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Checkers Chess

Two chess variants wirth the name Checkers Chess are described in the Encyclopedia of Chess Variants. Here the variant, invented in 1974 by Hans Multhopp is described. The other Checkers Chess was invented by V. R. Parton in the 1950s.

This game was first described in J'Adoube, a chess newsletter from Cincinnatti, in 1974, by David Moeser.

The rules are a variation on the rules of orthodox chess - with the inspiration for the rule change derived from the rules of checkers. (Unpromoted pieces can only move forward in checkers; promoted pieces can in addition also move backwards.)

Rules

The rules of orthodox chess are followed, but now pieces only move in forward direction, until they have reached the last row. So, after 1. e4, e5. 2. Bb5, the white bishop on b5 can in later moves only move forward, i.e., to a6, or in the direction c6, d7, ... After a piece has reached the last row, it promotes: it gains the right to move backwards, i.e., it now further behaves as a usual rook, knight, ... Pawns promote normally to a normal queen, knight, rook, or bishop.

A variant: Draughts chess

This untested and perhaps somewhat silly idea is from Hans Bodlaender.

Borrowing some rules of Draughts (a game, related to Checkers, played in a large part of Europe), pieces can now move only in forward direction, but they may capture backwards. Reaching the last row transforms the piece to a normal piece.

Written by Hans Bodlaender, based on information from Neue Chess and The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants.
WWW page created: August 18, 1997.