Mathematichess
Mathematichess is a new chess variant created for both chess lovers and mathematicians. It is played on a 13x13 board and involves unique rules that incorporate mathematical concepts.
This game is a combination of Chess, Go, Rummy, and maths. The objective of the game is to control the empty squares that give value points to the owner. The value of a square depends on the number and type of pieces surrounding it.
Setup
The initial setup is a 13x13 empty board. Each player has 9 Kings, 9 Queens, 9 Treasurers, 9 Rooks, 9 Bishops, 9 Knights, 9 Guards, 9 Pawns, and 9 Farmers, with values from 9 to 1 in the order listed.
The game has two stages:
- In the first stage players take turns placing their pieces anywhere on the board until all pieces are on the board.
- In the second stage players battle for controlling the empty squares.
Each player has 81 pieces. When all pieces are on the board seven empty squares should remain. The empty squares are the focus of the game.
Pieces
Each piece has a certain numerical value from 1 to 9. There are four types of moves:
- Sliding (one square orthogonally or diagonally, or both).
- Jumping (like a Knight, or one square diagonally, or orthogonally, or both).
- Pushing (pushing an entire line, or column, or diagonal).
- Substituting (swapping places with nearby pieces).
Only the Knight retains its original move from classic chess. Pieces have to move differently from classic chess due to the crowded board.
All piece movements are only allowed towards an empty square.
Sliders:
- Farmers are the lowest pieces with a value of one. They move one square diagonally.
- Pawns have a value of two. They move one square orthogonnaly in any direction.
Jumpers:
- Guards have a value of three. They jump one square diagonally or orthogonally. They can jump over both friendly or enemy pieces.
- Knights have a value of four. They jump like in the classic chess on an empty square.
Pushers:
- Bishops have a value of five. They can push an entire diagonal towards an empty square.
- Rooks have a value of six. They can push an entire line or colum towards an empty square.
- Treasurers have a value of seven. They can push an entire line, column, or diagonal towards an empty square.
Substituters:
- Queens have a value of eight. They can substitute any piece close to an empty square through a Queen like move, by jumping over pieces on their way. The substituted piece will take the Queen's original place. Queens cannot jump over Kings, or empty squares.
- Kings have a value of nine. They can substitute any nearby piece close to an empty square by swaping places.
Terminators:
- At any stage of the game each player is allowed to choose a Terminator among his own pieces.
- The choosen Terminator is removed from the board in order to create an additional empty square.
- Once removed from the board Terminators don't play any further role into the game.
- Each player is only allowed one Terminator move per game.
- After both Terminator moves are played the board should have 9 empty squares.
Rules
There is no castling, no en passant, no promotions, no check, and no check mate. Also, there is no capturing of pieces. The battle is arround the empty squares. Each empty square represents a territory whose value is given by the value of the pieces surrounding it. The objective of the game is to control as many territories as possible.
Pieces surrounding a territory (one square away orthogonally or diagonally) are called Settlers. The value of a teritory is given by the value of its Settlers.
Each teritory can have 8 Settlers in the centre of the board, 5 Settlers on a side, and 3 on a corner. Players are allowed to join territories (two or three, or more empty squares) if they can control them.
There are two types of territories:
- Sovereign (a teritory where a player has a numerical advantage).
- Shared (a teritory where the black/white pieces are on a 50/50 ratio).
By their composition, territories can also be homogeneous and mixed. A territory becomes homogeneous if pieces of the same kind form the majority of the group (Settlers) controlling it. Homogeneous territories give a huge advantage to its owner because of the extra points it brings.
The value of a territory is calculated as following:
- Pieces controlling the sides have their value doubled.
- Pieces controlling the corners retain their original value.
- The values of all pieces controlling a territory are added together giving the overall value of that territory.
- Two, or more pieces of the same kind ( two or three, or more Knights, two or three, or more Rooks etc.) controlling a territory have their values multiplied first (before being added to the overall value of the group).
- On a Sovereign territory the values of the opponent's pieces are also considered as belonging to the player controlling that territory.
- On a Shared territory each player only counts the value of his own pieces.
Pieces controlling the sides of a territory (First Class Settlers) are more important than the pieces controlling its corners (Second Class Settlers).
Kings and Queens represent the Royals.
If at least two pieces of the same kind and of the same color become Settlers of the same territory in a Sovereign territory belonging to the owner of that color, that color can no longer be invaded by the enemy. A "Secured Territory" (that can no longer be invaded) also freezes its own Settlers. They can no longer be pushed or substituted by the opponent, but its own owner can still move pieces around to increase its value. This rule only applies if both pieces are (First Class Settlers) controlling the sides, not the corners, of that territory.
Since the game has so manny possible territorial compositions, the game may end by agreement between the two players, but not before both Terminator moves have been played.
A game cannot end in the first stage.
Here are some possible game endings:
- The first player to create 4 Sovereign territories wins by getting an additional 300 points.
- The first player to create a Homogenous territory wins by getting an additional of 300 points.
- The first player to create two Royal territories (where Royals have the majority) wins by getting 300 additional points.
- The first player to reach a certain number of points on the board.
- etc.
At the end of the game each player calculates the value of his own Sovereign territories, and adds the value of his pieces from the Shared territories.
Players may also decide the winning conditions and the value of the additional (bonus) points.
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By Florin Lupusoru.
Last revised by Florin Lupusoru.
Web page created: 2023-05-07. Web page last updated: 2024-01-04