MISSOUM 8x8 SPIDER WEB SPIRAL CHESS
I have designed the following 8x8 Spider Web Spiral Chess using the architecture of the spider.
The chessboard is an 8x8 Spider Web Spiral which comprises both inner and outer spirals (see illustration below). The inner spiral comprises the fundamental central cells (zones between the radius and the spiral curve which are the equivalent of the central squares of the usual 8x8 square chess). The center of the inner spiral is used as a spider dwelling and a point of observation. The initial arrangement of pieces is illustrated below, where R=Rook, N=Knight, B=Bishop, Q=Queen, K=King and P=Pawn. The files are identified by the coordinates (x,y) where x= a,b,c,d,e,f,g and y=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.
- Pawns move forward from one arc (an arc is the curve comprised between two radius of the web spiral) to the next arc (like the insects fly to the web spiral), or they can move from one of the extremities of the arc to the other extremity of the same arc. However, the pawn captures only on the intersecting point of the arc and the radius. The two arc move and the two points on the radius of the spiral move are optional.
- Rooks move from an arc to an arbitrary arc of the same file (example Rd2-d6) or spirally from arc to an arbitrary point of the spiral, or radially from an intersecting point of the radius with the spiral to another intersecting point of the spiral with the radius.
- Queen moves like the Rook, plus diagonally from opposing points of quadrangles (a quadrangle is the figure comprised between the intersection of two radius and two lines of the spiral). Example if Queen is on d1, then it can diagonally move to the point e21 or f31, etc...
- Bishops move diagonally like the Queen.
- The King moves like the queen except one step at a time.
- Knights move and capture like the usual knight on the spiral arcs. Example: If white Knight is on the arc (UV), that is, on the file b1, then it can move to the arc (WR) identified by the file c3.
Example: Lets says that a white pawn is on the arc (AB) of the web spiral ; that is the file d2. Then he can either move forward to the next arc (CD); that is, the file d3, or to one of the extremities A or B of its arc. If the pawn is on an extremity B of the arc (let's say on arc (AB)) then on the next move, he can go to the extremity D of the arc (CD), and if he was on the extremity A of arc (AB), he can move to the extremity C of the arc (CD).
Example: Lets say that white pawn is on the extremity A of the arc (AB) and black pawn is on the extremity C of the arc (CD); then on the next move, the white pawn on A can capture the black pawn on C and takes its place.
The prise en passant is as follows: Lets say that a white pawn is on the arc (AB) and a black pawn is on the extremity D of the arc (CD). If on the next move the black pawn moves to the extremity B of the arc (AB), then white pawn can capture it en passant.
Remark: We will identify the intersecting points of the web spiral with its radius by the coordinates aij, bij, cij, dij, eij, fij, gij and hij, where i,j=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Example: if a white pawn is on the extremity A of the arc (AB), then we write d21. If it is on the arc (AB) we simply write d2. If it moves from the arc (AB) to the point B we write d22. If he moves from the point B to the point D of the arc (CD) we write d22- d32. If he moves from the arc (AB) to the arc (CD) we simply write d2-d3 (like the notation of the orthodox chess).
The spider uses two types of threads silk he secretes from his abdomen:
one is sticky silk for capturing the prey and one is dry for its movement
along the web spiral. The central part of web spiral is made of dry silk.
He uses it as both a dwelling and a point of observation. From the center
O of the web spiral, and with the small hooks of his feet, the spider continuously
stretches the radiuses of the web spiral for detecting the type and size
of a trapped insect. Once a prey is trapped he quickly moves along the
dry radius strands towards the prey, envelops her with a pack of threads
and injects her with his venomous poison. The eight small eyes of the spider
play no role in the detection of the location of the prey. But the sense
of touch in his hooks is very developed. The process of building his web
spiral is as follows: (1) he draws a bridge line (XY). Then from the middle
point O of the line (XY), he lets himself fall towards the ground. So the
first three radiuses of the web spiral are built. Then he continues drawing
the spiral using this process.
Written by A. MISSOUM. Edited by David Howe.
WWW page created: June 30, 1997.