May 25, 2006

SAFE CHESS (another sample game)

Standard progressive, but mate may not be given except against a bared king.

Game sample:
. . . . . . . .  |  1. Nf3
. . . . p . . .  |  2. f5 Nf6
. . b k . p . .  |  3. N,:d8
. . . . . . . .  |  4. f4f3:e2:d1Q+
p . . . . . . .  |  5. K:d1 Ne6:f8:d7:f6+  
. . . . . . . .  |  6. g:f6 Rg8:g2:h2:h1:f1+
. . O . . O . .  |  7. Ke2:f1 a456:b:c8Q+
. . K . . . . .  |  8. Kf7 Nc6 R:c8b8:b2:b1:a1:c1+
                    9. Ke2 d456:c78Q:c6 Kd2:c1
                   10. h5h4h3h2h1B:c6 Ke6d6 a5a4

May 15, 2006

DESTROY AND BUD

1. Basic chess rules apply, except:
2. When a piece makes a capture, it buds off a piece one rank lower,
   leaving this behind on the exit square.  Ranks  KQRBNP-.

Game Sample:
                        
r . b . k . n r     |  1. e4    e5         10. Kg1  Rh:h2
p p p p . p p p     |  2. d4    Nc6        11. R:h2 Q:g3+
. . B . . . . .     |  3. d:e5  Bc5        12. resign!
. N n . r . . .     |  4. Bb5   B:f2
. . . . . . . b     |  5. K:f2  Qh4+
. . . . . O q .     |  6. g2    Q:e4    
O O O . r . . R     |  7. Nf3   N:e5  
R N B Q . . K B     |  8. N:e5  Q:e5  
                       9. B:c6  Re2+


As people can see in the game sample, the ploriferation of pieces allow for strong and dealy attacks against the adversary force. Since there is a demotion mechanism on the captures, the game converges to an end.

May 5, 2006

SPARTAN CHESS

Rules of FIDE chess, except:
Start with 30 pawns and 2 kings each (at d1e1/d8e8)
Goal: capture both opponent kings.

1222... progressive mutator. The two moves in a turn must be made with different pieces.
If one king is captured, the victim goes down to 1 move per turn.
Pawns may move 2 steps off 1st or 2nd row at any time, e.p. applies.
Whenever a piece makes a capture, it goes UP a step in power,
using the sequence P>N>B>R>Q>A(=QN). 8th-rank pawns promote to A.

Game sample:
                       White        Black
p . p k k p . p  1.  ---  d:e5   d:e5  g:f4
. p p p p p . .  2.  e:f4 e:d5   e:d5  N:d3
. . . . . p . b  3.  g:h5 a:b5   a:b5  g:h5
. . N . . p p .  4.  b:c5 c:d3   b:c5  n:f4
. n n . . O . .  5.  N:f4 c:d5   c:d4  h5  
. O K O O O O O  6.  a4   c4     N:f4  Nd4
. . . . . . . O  7.  g:f4 e3     N:a4  N:b3  
. . O . K O O O  8.  a:b3 N:h5   B:b3  g6
---------------- 9.  B:g6 a2     h:g6  Rb6
                10.  c3   f4     N:h4  a4
                11.  b:a4 Kc2    Rb4  Bg5
                12.  b3   g3     Bh6  b5
                13.  Nc5  d3     b7   g6  
                14.  a3   f3     a5   g5
                15.  a:b4 Kc3    a:b4 b:c4

This is a very enjoyable game, with lots of capturing action starting at turn 1, and then shifting to subtle positional battles in order to promote to Amazons (Queen + Knight power). The fact that each player has two Kings also add an extra complexity of trying to protect both for as long as possible.