Chess 1 was a hit, no doubt about it. Chess 2 seeks to build on the greatness of the original while addressing a few problems and also going in a new direction. There are now SIX ARMIES to choose from, rather than just 1, creating 21 matchups instead of just 1. There's a new win condition for crossing the midline of the board with your king (in addition to your grandpa's checkmates). There's also a double-blind bidding mechanic called dueling that makes memorized openings even more impractical, and emphasizes adaptation and reading the opponent's tendencies.

The Six Armies:

1. Classic (balanced)
2. Nemesis (favors pawns)
3. Empowered (favors knights/bishops/rooks)
4. Reaper (favors queen)
5. Two Kings (has two kings!)
6. Animal (wild card)