Another combination of Dvorak and chess.
Special Rules
Special equipment
This game needs a chess set (with some spare pieces), sets of counters which can be differentiated (for example coins of different values, or the armies from a 'Risk' set), and one dice or coin.
Drawing and playing cards
Each player starts with five cards. On their turn they may either make a move, play a card and draw back up, or discard any number of cards and draw back up.
Changing pieces moves
Some cards alter the move of a given type of piece (any reference to a 'piece' includes pawns). These cards are various shades of blue, depending on which type of piece they alter. If a card like this is played, any card of exactly the same shade (ie which refers to the same piece) is discarded at the same time. Each of these cards refers to pieces from both sides. Playing a card of this type does not entitle a player to move a piece. Some cards return a particular type of piece to its standard chess move; you need not keep 'standard move' cards on the table if you don't want to.
Queening
Sometimes pawns may not queen when they reach the 8th rank. If a pawn in this situation is on the 8th rank, and then the moves of pawns are changed such that pawns do queen, the pawn queens at the start of the relevant player's turn. As in standard chess, 'queening' does not refer only to a pawn becoming a queen; a pawn may be promoted to any piece other than a pawn or king.
Terrain
The green cards allow a player to change the treatment of one square. Players should place a counter of a given type on the square they choose, and should place a counter of the same type against the card, to act as a key. Terrain cards may not be placed on squares with a piece currently in them. They may be placed on squares with a terrain counter already on them, in which case this terrain counter is replaced. Some cards refer to 'unoccupied' squares. This refers entirely to whether a piece is there. A square with a terrain counter may still be 'unoccupied'
The Forest terrain
The Forest terrain sometimes forces pieces moving through it to stop. A player whose king is in check from one piece, which is not a knight, may place a Forest terrain between their king and that piece, provided they have the card. However the opposing player may attempt to take the king by moving through the Forest, and wins the game if they succeed in doing so. Similarly, a player who is in check, but whose king may be protected by Forest terrain, is legally able to make a move which does not take them out of check, but the opposing player may attempt to take the king and will win if they do so.
The Oasis terrain and Frenzied pawns and knights
The oasis terrain sometimes allows a player to have extra moves. A player is in check if their king could be taken by a piece making multiple moves all of which end on an Oasis. This is treated similarly to the Forest terrain: the player may ignore check, however their opponent may attempt to take the king and will win if they do so. Similar rules apply to the 'frenzied Pawns' and 'frenzied Knights' cards
Rank
Some cards refer to pieces increasing or decreasing in rank. The pieces are considered to be ranked as follows - pawn, knight, bishop, rook, queen, king. Thus a knight who lost one rank would become a pawn, a pawn who lost one rank would be removed from the board. You may not play a card in such a way as to promote a king.
Numbers of pieces
As a result of pieces increasing or decreasing in rank, there may be a number of pieces on the board which would be impossible in normal chess, for example three bishops or two kings. This is legal. A player who has more than one king may choose to ignore check, and their opponent may take one of their kings (however this does not win the game; only taking or checkmating their opponent's last king will win the game).
Card List
Shuffle Knight
Action
Move a knight (yours or your opponents) one square in any direction to an unoccupied, non-Mountain square. The knight has a 50% chance of becoming a pawn if they enter a Portal or Desert.
Shuffle Bishop
Action
Move a bishop (yours or your opponents) one square non-diagonally to an unoccupied, non-Mountain square. The bishop has a 50% chance of becoming a knight if they enter a Portal or Desert.
Shuffle Rook
Action
Move a rook (yours or your opponents) one square diagonally to an unoccupied, non-Mountain square. The rook has a 50% chance of becoming a bishop if they enter a Portal or Desert. This card may be played even if the rook may not normally move.
Promotion
Action
Increase the rank of any piece (yours or your opponents).
Demotion
Action
Decrease the rank of any piece (yours or your opponents), other than a king or pawn. If you demote a knight and it becomes a pawn which is on the last rank and entitled to queen, it queens immediately.
Exile and Return
Action
The pieces in the four centre squares change places with the pieces in the four corner squares (d4 with a1, e5 with h8 etc). This card does not effect terrain. This card is not playable if it would lead to a pawn being queened.
Rotation of the Earth
Action
The pieces on the four corner squares swap places clockwise (a1 to a8, a8 to h8 etc). This card does not effect terrain.
Attrition
Action
Remove one of your pieces other than a king, and remove one of your opponent's pieces of the same rank.
Options
Action
Draw four cards rather than one, and then discard down to the normal hand size.
Exile
Action
Move an enemy piece who is not a king to any non-Mountain edge square.
New Queen
Action
Move your rook into a square occupied by a friendly bishop, or vice versa. The pieces merge to become a queen. If your piece is stopped by a Forest or demoted by a Desert it returns to its original square and you forfeit your move. If it is demoted by a desert it returns to its original square with its new rank.
Queen Without a Tower
Thing - Move Change - Queen
The queen combines the moves of a knight and bishop in standard chess.
Democratic Queen
Thing - Move Change - Queen
The queen combines the moves of the bishop and rook, in the current game. If the rook is immobile, the queen moves as a bishop and gives the protection of a rook.
Normal Queen
Thing - Move Change - Queen
The queen moves as in standard chess.
Canon
Thing - Move Change - Bishop
The bishop moves as in standard chess, with the exception that it must leap over exactly one friendly piece. If a bishop is stopped by a Forest, and has not leapt over a friendly piece, it returns to its starting square and the player forfeits their move.
The Man
Thing - Move Change - Bishop
The bishop moves 1 square in any direction (like a king in standard chess).
Augmented Bishop
Thing - Move Change - Bishop
The bishop moves as in standard chess, or may move one square non-diagonally.
Lame Bishop
Thing - Move Change - Bishop
The bishop leaps exactly 2 squares diagonally.
Normal Bishop
Thing - Move Change - Bishop
The bishop moves as in standard chess.
Cannon
Thing - Move Change - Rook
The rook moves as in standard chess, with the exception that it must leap over exactly one friendly piece. If a rook is stopped by a Forest, and has not leapt over a friendly piece, it returns to its starting square and the player forfeits their move.
Tower of Fear
Thing - Move Change - Rook
The rook does not move. However enemy pieces who are one square away from the rook may not move either.
Tower of Peace
Thing - Move Change - Rook
The rook does not move. However friendly pieces, other than the king, who are one square away from the rook may not be taken.
Augmented Rook
Thing - Move Change - Rook
The rook moves as in standard chess, or may move one square diagonally.
Normal Rook
Thing - Move Change - Rook
The rook moves as in standard chess.
Quantum King
Thing - Move Change - King
The king moves by leaping to any non-Mountain square which no other piece could move to whether it was unoccupied or occupied by a piece of either colour.
Peaceful King
Thing - Move Change - King
The king has the move of a standard chess queen, but may not take.
Vampire King
Thing - Move Change - King
The king takes as in standard chess. However when he is not taking, the king leaps to any unoccupied non-Mountain square, and reduces the rank of any friendly piece.
Wizard King
Thing - Move Change - King
The king moves by swapping places with any friendly piece.
Warrior King
Thing - Move Change - King
The king has the move of a standard chess knight.
Normal King
Thing - Move Change - King
Kings move as in standard chess.
Chevalier
Thing - Move Change - Knight
Knights leap 2 squares orthoginally and 1 diagonally.
Cavalier
Thing - Move Change - Knight
Knights leap 1 square orthoginally and 2 diagonally.
Frenzied Knights
Thing - Move Change - Knight
When a knight takes a piece, there is a one in three chance that the knight will also die. However if this does not happen, the player who has lost a piece must skip their turn entirely.
Normal Knights
Thing - Move Change - Knight
Knights move as in standard chess.
Checkers
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
Pawns move as checkers. That is, they move 1 square forward diagonally, and take by leaping 2 squares forward diagonally over an enemy piece, and may take more than once in a turn.
Reverse Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
Pawns take directly forward, and otherwise move forward diagonally. Pawns may still move 2 squares on their first move and take en passant.
Diagonal Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
Pawns move diagonally forward whether or not they are taking. Pawns may still move 2 squares on their first move and take en passant.
Plodding Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
Pawns move directly forward whether or not they are taking. Pawns may still move 2 squares on their first move. There is no situation where the en passant rule will apply.
Situational Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
On the 2nd to 4th ranks, pawns move as in standard chess. On the 5th rank they have whatever move is currently legal for knights, on the 6th they move as bishops, the 7th rooks and the 8th queens. Pawns do not queen on reaching the 8th rank.
Madhouse Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
When pawns are taken, they are not removed from the board. The taker may move them to any unoccupied square. A pawn on the 8th rank will not queen, but may move to any unoccupied non-Mountain square.
Frenzied Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
When a pawn takes a piece, there is a 50% chance that the pawn will also die. However if this does not happen, the player who has lost a piece must skip their turn entirely.
Normal Pawns
Thing - Move Change - Pawn
Pawns move as in standard chess.
Forest
Thing - Terrain
A piece whose move takes them through a Forest square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of being forced to end their move on that square.
Forest
Thing - Terrain
A piece whose move takes them through a Forest square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of being forced to end their move on that square.
Forest
Thing - Terrain
A piece whose move takes them through a Forest square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of being forced to end their move on that square.
Forest
Thing - Terrain
A piece whose move takes them through a Forest square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of being forced to end their move on that square.
Desert
Thing - Terrain
A piece who moves through or ends their move on a desert square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who loses rank part-way through their move may still complete it, even if the move is now impossible for their new rank.
Desert
Thing - Terrain
A piece who moves through or ends their move on a desert square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who loses rank part-way through their move may still complete it, even if the move is now impossible for their new rank.
Desert
Thing - Terrain
A piece who moves through or ends their move on a desert square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who loses rank part-way through their move may still complete it, even if the move is now impossible for their new rank.
Desert
Thing - Terrain
A piece who moves through or ends their move on a desert square, unless they are leaping over it, has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who loses rank part-way through their move may still complete it, even if the move is now impossible for their new rank.
Mountains
Thing - Terrain
No piece may pass through or end their move on a Mountains square. Pieces may leap over it.
Mountains
Thing - Terrain
No piece may pass through or end their move on a Mountains square. Pieces may leap over it.
Mountains
Thing - Terrain
No piece may pass through or end their move on a Mountains square. Pieces may leap over it.
Mountains
Thing - Terrain
No piece may pass through or end their move on a Mountains square. Pieces may leap over it.
Oasis
Thing - Terrain
When a player ends their move on an Oasis square, there is a 50% chance that their opponent must skip their turn entirely.
Oasis
Thing - Terrain
When a player ends their move on an Oasis square, there is a 50% chance that their opponent must skip their turn entirely.
Oasis
Thing - Terrain
When a player ends their move on an Oasis square, there is a 50% chance that their opponent must skip their turn entirely.
Oasis
Thing - Terrain
When a player ends their move on an Oasis square, there is a 50% chance that their opponent must skip their turn entirely.
Portal
Thing - Terrain
A piece who ends their move on a Portal square (not just passes through it) has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who is on a Portal square may move to any other unoccupied Portal as their move.
Portal
Thing - Terrain
A piece who ends their move on a Portal square (not just passes through it) has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who is on a Portal square may move to any other unoccupied Portal as their move.
Portal
Thing - Terrain
A piece who ends their move on a Portal square (not just passes through it) has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who is on a Portal square may move to any other unoccupied Portal as their move.
Portal
Thing - Terrain
A piece who ends their move on a Portal square (not just passes through it) has a 50% chance of losing one rank. A piece who is on a Portal square may move to any other unoccupied Portal as their move.
Sanctuary
Thing - Terrain
A piece other than a king which is on a Sanctuary square may not be taken.
Sanctuary
Thing - Terrain
A piece other than a king which is on a Sanctuary square may not be taken.
Sanctuary
Thing - Terrain
A piece other than a king which is on a Sanctuary square may not be taken.
Sanctuary
Thing - Terrain
A piece other than a king which is on a Sanctuary square may not be taken.
Cathedral
Thing - Terrain
A piece on this square has the current move of a bishop, except for bishops, who have the move of a bishop in standard chess.
Guild Hall
Thing - Terrain
A piece on this square has the current move of a rooks, except for rooks, who have the move of a rook in standard chess.
Tourney Field
Thing - Terrain
A piece on this square has the current move of a knight, except for knights, who have the move of a knight in standard chess.
Summer Palace
Thing - Terrain
Pieces that are not kings or queens may not end their move on this square, unless they're taking.
Madhouse
Thing - Terrain
If a piece on this square is taken, it is not removed from the game. Rather, the player who takes it must place it in any unoccupied square which is not Mountains. This does not affect kings.
Winter Palace
Thing - Terrain
Knights, bishops and rooks may not end their move on this square. Bishops, pawns and rooks may not pass through it. If a pawn ends their move on this square, destroy Winter Palace. Kings on this square are not in check from knights, bishops or rooks.
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