Split Phase Tri-Plane

{IMAGE to be added - PENDING FILE UPLOAD BUG FIX} PRE-SET Link added...

Intro:
The game of Split Phase Tri-Plane came to me while I was driving at 60 mph in heavy 3-lane traffic and bright sunlight created an uncomfortable greenhouse affect within the car.  The game is related to chess and Shogi.

A pre-set link for now is:
/play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSplit+Phase+Tri-Plane%26settings%3Ddefaultg

However; the pre-set has no hold cells at present so players would need to manually keep track of those.

Setup

As in the above figure [PENDING THE RETURN OF FILE-UPLOAD ABILITY].  The game requires three 8 x 8 boards which we will call A, B and C.  Boards B and C each have a piece hold-area for storing captured pieces [turned to your color] from Board A.  From these holds the captured pawns and pieces be dropped onto the associated Board B or C.

Board A – Is set up like a Fide Board but each King is replaced with a Split-Phase.  A Split-Phase moves like a King (including the ability to castle).  But it does not experience check or mate.  It can be captured.  Otherwise Board A functions under Fide rules.  Pawns (on Board A only) can promote to any piece except a Split-Phase.

Initially Boards B and C are empty except for Kings on their traditional squares.

Pieces

See Rules.  Also note that piece captured on "Board A" split as follows:
Pawn – Splits into 2 pawns
Rook – Splits into a Wazir and a War Machine (movements given below)
Knight – Splits into 2 Knights
Bishop -  Splits into a Ferz and an Elephant (movements given below)
Queen – Splits into a Bishop and a Rook
Split-Phase -  Splits into 2 Queens.

Abbreviated:

P  :  P / P
R  :  W / WM
N  :  N / N
B  :  F / E
Q  :  R / B
SP :  Q / Q

Special Piece Movements:
Wazir - Horizontal or Vertical, 1 space
Ferz  - Diagonal, 1 space
War Machine - Jumps over one space, horizontal or vertical.  Captures by displacement, not the jump-over.
Elephant - Jumps ove one space diagonally. Captures by displacement, not the jump over.

Rules

Object of the Game: Win by checkmating a King on either "Board B" or on "Board C" (not both).  Note that "Board A" has no King. A Stalemate on Board B or C is an instant draw, as is perpetual check.  If a player looses all pieces and pawns on Board A, or cannot move on Board A (for example, has a blocked pawn) then play on Board A stops;  HOWEVER, play continues on Boards B and C until a Win or Draw condition occurs.


How to Play.

Each turn has 3 steps per player, conducted in this order.

1) Move on Board A
If you capture a pawn or piece – put one split component in your Hold B, put the other split component in the your Hold for Board C.
2) Move on Board B; or drop a piece (or pawn) on Board B
3) Move on Board C; or drop a piece (or pawn) on Board C


Movement on Board A is as in Fide with the Split-Phase piece replacing the King.  The Split-Phase is allowed to castle.  He can even castle through check because he is immune to check.


*** When a piece or pawn is captured on Board A, the unit splits and changes colors (see pieces). 1 piece goes into Hold B; one goes into Hold C.  Pawns split into 2 pawns. Pawns in B and C Holds can be dropped on any free space except the last rank.  For Boards B and C only, pawns [Upon reaching the last rank]turn into DeadWood.  DeadWood cannot move and cannot be captured.  For DeadWood in the pre-set you can use the block pieces (BL for White and bl for Black).

YOU CANNOT DROP A PIECE FROM HOLD B ONTO BOARD C, OR VISA VERSA. 

*** When a piece or pawn is captured on Board B it leaves the game.

*** When a piece or pawn is captured on Board C it leaves the game.

REMEMBER:  YOU WILL NEED TO WIN ON BOARD B OR ON BOARD C.

Notes

Theory:
The game to a large degree is about imbalances on three boards.  All 3 boards start out well-balanced… but captures on Board A will lead to unequal power distributions on the other 2 boards.  It is those other 2 boards upon which checkmate, stalemate, or perpetual check can occur, thus leading to victory, defeat, or a draw.


(c) August 2006 by Gary K. Gifford