    15 minutes per player. For long plans and calm play.

    +10 seconds per move.

Four ways, one board

Find an opponent, take a seat in a lounge, call a friend or practise on your own.

Practice

Against the computer at Easy, Medium or Hard; no connection needed, free, and your rating is not affected.

Quick Play

Unstaked, rated games: you are at the board with the next opponent within seconds.

Lounges

From the Kahvehane to the Divan: rated tables played with virtual chips. In a draw the chips are returned.

Private game

With a friend, at the time control you choose, unstaked and unrated; just for fun.

Elo rating

Everyone starts at 1200. In every Quick Play or lounge game played to the end, your rating moves by the difference between your result and the result expected from the two ratings: beating a stronger opponent earns more.

Your rating settles faster during your first 30 rated games, then changes more calmly. Computer opponents have fixed ratings: Easy 800, Medium 1300, Hard 1700. Games that end before both players have made two moves are aborted; ratings do not change and stakes are refunded.

Lounges

Start in the coffee house; as you level up, the palace doors open one by one.

Coffee house lounge: wooden tables and tea
Kahvehane

The warm corner for newcomers.

Bazaar lounge: the domes of the Grand Bazaar
Çarşı

The busy tables of the Grand Bazaar.

Garden lounge: tulip garden and pavilion
Bahçe

Evening lanterns in the tulip garden.

Has Oda lounge: a tiled private chamber
Has Oda

Open to female players and VIP members.

Imperial council lounge: the gold-domed Divan
Divan-ı Hümayun

The palace's most distinguished tables.

At the board in three steps

  1. Download and sign in

    Start right away as a guest, or sign in with your North Sultan account: the Apple or Google account you use for Okey or Batak.

  2. Pick your clock

    Blitz or Rapid; Quick Play, a lounge, a private game or practice against the computer.

  3. Make your move

    Drag a piece or tap it; the board shows only legal moves. Checkmate, my lord.

Fair and responsible play

North Sultan: Satranç is a social game for entertainment only. Chips have no cash value; they cannot be cashed out, sold or transferred between players, and no gambling for real money or prizes is offered. The game is for adults 18+.

The server runs the game and the clocks; every move is checked against the rules. If no opponent is waiting, an empty seat may be filled with a computer player after a few seconds. Using a chess engine or outside help is not allowed. In the app, under Profile › Settings › Responsible Play, you can set a monthly spending limit, take a break or self-exclude.

Frequently asked questions

Is the game free?

Yes, it is free to download and play, and practice against the computer is free too. If you like, you can buy chip packs or a VIP membership in the app; purchases are made only through the App Store and Google Play.

Can I sign in with my North Sultan: 101 Okey or Batak account?

Yes. North Sultan games use one account: your chips, VIP membership, level, profile, friends and messages are the same in North Sultan: 101 Okey and North Sultan: Batak. If your account is linked to Apple or Google, just sign in with the same account.

Which rules are used?

FIDE chess rules: castling, en passant, promotion, checkmate and stalemate. If the same position occurs for the third time, if 50 moves pass without a capture or a pawn move, or if neither side has enough material to mate, the game is drawn automatically. You can offer a draw or resign. Details: Chess Guide.

What happens when time runs out?

The player whose time runs out loses; but if their opponent does not have enough material to mate (only a King, or a King with a single Bishop or Knight), the game is a draw. If your connection drops your clock keeps running; if you do not return within 45 seconds you lose the game.

How is my Elo rating calculated?

Everyone starts at 1200. In Quick Play and lounge games played to the end, your rating moves by the difference between your result and the result expected from the two ratings. Practice, private games and games ending before two moves (aborted games) do not change it.

Can I cash out my chips?

No. Chips are virtual units used only in the game; they have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for money or prizes, sold or transferred to other players. Trading chips outside the game is prohibited.

Can my opponent be the computer?

If no other player is waiting, an empty seat may be filled after a few seconds with a computer-controlled player so the game can start without delay. Computer players play by the same rules and clock, carry a fixed Elo rating and never win anything of real value.

How do I delete my account?

In the app, Profile › Delete my account. Without access to the app, use the web form. As the account is shared by every North Sultan game, deleting it also removes your Okey and Batak progress.

All questions and support

The pieces are set, your move

The Sultan sits across the board with the clock set. Download, sit down as a guest right away, or sign in with your North Sultan account; your Okey and Batak friends are here too.