Re: Nightmare chess: was: The "swap rule" in chess...

"FD Games" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> If you want something more acceptable to purists then there are thousands
> of variations that breathe new life into the game (ie cut out all the book
> openings and memorised endgames?) whilst retaining the essential game.
I've
> developed a circular board version but there are plenty that can be played
> on a standard board or cut-down/extended square board.

I remember when we were four people who wished to play some chess at School,
but we could only get one board.
We quickly invented a four-player version.

Summary of the rules:

The black and the white pieces are each divided into two groups:
Group 1: King, Rook, Both Bishops and four pawns
Group 2: Queen, Rook, Both Knights and four pawns.

The starting position is thus:
Black 1: Ka1, Rb2, Ba2, Bb1; Pawns: a3, b3, c1,c2
Black 2: Qh8, Rg7, Knights: g8,h7; Pawns: h6,g6,f8,f7
White 1: Qh1, Rg2, Knights: g1,h2; Pawns: f1,f2,g3,h3
White2: Ka8, Rb7, Bb8, Ba7; Pawns: a6,b6,c8,c7


Rules:
Queens function exactly like the King
Bishops function exactly like the Knights

(all players thus have exactly the same pieces)

Pawns may move either from a-h; or from 1-8 or vice versa.
However, once a pawn has started to move in any direction it must continue
in that direction, until it reaches the other side of the bord, where it may
switch direction.

(Example:
Pawn b3 may in its fist move move to any one of these spaces:
a3; c3; d3; b4; b5.
While it's on b3 it may capture pieces on these spaces: a4, c4 and c2 - note
that if it captures a piece on c4, it still hasn't selected its direction,
and it may move to c5 or d4.)

The moves are executed in the following order: White 1, Black 1, White 2,
Black 2.

The game is an individual game, thus White 1 may capture White 2s King.
The game continues until there is only one left, or a draw is declared.

A player is out of the game in any of the following circumstances:
1. His King is captured by another player
2. He cannot move because of a stalemate.
3. He cannot move because of being checkmated.

When a player is out all his pieces are immediately removed.


Note:
Say White 1 puts Black 2 in a checkmate position.
Black 2 is not out of the game until it's his turn, as another player might
interfere with the checkmate.