Besides formal competitions and ever more sophisticated and complex chess theories, variations have been developed--like blind chess (no looking at the board, or even no board at all), "hidden" chess (in which the pieces start turned over and in random positions), and pre-arranged endgames. These not only provide entertainment for the individual, but are a recreational activity among friends.
除了作為正式比賽、困難度較高的正規象棋不斷拓展出更精深的棋理，象棋也發展出盲棋、暗棋、憑空杜撰的殘局解盤，不僅可以獨樂樂享受棋局，也可以眾樂樂「合朋友之和，飾賓主之歡」。