Shah Mat Casino Game Review

BetMGM Oct 27, 2024, 9:19 AM
min read
The title screen of Shah Mat featuring the game logo with two castle icons next to it. Behind the logo, there’s a chessboard framed by stone pillars, gold detailing, and two knight statues against a dark background.
  • Chess-themed slot game
  • Released in September 2021
  • Played on an 8x8 grid with a Cluster Pays system

In the Shah Mat slot, a game of wits and bold moves, every spin is a calculated step toward victory. This online slot is inspired by the classic game of chess and takes place on a grand 8×8 board where strategy is key to unlocking prizes of more than 4,000x your stake. Can you summon the courage to challenge the king and unlock the treasures hidden on this magical board? The chess pieces await your command — all you need to do is read this review to learn how to play one of Red Tiger Gaming’s top online casino slots.

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Shah Mat Game Highlights

Like the intricate maneuvers on a chessboard, this game requires calculated moves and a keen eye for opportunities. The 8×8 grid mirrors the classic chessboard, with symbols representing the iconic chess pieces. Some of the highlights of this imaginative slot game include:

  • All the high-paying symbols can appear as Super Symbols, covering multiple grid positions and potentially awarding you even bigger wins. 
  • Win up to 21 free spins symbols with the possibility to win even more while the bonus is active.
  • When Wilds land next to each other, they merge. The more Wilds that merge together, the higher the multiplier value attached to them (up to 20x.)

Shah Mat Quick Facts and Features

Software Provider Red Tiger Gaming
RTP 95.79%
Volatility High
Paylines Cluster Wins
Reels 8
Max Wager $20
Max Win 4,323.9x

Does Shah Mat Pay Real Money?

Yes, you can play Shah Mat and many other online slots for real money at BetMGM Casino. To be eligible to claim real money winnings when you play online casino games at BetMGM Casino, you must be physically located in one of the four U.S. states where it’s licensed to operate: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, and West Virginia. 

How To Play Shah Mat

Once the Shah Mat slot game has loaded, the first thing players need to do is familiarize themselves with how it works. The “Pays” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen opens up the paytable, where players can find brief summaries of how the features work and how much each symbol pays out. The “Help” button gives a more detailed guide to this slot’s mechanics and how they work. When you’re ready to make your move, simply click the “Stake” button to set your wager from $0.20 to $20 and hit “Spin” to start the game.

Shah Mat Game Features

This Red Tiger slot is played on an 8×8 grid, giving players 64 positions to form winning symbol clusters. The paytable prizes for symbols range from 0.1x to as much as 80x your bet, while various special symbols and interesting features can help to increase your wins.

Cluster Wins

There are no paylines in this slot game since it uses the Cluster Pays system instead. This means that when five or more matching symbols land next to each other (either in horizontal or vertical adjacent positions), they’ll form a winning cluster that pays out according to size. With an 8-reel, 8-row grid, 64 positions can be filled with symbols, but the paytable caps wins at 35 matching symbols. Any combinations exceeding 35 will pay out as if they were a cluster of 35.

Cascading Reels

Any time a winning cluster is formed, it disappears from the grid, and new symbols fall into the empty grid positions. This could form another win, repeating the process and causing a chain reaction of winning clusters.

Wild Symbols

The Wild symbol in this game is depicted as a black and silver shield with the letter “W” on it. As is standard with these symbols, the Wild can replace any other symbol in a winning combination, helping you complete winning clusters or making them bigger to increase your payouts. 

Wild Multiplier Features

When a Wild symbol participates in a winning cluster, it sticks to its position on the grid for a single spin. If another Wild lands next to it, they’ll merge and become more powerful. The upgraded Wilds will still have their substitution ability but with the added bonus of a multiplier. Every merged multiplier will add 1x to the multiplier value — up to a maximum of 20x. When these multiplied Wilds form part of a cluster, they multiply your win accordingly.

Super Symbols

This game’s high-paying symbols can appear as larger, super symbols. They can appear as 2×2, 3×3, or 4×4 variations, covering multiple grid positions. When they land, they count as four, nine, or 16 symbols in a winning combination, significantly boosting your chances of a larger payout.

Shah Mat Bonuses and Jackpots

While Shah Mat does not offer a traditional jackpot, players can trigger a potentially lucrative Free Spins bonus. When three Free Spins symbols appear in any position on the grid, you win 12 free spins in the bonus round. Every additional Scatter symbol that appears on the triggering spin will add three spins to this tally, up to a maximum award of 21 initial free spins (from landing six scatters.) 

In the bonus round, merging Wilds makes them even more powerful. They continue to merge and increase in value, up to 20x, just as in the base game. However, in this round, Wilds don’t need to be part of a winning cluster to multiply your wins. Any Wild symbol that lands will multiply the value of any win, whether it’s involved in the combination or not. Landing additional Scatter symbols during the bonus will add +1 to your free spin counter.

How To Win Shah Mat

To win in Shah Mat, you need to form clusters of five or more matching symbols, either horizontally or vertically. The largest payout comes from the King symbol, offering up to 80x your stake for a cluster of 30 or more. With a return to player (RTP) of 95.79% and high volatility, players should prepare themselves (and their bankroll management strategy) for less frequent but potentially larger wins. The game uses a random number generator (RNG) to ensure fair outcomes on every spin, which means wins are purely based on chance.

Without any strategy to improve your odds, managing your bankroll wisely is the most important aspect of winning any slot game. Carefully sizing your bets can help to extend your playtime — in this game, hopefully long enough for you to reach the maximum win potential of 4,323.9x your stake. That said, you must stick to your predetermined budget and know when to walk away.

Shah Mat Graphics and Design

Shah Mat captures the intensity and elegance of a high-stakes chess match. The game’s visuals are dominated by rich, golden hues, set against a gray-and-black, checkered, 8×8 grid that resembles a chess board. Tall stone pillars with carved wings frame the reels, adding a sense of grandeur, while statues of rearing horses stand on either side of the grid. During the Free Spins round, these horses transform into huge knight chess pieces, adding to the immersive experience. 

Shah Mat Symbols

A slot game resembling a chess board would hardly be complete without similar pieces. Much like in chess, this game has a hierarchy on the board. The King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, and Knight symbols have the highest values, while the pawns (which appear inside playing card suits) offer smaller but steady payouts. 

These symbols offer the following payouts for clusters of 5–30+ symbols: 

  • King: 2x–80x
  • Queen: 1x–60x
  • Rook: 0.4x–16x
  • Bishop: 0.3x–12x
  • Knight: 0.2x–8x
  • Spade: 0.1x–7x
  • Heart: 0.1x–6x
  • Diamond: 0.1x–5x
  • Club: 0.1x–4x

Similar Slot Games To Play at BetMGM Casino

Players can choose from a long list of thrilling online slot machines at BetMGM Casino. Many of these games have similar features to Shah Mat, so if you’re looking for a similar experience, try these slots:

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