Metamate™ is a chess variant born from a simple idea: to replace a piece on the chessboard with a new piece that, ironically, does nothing by itself but knows how to copy those around it.

The variant overlays the original rules and, without replacing them, extends them; shifting the classic and "absolute" game of chess into a world of relative mechanisms.

Playable even with a single piece, understandable in four minutes thanks to rules integrated into it, Metamate™ brings wonder back to the heart of the millennia-old game.

By nullifying any theory, it allows two players of very different levels to surprise each other, have fun together, and challenge each other on – almost – equal terms.

Created in Geneva in 2025 by a Swiss designer, the project was praised in April 2025 by 15 of the 30 best players in the world, including four world champions.