Concept Atlas
A visual map of Wataku Classic. Each concept is a short cinematic, one sentence, a tiny interaction, and a puzzle. 37 of 37 concepts are ready — the rest are on the way.
Foundations
- Welcome to WatakuWataku blends Chess and Go: build your army, crown your kings, then fight for victory.Start →
- KingdomEvery player commands two Kings — together they form one Kingdom you must protect.Start →
- KingsA King moves one intersection at a time, in any direction.Start →
- Reserve ArmyNot every piece begins on the battlefield — every Kingdom keeps its own reserve.Start →
- TerritoryFriendly non-King pieces form Territory routes that Queens, Rooks, and Mice can travel through, up to depth three.Start →
The Three Phases
- DebutDuring Debut, players alternate placing pieces to build their starting formations.Start →
- CoronationDuring Coronation, each player places two Kings onto legal positions in their formation.Start →
- WarDuring War, players alternate legal actions with the armies they built.Start →
- Phase TransitionWataku flows from Debut to Coronation to War, with each phase unlocking new legal actions.Start →
- Reserve TimingDeploy when the reserve can change the battle immediately.Start →
Connectivity
- Connected GroupsPieces form one group when each touches a neighbour — a broken link splits your kingdom in two.Start →
- Disconnected GroupsBreak a single link and one kingdom splits into two separate groups that no longer support each other.Start →
- Dormant GroupsA group with no king turns dormant — still on the board, but unable to move or fight.Start →
- Active GroupsA group connected to at least one of your kings is active — its pieces can move and fight.Start →
- DormancyCut a group from every king and it sleeps — not captured, just powerless until reconnected.Start →
The Pieces
- TurtleThe Turtle can move but can never be captured — it holds ground and blocks paths and checks.Start →
- MouseThe Mouse strikes on the diagonals — a nimble attacker that slips past straight-line defences.Start →
- KnightThe Knight leaps in an L-shape, jumping over other pieces to strike from unexpected angles.Start →
- RookThe Rook sweeps in straight lines along ranks and files — powerful on open rows and columns.Start →
- ElephantThe Elephant steps one or two squares diagonally and checks a king there — a check no block can stop.Start →
- QueenThe Queen moves in every straight and diagonal line — the strongest piece on the board.Start →
Combat
- PressurePressure is threat after threat — the enemy must keep defending and never gets time to attack.Start →
- ThreatA threat is a move that will capture or check next turn unless the enemy answers it.Start →
- CheckCheck is a direct attack on a king — the owner must answer it before doing anything else.Start →
- CheckmateCheckmate ends the game — a king is attacked and cannot escape, block, or be defended.Start →
- Royal CollapsePut both enemy kings in check at once with no full escape and their kingdom collapses — you win.Start →
- CaptureMove a piece onto an enemy piece to capture it — the enemy piece leaves the board.Start →
Strategy
- TempoTempo is a move's worth of time — make threats that force replies and you gain tempo.Start →
- InitiativeThe initiative is control of the game — you make threats and the enemy only reacts.Start →
- ExpansionExpansion grows your kingdom outward — more space means more pieces and more attacking lines.Start →
- DefenseDefense answers threats — block a line, guard a square, or give your king an escape.Start →
- AttackAn attack aims force at the enemy kings, combining pieces so their defence cannot cover everything.Start →
- SacrificeA sacrifice gives up material to open a line, expose a king, or force a winning sequence.Start →
- ProtectionProtection means backing up your pieces so a capture can be answered by recapture.Start →
- BalanceGood play balances attack and defence — press your plan without leaving your own kings exposed.Start →
- DrawA game can also end fairly, in a draw — exactly as it can in chess.Start →
- Winning the GameYou win two ways: checkmate an enemy king, or check both enemy kings at once.Start →