the players start with […] a queen and a king and 8 pawns on their secind rank
All standard chess pieces except the king
The king isn't royal
These statements contradict each other. How can the player start with a king that's not in the game, and how can said king be non‐royal?
Also the rules regarding pawns are a bit unclear — am I right in inferring that a pawn effectively demotes upon reaching the last rank while adding a new ‘pawn’ (which can still move as a queen) into the pocket? thereby making the pawns a potentially infinite source of new pieces?
These statements contradict each other. How can the player start with a king that's not in the game, and how can said king be non‐royal?
Also the rules regarding pawns are a bit unclear — am I right in inferring that a pawn effectively demotes upon reaching the last rank while adding a new ‘pawn’ (which can still move as a queen) into the pocket? thereby making the pawns a potentially infinite source of new pieces?