Pentagonal chess
In this game, each cell is pentagon-shaped:-- | | \/
Note that there are 2 kinds of pentagons: "forward" pentagons (f.p.), that point at opponent, and "backward" pentagons (b.p.), that point at player.
Setup
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|r |n |b |q |k |b |n |r |
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|p |p |p |p |p |p |p |p |
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|P |P |P |P |P |P |P |P |
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|R |N |B |K |Q |B |N |R |
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Sorry for horrible diagrams. Game's setup strongly resembles setup of standart chess, except that it have reverse symmetry.
Pieces
Rook moves to adjecent pentagon, which shares border with pentagon, rook starts on, then may continue moving in the same direction. When it moves forward from f.p. to b.p or backward from b.p. to f.p., it may choose to turn left or right, but in further similar steps of this move, it may turn only in the same directions as before. Rook can move in 6 different directions.
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| | | | |x | |x | |
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| | | | |x |x | | |
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| | | | |x |x | | |
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| | | | |x | | | |
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|x |x |x |x |R |x |x |x |
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| | | |x |x | | | |
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| | | |x |x | | | |
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| | |x | |x | | | |
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Single diagonal step is like one orthogonal followed by another orthogonal step not in same direction and not to orthogonally-adjecent cell (same as in square and hexagonal games). Note that forward steps from b.p. to f.p. and backward steps from f.p. to b.p. remind square bishop's moves, while forward steps from f.p. to b.p. and backward steps from b.p. to f.p. remind hex bishop's moves. Bishop's riding moves are hard to describe in words, so look at the diagram. Bishop can move in 4 different directions.
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|x | | | | | | | |
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| |x | | | | | | |
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| | |x | | | | |x |
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| | | |x | |x | | |
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| | | | |B | | | |
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| | |x | | |x | | |
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| |x | | | | |x | |
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| | | | | | | |x |
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Queen moves as rook or bishop Knight's leaps can be described in 2 ways (square and hex knight's moves can be described in these 2 ways too): 2 orthogonal steps in same direction, followed by another orthogonal step to cell, wich cannot be reached by rook or bishop. Second way to describe - 1 orthogonal step followed by diagonal step to cell, wich cannot be reached by rook or bishop (it's same move if leaping). Knight can leap to 8 different cells.
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| | | |x | | |x | |
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| | |x | | | |x | |
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| | | | |N | | | |
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| |x | | | | |x | |
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| | |x | | |x | | |
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King steps to diagonally or orthogonally adjecent cell. Castling is possible, it's same as in standart chess.
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| | | |x |x |x | | |
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| | | |x |K |x | | |
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| | |x |x |x |x | | |
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Pawn moves without capturing 1 orthogonally forward (note that if pawn stands on b.p., only 1 non-capturing move is possible, but if pawn stands on f.p., 2 non-capturing moves are possible), captures 1 diagonally forward (always only 2 different moves). From 2nd rank can move without capturing 2 orthogonally forward (2 possible moves), can be captured en-passant as usual. Promotes on last rank according to standart rules. In diagrams of movement "m" means "move only", "c" - "capture only" "2" - initial double step (possible only from 2nd rank). On backward pentagons pawn moves in this way:
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| | | |2 |2 | | | |
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| | |c |m |c | | | |
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| | | |P | | | | |
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On forward pentagons pawn moves in this way:
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| | |c |m |m |c | | |
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| | | |P | | | | |
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Rules
All rules are usual.
Notes
Pentagonal Shogi:
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|l |h |s |g |k |g |s |h |l |
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| |r | | | | | |b | |
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|p |p |p |p |p |p |p |p |p |
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|P |P |P |P |P |P |P |P |P |
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| |B | | | | | |R | |
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|L |H |S |G |K |G |S |H |L |
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Board have 8 ranks rather than 9, because 9 ranks will make game uneven.
Gold general's move is 1 orthogonally or 1 diagonally forward. Diagrams of movement (on forward and backward pentagons):
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| | |x |x |x |x | | | |
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| | |x |G |x | | | | |
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| | | |x |x |x | | | |
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| | | |x |G |x | | | |
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| | | |x |x | | | | |
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Silver general's move is 1 diagonally or 1 orthogonally forward. Diagrams of movement (on forward and backward pentagons):
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| | |x |x |x |x | | | |
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| | | |S | | | | | |
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| | |x | |x | | | | |
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| | | |x |x |x | | | |
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| | | | |S | | | | |
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| | |x | | |x | | | |
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Horse leaps in usual knight's 2 forwardmost directions:
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| | | |x | | |x | | |
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| | | | |H | | | | |
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| | | |x | | |x | | |
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| | | | |H | | | | |
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If you are familar with normal shogi, you can guess how other pieces move.
There is only 1 rule, which is diferent from usual shogi: pawn may be dropped on file, which already have 1 pawn (because here they can change files).
Actually, many different games, played on square boards (checkers, xiang-qi...) can be played on pentagonal board, it's quite simple.
Some interesting points: in pentagonal xiang-qi one of advisors is bound to 5 cells, while other is bound to 4 cells (althrough they would be unbound without palace).
Dababah (from Tamerlane chess) is bound to board's half: odd or even ranks.
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By Daniil Frolov.
Web page created: 2010-08-26. Web page last updated: 2010-08-26