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I've recently had a strange idea for an 84-square chess variant, and I'd
like to get some comments on it.

I call it Three-Layer Wedding Cake Chess.  The bottom layer is a standard
8x8 chess board with the standard chess piece placement.  Above the middle
16 squares is the second layer, an initially empty 4x4 board.  Above the
middle four squares of the second layer is the third layer, an initially
empty 2x2 board.

The goal is to get your queen and king on the top layer before the
opponent's king and queen can reach the top layer.

There is no check, checkmate, or any true capturing.  A piece (including
P,R,B,N,Q, or K) can move onto a square occupied by an enemy piece only if
the square immediately above that enemy is empty.  When such a move occurs,
the enemy piece is 'elevated' to the square immediately above its current
positions.  If a player can elevate an enemy piece, he or she must do so. 
If more than one elevation is possible, the player can choose which one to
carry out.

A player may move a piece to the square immediately below that piece if
that square is empty.

Pieces move on the top layers just as they do on the bottom layer, except
that pawns may only promote on the bottom layer.

FIDE rules apply except as I've contradicted them above (so, for example,
there are no 3D moves other than the ones given above,).

Previous variants inspiring and influencing this one include Bachelor Chess
(the wedding theme), Pyramid Chess (board layout), Reenterent Chess (each
square on the top two layers acting like a reentering square for 'captures'
on the square immediately below), Losing Chess ('captures' compulsory), and
Elevator Chess (inspiring the term 'elevate').

I hope you find this entertaining.