Chess Variants

[Gervie]

Game: Makruk & Sittuyin

Redone by Malcolm Maynard, May 2001.

The game of Makruk (also known as Thai Makruk or Ouk Chatrang in Cambodia) is a version of chess seldom played outside of Thailand or Cambodia, but enjoying great popularity in those countries. The game of Sittyuin is its Burmese cousin, although not nearly so widespread as Makruk. As these games are somewhat closely related, I have included both of them in this module.

These ZRF files are largely revamped versions of the Thai and Burmese Chess ZRF files that are included with Zillions of Games. The main weakness with these versions, I found, was that it used [images of] Staunton chess pieces. Considering that in both Makruk and Sittuyin the "queen" is a weak piece and the "bishops" are only marginally stronger, it was often confusing to have such weak pieces represented by larger graphics. I therefore use more appropriate graphics, mostly from Makruk software from Thailand. I have also included some more chess-like pieces too, for those that want them.

I have also changed the Sittuyin ZRF to include each player's considerable freedom in setting up all pieces other than pawns. To start play, each player has the pawns on the board and all other pieces off to their right, ready to distribute on the board. White and then Black arrange their pieces behind their lines of pawns, with some restrictions, before White makes the first move proper of the game.

Included with the Makruk ZRF are three variants with first-turn-only improved powers for the King, Guard or both. The "Variants" with Sittuyin are only sample setups of pieces with no changes in the rules.

Updated 06/14/03
Now version 3: several rule corrections; additional piece sets and example games.

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[Gervie]

Game: Martian Chess

Created by Chris Huntoon.

I started with just the title of Martian Chess. Next, I decided to base the pieces on the conventions of science fiction: mind-control, body-snatching, death-rays, bug-eyed monsters, killer-robots, and flying-saucers. Blending these with a number of Chess influences, along with some of my own ideas, I tried to create a game that was genuinely alien and bizarre.


Object: Eliminate the opponent's Overlord.

Due to ruthless Martian efficiency, you may attack your own pieces.


The grey horizontal space across the center of the board is the canal separating the territories of the two sides. The 3x3 blue boxes at the top and bottom of the board are the Overlords' fortresses. Each Overlord may not leave their fortress. Right-click on the pieces to see their abilities.


Updated 10/28/00
fixed image problem with Windows NT/2000.

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[Gervie]

Game: Masque

Invented and implemented by Chris Huntoon, January 2003.

All the Chess pieces are attending a masked ball. Each player begins with a normal set of Chess pieces. A piece must use one turn to unmask, that is to replace a Mask with one of the unused pieces. After a piece has unmasked, it may move about normally. The players must use their first turn to unmask their Kings. Capturing Masks is certainly possible, as this reduces the opponent's potential to add new pieces to the board.

A Pawn may make a two-step move from both the first and second ranks. This effects En-Passant captures as well. Castling is naturally impossible. Other than this, all other Chess rules apply.

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[Gervie]

Game: Maximal Squadron

Implemented by K. Franklin, April 2003.


Object: What is the greatest number of pieces that can be put on a standard chess board so that no two are attacking each other?

These uniform variants highlight many of the different chess pieces from the standard Chess and Fairy_chess Zillions zrf's. This zrf could be considered as a co-demonstrator with Squadron Chess; as much a chess piece(s) illustrator as a game.

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[Gervie]

Game: Melissa

Invented and implemented by Harvey Patterson, May 2002


Like Helen in the Trojan War, Melissa is a pearl of great worth desired by both White and Black. Both sides pull Melissa back and forth between themselves while attacking each other.

The story of Melissa is played like ordinary chess with all the normal rules except for the presence of Melissa. Each side begins a turn by moving Melissa, who moves like a Queen but cannot capture, then one of their own pieces. To compensate for white's advantage from going first, white does not move Melissa on his first turn.

The object of the game is to get Melissa onto your own back rank (the row your King begins the game on) without your King being captured. (Since you play the King in this story, the story ends if you die.)

Updated 07/26/03
rule change, bug fix, support for ZoG 2 pieces

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[Gervie]

Game: Mephisto

Created by Chris Huntoon,
Zrf improved by Marek Ctrnact, August 2000.

Mephisto is played on a special board with pairs of numbered squares. Captures are not made by replacement. Rather, when a piece lands on an empty square, any piece on the corresponging numbered square will be captured. Warning: it is possible to capture your own pieces.
Pawns move one space diagonally, can not move two spaces on the first move, and still promote when reaching the far rank. There is no castling.
Other than this, normal Chess rules apply.


Updated 8/19/00
Improved zrf implementation by Marek Ctrnact.

Updated 10/28/00
fixed image problem with Windows NT/2000.

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[Gervie]

Game: Metamorph Chess

Game and zrf implementation by Fergus Duniho Copyright © 1999-2001


In Metamorph Chess, simple pieces promote to compound pieces by making a non-capturing move when attacked, and compound pieces demote to simple pieces whenever they capture. The simple pieces include the Rook, Bishop, and Knight, and the compound pieces include the Queen (R+B), Marshall (R+N), and Paladin (B+N).

The board was made from computer generated textures.
This ZRF makes use of multiple piece sets, including the Motif set shown below, the Abstract set used with Fusion Chess, and the default Zillions set.

For more games by Fergus Duniho, goto http://www.duniho.com/fergus/games

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[Gervie]

Game: Metamorphin' Assimilation Chess

Game and zrf implementation by Fergus Duniho Copyright © 2001


Metamorphin' Assimilation Chess is a hybrid of Metamorph Chess and Assimilation Chess. As in Metamorph Chess, simple pieces promote to compound pieces, and compound pieces demote to simple pieces. As in Assimilation Chess, simple pieces assimilate other simple pieces when they capture them, and compound pieces can split into their component simple pieces. Combining the rules of these two games allows for the generation of new pieces.

The board is made from computer generated textures. It combines the dark squares from Assimilation Chess with the border and light squares from Metamorph Chess.

For more games by Fergus Duniho, goto http://www.duniho.com/fergus/games

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[Gervie]

Game: Metamorphin' Fusion Chess

Game and zrf implementation by Fergus Duniho Copyright © 1999-2001


Metamorphin' Fusion Chess is a hybrid of Metamorph Chess and Fusion Chess. Simple pieces can promote to or combine into compound pieces, and compound pieces can split apart into or demote to simple pieces. The simple pieces include King, Rook, Bishop, and Knight, and the compound pieces include all two-piece combinations of these. But only non-royal pieces can promote. The King forms royal compound pieces only by combining with other pieces.
The object is to checkmate your opponent's current royal piece.

By combining the rules of Metamorph and Fusion Chess, this game gains the feature of letting players increase their total number of pieces. A player gains a new piece by promoting a simple piece (as in Metamorph Chess) and splitting it apart (as in Fusion Chess). This is balanced by the reverse process, which reduces your material when you combine two pieces together and make a capture with the compound piece.

The board was made from computer generated textures. If you look at it closely, you will see that it combines parts of the boards for Metamorph Chess and Fusion Chess.

For more games by Fergus Duniho, goto http://www.duniho.com/fergus/games

Updated 04/14/01
Optimized code.

Download Metamorphin' Fusion Chess Now!

 

[Gervie]

Game: Metamorphosis Chess

Implemented by Uwe Wiedemann, June 2001


In the game of metamorphosis chess, all rules of the normal chess game apply, but a piece becomes the figure it captures. Only a King stays a King.

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[Gervie]

Game: Michael's Chess

Created by Roger Cooper, March 2003.


This is a generalization of Lord Dunsany's Chess. I designed this as a teaching tool for my son Michael.

In this teaching variant, White wins by taking all the black pawns. Stalemate is still a draw, but easy to avoid. Black pawns have the double-move only rank 7 (his second rank).

Level 36 is an even game. A beginner should start at level 24, an inexperienced player at level 32.
Level 40 is a challenge for even the most skilled players.
The levels past 40 are impossible to win, unless computer playing strength is reduced.

Updated 05/10/03
setup bug in variant 17 corrected

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[Gervie]

Game: Micro Shogi & Kyoto Shogi

Zrf implementation by Steve Evans ©1999


Micro Shogi (also known as Poppy Shogi) and Kyoto Shogi are recent variants of the Japanese member of the chess family. Although these games are played on boards of only 20 and 25 squares respectively, they are certainly not trivial games, and lay claim to being amongst the world's smallest playable chess variants. The excitement in these games comes from the fact that all pieces (except the King) change form every time they make a capture (and in the case of Kyoto Shogi, every time they move). The games are very dynamic, with fortunes often changing quickly during the course of play.

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[Gervie]

Game: Military Latrunculi

Reconstructed and implemented by Roger Cooper, September 2001.

'Military' Latrunculi is a reconstruction of a Roman game that seems to have been popular in military circles. A series of variants is included that show a possible evolution into Chess.

Latrunculi was the premiere intellectual game of the Roman Republic & Empire. There have been many efforts made to reconstruct it, but most of these efforts failed to explicitly take account of the existence of 2 forms of Latrunculi. The older form, deriving from the Greek game of Poleis had only 1 type of piece, while the newer form had 2 types of pieces. Most of the evidence for the newer form comes from military settings and areas on the edge of the empire, so I have given it the name of 'Military Latrunculi' and for contrast will call the older game 'Civil Latrunculi'.

See the included document for extensive info on how this game was reconstructed.

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[Gervie]

Game: Millennium 3D Chess

Invented by William L. D'Agostino, Copyright © 2001,
implemented by L. Lynn Smith, August 2001.

Millennium 3D Chess™ Abridged Rules
'Chess for the Third Millennium and Beyond!'™

Other than the concept of moving between chess boards [levels], Millennium 3D Chess™ has not created any new chess rules, but instead extended the traditional 2D chess rules to allow for multiboard play. All traditional 2D chess rules apply to Millennium 3D Chess™ including rules for capturing, castling, en passant, declaring a draw, stalemate and checkmate.

A complete set of Millennium 3D Chess™ rules can be downloaded from: http//www.geocities.com/william_dagostino/

KNIGHT: The Knight moves in a 'L' shaped manner which can be described as moving two squares along a row and one square along a column, or visa versa. The Knight can also change one level and move two squares, or change two levels and move one square.

BISPHOP: The Bishop moves diagonally as well as along a sloping direction following a diagonal. A 'sloping' move is defined as moving both one square and changing one level -- or -- moving two squares and changing two levels. A Bishop cannot move vertically straight up nor down.

ROOK: The Rook can move along any row or column, and the Rook may also move vertically up or down as well along a sloping direction following any row or column.

QUEEN: The Queen can move along any row or column, move along any diagonal, move vertically up or down, and move along a sloping direction following any column, row or diagonal.

KING: The King can move one square in any direction, change one level, or move one square in any direction and change one level. The King can never be moved into 'check'.

PAWN: A Pawn can move straight ahead one square, change one level up or down, or move both one square forward and change one level. On a Pawn's first move, a Pawn can move two squares straight ahead, change two levels, or move both two squares forward and change two levels in a sloping direction. A Pawn cannot advance directly into an occupied square. A Pawn can only capture an opposing chess piece by moving one square along a forward diagonal or along a forward sloping diagonal. When a Pawn reaches the starting row and level of the opposing King, then the Pawn is immediately promoted to either a Queen, Rook, Bishop or Knight.

The author wishes to thank L. Lynn Smith for implementing this Zillions of Games computer version of Millennium 3D Chess™.

Copyright 2001 William L. D'Agostino. All rights reserved.
The Trademarks 'Millennium 3D Chess™' and 'Chess for the Third Millennium and Beyond!™' are Trademarks owned by William L. D'Agostino, Email: [email protected]
A limited commercial license is granted to Zillions of Games, by the copyright and trademark owner, for reproducing and/or distributing this copyrighted material, however, the licensor reserves the right to modify or cancel this license at any time without cause or notice.

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[Gervie]

Game: Monotypes

Implemented by Roger Cooper, November 2001


This is a series of 52 variants in which White has the standard chess pieces while Black has a force of only 1 type of piece. Black has no king, can't be checkmated but loses if all his pieces are lost. If you are not certain of the power of the Black piece, right-click on it.

In some variants, a normal chess draw situation is considered to be a win for 1 side. Check the description for the variant. The 50 move rule is not implemented, but should be considered to be in effect.

This is a generalization of Lord Dunsany's chess.

Updated 03/09/02
fixed Hishas variant.

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[Gervie]

Game: Monster 3D Chess

Invented and implemented by L. Lynn Smith, November 2001.

Monster 3D Chess is played on a 6x6x6 field. Each player has a force of 72 pieces.

ARCHBISHOP[A] slides diagonal or triagonal.
BISHOP[B.] slides diagonal.
DRAGON[D] slides orthogonal or triagonal.
FAVOURITE[F] slides orthogonal or diagonal.
GARGOYLE[G] steps one or leaps to the next orthgonal, diagonal or triagonal cell.
HIPPOGRIFF[H] leaps to the opposite corner of a 2x2x3 area.
KING[K] steps one orthogonal, diagonal or triagonal cell.
KNIGHT[N] leaps to the opposite corner of a 1x2x3 area.
PAWN[P] steps without capturing one forward orthogonal cell, captures to any one forward diagonal or triagonal cell and promotes upon reaching the farthest rank.
QUEEN[Q] slides orthogonal, diagonal or triagonal.
ROOK[R] slides orthogonal.
UNICORN slides triagonal.
WYVERN[W] leaps to the opposite corner of a 2x3x3 area.


The game is won by checkmating the opponent King.

Updated 02/09/02
a few rule modifications; new look

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[Gervie]

Game: Morph Chess

Invented and implemented by Karl Scherer, September 2000


Object: Capture all your opponent's Kings.

All pieces (apart from the Pawns) turn into other pieces depending on which square they land on. E.g. if a square shows a 'R', the piece turns into a rook.
Pawns promote at the eighth rank to the piece given by the letter on the target square.

There is no castling. The King(s) can move into check.
Note that you always have to have a King! You lose when you don't own a king anymore.

Apart from this, the standard chess rules apply.

There are four variants with different boards.


More freeware as well as real puzzles and games at my home page: http://karl.kiwi.gen.nz/.

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[Gervie]

Game: Mortal Chessgi

Game and zrf implementation by Fergus Duniho Copyright © 2001


Mortal Chessgi combines elements of Chess and Chessgi into a game that lets you drop captured pieces, as you would in Chessgi, but in which every capture also reduces overall material, as happens in Chess. It is played like Chessgi except that every captured piece demotes to the next lowest rank, and captured Pawns are removed from play altogether. It is most directly inspired by Karl Scherer's Hydra Chess, which is mostly like this game except that pieces don't change sides. It also has roots in Demotion Chessgi and Bedlam, two previous Chessgi variants of mine that also include the reduction of material. In general, Mortal Chessgi is a more balanced game than Chessgi.

The image below is from a game I lost against Zillions. Notice that neither side has all the original pieces. This is due to the demotions that occur with every capture. The checking piece is a dropped Pawn at f5. The ZRF gives you the option of four different piece sets. These include the abstract set pictured below, the magnetic set I included with Magnetic Chess, the motif set pictured with Crazyhouse, and the default Zillions set.

For more games by Fergus Duniho, goto http://www.duniho.com/fergus/games

Download Mortal Chessgi Now!

 

[Gervie]

Game: Must Capture Chess

Implemented by Roger Cooper, July 2001


All capturing is mandatory, though you may choose which capture to make.

Note that a King can't capture a defended piece. If the King is in check and a capture is available, the King can escape with a non-capturing King move, but the check can't be interposed against.

This variant is found in the Alfonso codex, (written around 1280), but would originally have been a variant for Shatranj. It is attributed to the women of Morocco. It is also called the Forced Game or the Maiden's game.

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[Gervie]

Game: Mutation Chess

Invented by John E. Bosley, 1986.
Implemented by Uwe Wiedemann, November 2001


In the game of mutation chess, all rules of the normal chess game apply, but a piece gets the figure in captures. Only a King stays a King.
Mutation Chess is also know as Frankfurt chess.

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