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

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Dewkesbury
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> "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
How do you distinguish between the pawns of Black1 and those of Black2
(ditto rooks, knights, bishops)?

> Rules: Queens function exactly like the King Bishops function exactly
> like the Knights
Not acceptable for a commercial game unles pieces looked alike

> (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.
How do you keep track?

> (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.
Whilst the idea seems OK you would need a totally revised set of pieces in
order to make this acceptable for a commercial game. And that's a big cost
problem with chess variants.    ;-(

-- 
        John Cartmell   john@ followed by finnybank.com FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527
                Acorn Publisher magazine & FD Games     www.finnybank.com