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This page is written by the game's inventor, Alfred Pfeiffer.

Chess99

A review of fairy chess terms

Fairy chess pieces are classified as either leapers, riders or hoppers. We will use two of these terms -- leapers and riders -- to describe the moves of the Chess99 pieces.

Chess99 terms

Noting progressive moves

To note the moves of simple progressive and multiple progressive pieces, we will combine the two conventions described above. For example…

‘ N+ ’ designates a simple progressive knight (viz. nightrider) before it has moved.

‘ W2+ ’ designates a simple progressive wazir (viz. Rook) after its first move.

‘ N3* ’ designates a multiple progressive knight (viz. Ubi-Ubi) after its second move.

 

Chess99 pieces

Piece

Symbol

Movement

Notation

King

K/k

Moves as an orthochess king.

K

Rook

R/r

Moves as an orthochess rook.

R

Combined Bishop-

Wazir

L/l

Moves as an orthochess bishop or as a wazir.

L

Progressive Wazir

W+/w+

Moves as a progressive wazir. May promote to a multiple progressive wazir on the last rank.

Wn+

Combined

Progressive Ferz

F+/f+

Moves as a progressive ferz or as an orthochess knight.

The ferz portion of the move may promote to multiple progressive on the last rank.

Fn+

Progressive Queen

Q+/q+

Moves as a progressive ferz or a progressive wazir. May promote to multiple progressive on the last rank.

Qn+

Progressive Knight

K+/k+

Moves as a progressive knight. May promote to a multiple progressive knight on the last rank.

Nn+

Combined Progressive Dabbaba

D+/d+

Moves as a progressive dabbaba or as an orthochess king (not subject to check). The Dabbaba portion of the move may promote to multiple progressive on the last rank.

Dn+

Combined Progressive Alfil

A+/a+

Moves as a progressive alfil or an orthochess knight. The alfil portion of the move may promote to multiple progressive on the last rank.

An+

Progressive Pawn

P+/p+

Moves as a progressive pawn. Must promote to any other starting piece on reaching the last rank. The promoted piece may further promote to multiple progressive on reaching the first rank and returning again to the last rank.

Pn+

Progressive Berolina Pawn

B+ /b+

Moves as a progressive Berolina pawn. (Promotion rules same as pawn, above.)

Bn+

The board

The 9x11 Chess99 array is shown below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

k

d+

w+

l

q+

f+

a+

n+

r

 

10

p+

p+

p+

p+

p+

p+

p+

p+

p+

 

9

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

8

b+

b+

b+

b+

b+

b+

b+

b+

b+

 

7

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

6

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

5

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

4

B+

B+

B+

B+

B+

B+

B+

B+

B+

 

3

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

2

P+

P+

P+

P+

P+

P+

P+

P+

P+

 

1

K

D+

W+

L

Q+

F+

A+

N+

R

 
 

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

 

The rules

The rules for Chess99 are the same as for orthochess, except for the following amendments:

  1. A pawn’s two-square first move will count as a single move, in tallying progressive powers.

  2. A Berolina pawn may not advance two squares on its first move.

  3. Neither en passant capturing nor castling is allowed.

  4. Last-rank promotions of pawns and Berolina pawns are mandatory. All other promotions are optional.

  5. Pawns and Berolina pawns may not promote directly to multiple progressive pieces.

  6. When a progressive piece promotes to a multiple progressive piece, its ‘n’-value returns to 1.

This variant is an entry in the 1999 Large Variant contest.


Written by Alfred Pfeiffer. Edited by John William Brown.
WWW page created: May 8, 1999.