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Sittuyin (Burmese Chess). Missing description (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Simon Spalding wrote on Wed, May 14, 2003 08:09 PM UTC:Good ★★★★

Nice readable introduction to this Chess variant (or rather, set of variants, as it is evident that several different versions have been played in Burma), which is intriguing historically as well as (based on my limited experience playing it alone)lively and fun to play! I highly recommend Dr. Nicolaus' paper for those wanting to know more about this very interesting Chess variant.

Anonymous wrote on Sat, Mar 27, 2004 01:24 AM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

The elephants here are intriguing... Given that the elephants are highly maneuverable, almost nonroyal kings, are they more valuable than the knights? Theoretically, removed from any particular tactical situation, would you trade your knight for the opponant's elephant, or vis versa?

M Winther wrote on Mon, Mar 13, 2006 09:31 PM UTC:

Burmese Chess (zrf)

M Winther wrote on Tue, Mar 14, 2006 07:10 AM UTC:

Today I have uploaded a version which honours the rule that the rooks must be dropped on the first rank, which is reserved for the rooks. But I am unsure about the promotion rule. According to Bodlaender pawns promote only when leaving the marked square, but according to Nicolaus the pawns can promote upon reaching the square. I am also uncertain whether the pawn must promote if he can. Can a pawn leave a marked square without promoting, although he is allowed to? This is how I have implemented it. I find Bodlaender's rule logical, provided that one is not forced to promote. I see no reason to promote immediately as it's better to leave the possibilities open. But I could need some input on this. Burmese Chess.

Christine Bagley-Jones wrote on Tue, Mar 14, 2006 11:23 AM UTC:

there is an error in 'help' with the elephant (bishop), it gives the
moves of this piece as 'leaps 2 diagonally'
great to see this game with the graphics you use, nice little collection
you got going.

M Winther wrote on Tue, Mar 14, 2006 05:53 PM UTC:

Christine, thanx for the bug reported and the appreciation. 4-handed Chaturanga is clearly designed for dice. It simply doesn't work without dice. For instance, yellow can immediately attack black's king by Boat to c3, and the black king is forced to move out, and in the next move yellow can again attack the king by a pawn move. This game was almost exclusively played with dice. Later, during medieval times, they developed 4-handed Shatranj, which is quite different. This was played mostly without dice (but still about money). This game functions quite well without dice. I strongly suspect that it is this game that is reported as having been played well into the 19th century, and not 4-handed Chaturanga (what an author argues on this site).

Christine Bagley-Jones wrote on Tue, Mar 14, 2006 10:58 PM UTC:

yes, it is true on the first move, the 1st player can check with ship, and
then check with pawn, and this players team mate can do the same, but
believe it or not, this is a bad opening for the players giving check!
they will lose a pawn, and have the worst position.
the king in this game, can safety move in the open, because of no queens
or bishops. Look at this example. (i'll call the bishop a ship)
1.Ship a1-c3, King a5-b4, Ship h8-f6, King h4-g5
2.h2-h3, King b4-c5, h7-h6, King g5-f4
now whatever the first player plays, he cannot stop the 2nd player taking
his 'a' pawn (with rook) because the 4th player can check next move!!
:)) 
it is the old 'i can this crazy looking move, cause my team mate can check 
you next move', a common tactic in 4 player chaturanga.

M Winther wrote on Wed, Mar 15, 2006 12:34 PM UTC:

Christine, well, it is a little complicated. I just feel the play is a little 'vulgar,' with these immediate king hunts. With dice it's much better.

A game which is anything but vulgar is Burmese Chess. It is a mature form of chess, less tactical than Fide chess, still quite lively. Today, I have uploaded the final version (hopefully). There are two variants of promotion rules to choose from. The game is now tweaked to play better. It actually plays quite well.

M Winther wrote on Fri, Mar 17, 2006 11:51 AM UTC:

I have now added the rules that, when leaving the square, a pawn is not allowed to promote if that implies capturing an enemy King or General. Also added two variants where promotion is allowed upon entering a marked square.Burmese Chess.

zawted wrote on Tue, Nov 13, 2007 05:03 PM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

I'm a myanmar (Burmese) and I love chess both international and traditional. I thought our traditional chess is not known by world.

Daniil Frolov wrote on Mon, Aug 9, 2010 08:46 AM UTC:

'It is also allowed to put pieces on the positions of pawns, and then to put such pawns on other squares in the area behind the pawns original position' - is it allowed during setup phase or during moving pieces or both?

M Winther wrote on Tue, Apr 17, 2012 07:12 AM UTC:

I have now added a variant following the rules and board pattern according to the Burmese Chess Federation (but rules are still somewhat unclear).
http://hem.passagen.se/melki9/burmese.htm
...

Addendum 11:35:56 EDT :
and now I have tweaked the pieces to achieve better play.
/Mats

Ed wrote on Wed, Apr 18, 2012 03:02 AM UTC:

@Mats: Thanks for the update to your Sittuyin ZRF. I am in admiration how quickly you can produce these improvements.

M Winther wrote on Wed, Apr 18, 2012 07:39 AM UTC:

I have now improved play considerably in my Burmese Chess by tweaking the pieces. http://hem.passagen.se/melki9/burmese.htm

However, it's not easy to acquire an exact description of the rules. There exist many versions, but not even the federations have published good documents. On this link, for instance, the rules are confusing.
http://myachess.blogspot.se/2012/01/how-to-play-myanmar-traditional-chess-3.html

According to c1 a pawn can promote upon reaching a promotion square. According to c3 it cannot promote but must wait. These are contradictory rules. I have implemented both in independent variants.

"c.1 When a pawn reaches one of the promotion squares, the diagonal squares of the opponent side, it can be exchanged for a general of the same colour provided the general of the same colour no longer exists on the board.

c.3 Even a pawn is qualified to be promoted, the promotion is not allowed at once just after reaching the promotion square. It can get the promotion on the next move or later of the same player."

It would be great if somebody could find an exact rule description and publish it here on the Chess Variant Pages.
/Mats

Mintsoda15 wrote on Sat, Aug 3 05:36 AM UTC:

Question: What happens if the outcome of all possible moves for a player whose turn it is leaves the opposing player with no possible moves?

Example:





♟	♟
♚
♟
♔

Lev Grigoriev wrote on Tue, Aug 13 06:59 PM UTC in reply to Mintsoda15 from Sat Aug 3 05:36 AM:

your example is quite blurry, please show it as image

David Paulowich wrote on Sat, Sep 7 04:25 AM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

The August 3rd comment is very interesting, but it appears that WHITE has been stalemated for more than one move. Another attempt:

diagram

WHITE TO MOVE - - - FIDE Chess allows 1.Ka1 a3, 2.Kxa2 stalemate

Since 2.Kxa2 is an illegal move in Sittuyin, it follows that 1... a3 stalemated WHITE.

Since 1... a3 is an illegal move in Sittuyin, it follows that 1.Ka1 stalemated BLACK.

Since 1.Ka1 is an illegal move in Sittuyin, a different move has to be played.

H. G. Muller wrote on Sat, Sep 7 06:32 AM UTC in reply to David Paulowich from 04:25 AM:

And this would actually be relevant if there had been, say, a black Rook on a1.

But this is critically dependent on the definition of stalemate. If it is defined as having no pseudo-legal moves that do not expose your King, the earlier positions would not be stalemates, and the moves to those would then be allowed.

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