WannaPlayChess?
by FieldB0y
WannaPlayChess? lets players set up and play a game of chess inside Minecraft, with pieces stored in boxes and a lobby that controls the game.
What it does
Players take a chess board, place the pieces from their boxes, and continue play in the same world. Each box holds pieces of only one color, either white or black, so a player who wants a specific figure has to press the right mouse button while holding a figure in the other hand to place it. Breaking the chessboard returns the pieces to their set, and the set can be set up again later to continue a game.
The mod is a minigame for client and server together, so both the server and every player need it installed alongside Fabric API, which it requires. Files are published for Fabric only, across the 1.21 – 1.21.4 range, with 1.0.0 for 1.21.4 as the latest build. The code is MIT licensed and open source, and the source code and issue tracker are public.
Key features
Full chess set
The game includes the standard pieces, among them two knights and two bishops for each side.
Lobby controls
A lobby lets players choose a role, either white or black, and control the game time before play starts.
Boxed pieces
Pieces are kept in boxes that hold one color each, so players place a specific figure from its box.
Resumable games
Breaking the board keeps the pieces inside their set, so a game can be set up again and continued later.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Use cases
Playing on a server
Two players on a server can join the lobby, pick a color, and play a match on a shared board.
Who it’s for: The mod suits players and server owners who want a board game played inside the world, with a lobby for choosing sides and game time.
How it compares
Chess Pieces needs the server, with the client optional, for 1.21.5 – 1.21.8, and its license is All rights reserved, so it is not open source. Ultimate Chess is open source under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 only, and it needs both client and server, with files for 1.19 – 1.20.1 on Fabric and Forge. WannaPlayChess? covers 1.21 – 1.21.4 on Fabric alone and also needs both sides.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WannaPlayChess? | Fabric | 1.21 – 1.21.4 | Client and server | 2025-05-14 |
| Chess Pieces | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21.5 – 1.21.8 | Server required, client optional | 2025-06-21 |
| Ultimate Chess | Fabric and Forge | 1.19 – 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2023-09-14 |
Questions
Does WannaPlayChess? need Fabric API?
Does the server need WannaPlayChess? installed?
Which game versions does WannaPlayChess? support?
In the catalog
WannaPlayChess? is one of 2,135 Minigame mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,454 Minigame mods for Fabric. 17,979 mods support Minecraft 1.21.4.
More from FieldB0y
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What the author says
This mod allows you to play chess in minecraft with friends or by yourself. Just place a chessboard, join the lobby and click "Start Game"! You can also control the game time, choose the role of players in the lobby.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/wannaplaychess
- Owner
- FieldB0y
- Published
- 2025-05-08
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-05-14
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15