Steps Chess

By A. Missoum

I have designed the following 3D chess-variant which I call it the 8x8 STEPS CHESS, because the chessboard used in this chess variant comprises 56 cubes built like steps (marches) of stairs. The initial arrangement of pieces (pawns) on the chessboard looks like those of the usual 8x8 chess, but it is not really an 8x8 chess. I use the letters R=Rook, N=Knight, B=Bishop, Q=Queen, K=King) and P=Pawn for the pieces (pawn), (see board(1)). While this new chess game is played like the usual 8x8 chess game, it is somehow different. The rules of Pieces (pawn) move and capture are as follows:

Like the classical 8x8 chessboard, this new chessboard has files a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h (columns) and rows 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 which form the top faces of the cubes of the chessboard ( see board(1)). The Rook is limited to move along the files a,b,c,d,e,f,g,or h but not horizontally along the rows, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 or 8, i.e., on the top faces of the cubes forming the rows 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.

Example: A white Rook on the face a3 can move as: 1. Ra3 - a6 , 2. Ra6-b5, Rb5 - d3, etc... But it cannot move as 1. Ra3- b3 or Ra3 - d3.

The diagonal move of the Queen and the bishop becomes the move from one cube face of a row to a cube face of another row and also from one row to other row.

Example: 1. Qd1 - d5, 2. Qe5-b5 are the diagonal moves of the Queen from the cube face d1 of row 1 to the cube face d3 of row 3, and from the face d5 to b5 of row 5.

Example: 1. Bf1-f3, 2. Bf3-a3. The Queen also moves like the Rook.

The pawn moves forwards from a cube face to a next cube face, but it captures on the adjacent face. It can be also promoted like the pawn of the usual 8x8 chess. In addition, when the pawn (white or black) reaches the row5, it can change file and continues moving only along that file, until promotion. En passant capture is still possible.

Example: 1. a2- a4, 2. a4 - a5, 3. a5 - e6, 1. a2-a4, b8-b6, 2. a4- a5, b6- b5 3. a5 x b5.

Example: Lets say that a white pawn is on a6 and black pawn is on b7. If on the next move b7 go to b5, then on the next move, a5 can capture it en passant .King moves like the queen, except one cube at a time. The castlings are done like those of the usual 8x8 chess. The Knight moves like the knight of the 8x8 chess with some flexibiliies.

Example: Nb1-c3 or Nb1-c3 or Nb1 - a3 or Nb1-d2