Chess variants From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Date: Wed, 23 May 1990 23:48:02 +0000 Anyone interested in the following games, send e-mail to: loeb@geocub.greco-prog.fr FOUR PLAYER CHESS RULES ----------------------- I - BOARD The board is a 12x12 array with a 2x2 bite taken out of each corner. 12 XOXOXOXO 11 OXOXOXOX 10 XOXOXOXOXOXO 9 OXOXOXOXOXOX 8 XOXOXOXOXOXO 7 OXOXOXOXOXOX 6 XOXOXOXOXOXO 5 OXOXOXOXOXOX 4 XOXOXOXOXOXO 3 OXOXOXOXOXOX 2 XOXOXOXO 1 OXOXOXOX ABCDEFGHIJKL Spaces are denoted by the column letter followed by the row number. For example, "F1". Moves are denoted by listing the starting location and ending location. A dash is used if the move is not a capture, and an "x" is used if the move is a capture. For example, "F1-F2" or "F1xE1" The following pairs of spaces C2 and B3 J2 and K3 C11 and B10 J11 and K10 are *NOT* considered diagonally adjacent. Thus a bishop in I1 can not move to L4 in a single move. However, a knight in J1 can move to K3 in a single move. II - SET UP There are four player each with an ordinary set of pieces of chess pieces in a unique color. They are referred to as NORTH, EAST, WEST, and SOUTH. The 2x8 section of board nearest each player is called his HOME BOARD, and this is where he sets up. For example, the North Player's home board consists of rows 11 and 12. These 2x8 sections are detachable, and will be removed when that player is eliminated. Each player sets up in his section as usual. For example, once the North and East players set up, the board looks like this: 12 rnbkqbnr 11 pppppppp 10 XOXOXOXOXOPR 9 OXOXOXOXOXPN 8 XOXOXOXOXOPB 7 OXOXOXOXOXPQ 6 XOXOXOXOXOPK 5 OXOXOXOXOXPB 4 XOXOXOXOXOPN 3 OXOXOXOXOXPR 2 XOXOXOXO 1 OXOXOXOX ABCDEFGHIJKL The initial locations of the kings are: F12,A7,G1,L6 The initial locations of the queens are: G11,A6,F1,L7 Play is as normal in chess. North moves first and play continues in a clockwise fashion. III - PAWNS The pawn of each play MOVE directly away from him, and CAPTURE diagonally away from him. For example, West's pawn in G7 can move to H7 or capture any other player's pieces in H6 or H8. The first time a pawn moves forward, it may move two spaces forward if these spaces are free. However, the other 3 players would then have the opportunity to make "en Passant" captures of that pawn. (If any player is denied his turn for some reason, he loses the opportunity to make that "en Passant" capture.) For example, if South moves PAWN:C2-C4, and then West moves PAWN:B3-D3, and then North moves KNIGHT: B5-C3. Then East can capture PAWN:D4xC3(ep). This eliminates South's pawn, West's pawn, and North's knight. The only way to capture more than one piece at a time. When a pawn reaches the end of the board, it must be promoted to some other type of piece at the players option. For example, South's pawns must be promoted when they are in space A10, B10, K10, L10, or the 12th row while North is in the game. Once North is eliminated and rows 11 and 12 are removed, South's pawns can be promoted while they are in any space on row 10. Note that promotion can occur by the movement of a pawn OR by the elimination of a player. IV - VICTORY, CHECK, CHECKMATE When a player is in CHECK, he must attempt to move out of CHECK (even if the player checking him is in check himself). If a player has no way to get out of check or has no valid moves, then he skip his turn. If all players are forced to skip their turns consecutively, then the game is a draw. To eliminate a player, his King must be captured. Once it is captured, that player's home board is removed along with the pieces on it. Any remaining pieces belonging to the eliminated player remain on the board as obstacles. They can be captured, but they do not move and they do not place kings into check. The player who actually captured the king then gets a "rejuvination." That is, he can replace any of his lost pieces on the board subject to the following condition. Each lost piece must be placed on a square in his home board where he ORIGINALLY had a piece of that type. Thus, lost pawns should be replaced in any open square of the second line of his home board. If all players are eliminated but one, then that player wins. If all players offer to resign but one, then that player wins. If there are no pawn moves or captures in 50 moves, then the game is a draw among the remaining players. V - STRATEGY The first difference from Chess is the 3 for 1 rule. That is, if you exchange pieces with each of your opponents then you will have lost 3 pieces whereas each of them has lost only 1. Therefore, avoid trades and be passive. The exception to that is when you think you can capture someone's king. Getting a rejuvination can give you a decisive advantage in the game. Usually, the player who succeeds in the 2nd elimination will go on to win the game. (Unless, the other player occupies several spaces on his home board.) When you are losing, move your king towards the open in the center since then each opponent will have opportunities to save your king from being captured by the other opponents. At the beginning of the game, ignore the player opposite you since he is too far away. Become his ally, but don't help him capture a king. The most popular opening move is to advance your left knight's pawn one space. This helps defend against the NEXT player to move, but does not seriously threaten him. BLIND CHESS Is Blind Chess really blind? Not in the sence of Blind Diplomacy where you don't get to see the other players orders except when a spy is involved. Blind Chess is like chess except for an additional exercise in memory. However, there is a little known variant which I would like to propose to start running games using. Players submit moves in algebraic standard chess notation (for example e2-e4) to the moderator. However, they are not told the results. Every turn each player may submit up to 10 possible orders. The moderator will try the first one, and if that is illegal (for example if that peice no longer exists, or if moving it would expose your king to check) then he will keep trying the other orders. Attention: If the GM finds that none of your moves are valid, then you lose. You can also lose as usual by being checkmated. The black and white moves for each turn are given the same due date in order to speed up the game. However, the white moves are considered by the GM before the black moves are. Up