Hordle is an independent platform dedicated to the unique and dynamic chess variant known as Horde Chess. We aim to serve players who love this game — whether you're a seasoned pro or just curious about the variant — with clean design, fair competition, and a community-driven spirit.
Hordle was born out of frustration with the current state of Horde Chess governance on major platforms — specifically, Lichess.
For years, the official Horde World Championship (HWC) has suffered from opaque decision-making and gatekeeping by a small inner circle. Multiple top players — at least four with serious winning chances — have been banned or excluded from the event, not for cheating or unsportsmanlike conduct, but for political or personal reasons. The lack of transparency and accountability has deeply harmed the legitimacy of the event.
Hordle is a protest. Hordle is a proposal.
We offer a new path — one where tournament rules are public, enforcement is consistent, and no one is barred from competing because of personal disagreements with organizers.
Many people assume that established platforms like Lichess are perfectly impartial and transparent. It’s easy to believe that “it’s just a chess site” run by people with no motive to exclude players unfairly — or that being based in a developed country means there can’t be corruption or political bias.
Unfortunately, this assumption makes it harder for alternative platforms like Hordle to gain recognition and support. Our goal is to show that accountability and fairness must be divorced from a cosmopolitan culture, and that every community deserves a voice — especially when mainstream options fail them.
Hordle isn’t just a tournament site — it's a living home for the Horde Chess community. Beyond competition, we aim to foster:
If you’ve ever felt sidelined or disillusioned by Horde politics, this is your place. Let’s build something better — together.