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Pocket Chess[Subject Thread] [Add Response]

Michael Nelson wrote on Thu, Jan 16, 2003 06:15 PM UTC:

I have the game concept worked out and I'm going over the list of pieces
and writing a ZRF. 

Pieces will have value classes from 1 for pawns, 2 for minor pieces, up to
8 for an Amazon-rider (!).  If you don't have a piece in your pocket you
may remove one of your pieces (not your king) from the board and put it
'in your pocket'.  This piece is is immediately demoted one value class
(but pawns are not demoted)--except when the piece is removed from the
eight rank: in that case the piece is immediately promoted one value class
(but a class 8 piece remains class 8).  You may choose any piece of the
appropriate value class when you put the piece in your pocket. 

If you have a piece in your pocket, you may drop it on the board.  A class
1 piece (pawn) may drop anywhere on the board, a class 2 piece may drop on
the first to seventh ranks, a class 3 piece on the first to sixth ranks,
and up to a class 8 piece can only drop on the fisrt rank.

Pocketing and dropping each count as moves.

Promotion is done only by pocketing on the enemy eighth rank, so it is
legal to pocket a pawn, drop it on the eight rank, repocket it and promote
to a minor piece. But this will take four moves to get the minor piece on
the board.  Pocketing and dropping closer to the eight rank for promotion
won't be used for non-pawns as you demote one class for the first
pocketing and the promotion takes you back to where you started-- though
this could be a viable way to reconfigure your army.

A pawn dropped on the first rank may not take a double step, a pawn
dropped on the second rank or moved up from the first rank may. Castling
may not be done with a dropped Rook.

Your may keep a piece in your pocket as long as you wish, but you choose
the new piece when the piece goes in to the pocket.

Strategy and tactics will focus on breaking through to the enemy back rank
to use it for promotions.

I would like to hear suggestions for the pieces in each value class.

Michael Nelson wrote on Mon, Jan 20, 2003 05:18 PM UTC:

The name of the game is now Pocket Mutation Chess.  I've dropped the whole
demotion idea.  Now any piece retains its value when pocketed and can
optionally mutate into another piece of the same value class.  Promotion
is open to all pieces except the highest value piece and the King. This is
done by pocketing the piece when it is on the enemy's back rank--the piece
mutates into a piece of the next higher value class.

You can keep a piece in your pocket as long as desired, but can only have
one piece in your pocket at a time.  

Stronger pieces are more restricted in where they can be dropped when
leaving the pocket.

You can pocket your King, even in check--but in this case, you must drop
it on the next turn if there is any empty, unattacked square on the
board.

This makes checkmate of a player with an empty pocket impossible, so bare
King also wins (immediately, no chance to draw by baring the enemy King). 
Stalemate is virtually impossible, but is a draw if it occurs.

I'm still testing this but it seems playable.  I have a ZRF which I can
email to anyone who would like to test the game before I submit it.

Joseph DiMuro wrote on Mon, Jan 20, 2003 11:14 PM UTC:

Trying to handle the suspense...

Attempting to wait patiently for the game to be posted...

Trying... trying... failing... :-)

If you need someone to test the game, I'd like to volunteer! My email
address is jmd2001 att yahoo dott com. (Of course, I have an ulterior
motive in volunteering: not wanting to wait to find out the rules of the
game :-D)

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