DYNAMIC CHESS

by Edward Jackman

Inventor unknown

Modified and perfected by HUGH DENONCOURT of the STRATEGIC MIND GAMES CLUB of the University of New Hampshire

DYNAMIC CHESS uses the standard chess setup. A piece gets its power of movement from the closest piece of EITHER color in the same row on its left. (From White's perspective; the power comes from the right from Black's perspective. It might be simpler to think of the power coming from the absolute west of the board.) The power shift wraps around the edge of the board. If a piece is alone in a row, its power shifts back to itself. Power shifts affect all pieces including pawns and kings. For example:

White: King g6; Queen c4; Rook c8; Pawn f3. Black: King e3; Knight e8; Bishop b8.

White is playing up the board with the [bracketed pieces]. Starting at the top of the board:

• The white rook currently has the power of a Bishop.
• The black knight has the power of a Rook.
• The black bishop has the power of a Knight (The power wraps around the board.)
• The white king is alone in the sixth rank so its power wraps all the way around the board back to itself -- it has the normal King's move.
• The white queen is also alone in a rank so it has the normal Queen's move.
• The black king has the power of a pawn. It can only move to e2.
• The white pawn has the power of a king.

The White Pawn is checking the Black King. The Black King's only move is to e2, but that square is under attack by the White Queen. Therefore, this position is checkmate.

There is no limitation on pawns moving anywhere on the board and they promote normally on reaching the eighth rank, though promotion to knight is most common.

Only actual pawns promote, not other pieces moving with the power of a pawn.

There is NO two-square pawn move by pawns or other pieces moving with the power of pawns.

There is no en passant.

Castling is not allowed.

The person playing Black may chose to have the powers come from the RIGHT for the whole game instead of from the left.

One of the main tactics of the game is to flush the opposing king out so that it gets stuck next to a pawn and becomes a sitting duck. Another tactic is moving a Queen or Bishop onto your second row and shoot off your pawns one at a time like missiles.

Here's a sample game:

Dynamic Chess

White: King e2; Rook a1, h1; Knight b8; Bishop g2; Pawn h4, h5. Black: King g3; Rook a8, h8; Knight b8; Bishop e7; Pawn a7, d4, e6, f5.

If 23. ... Kxg2, then Ra1-g1 mate
If 23. ... Kf4, then Ra1-f1 mate

Another untried variation: Pieces get their power from the left from their own point of view. White Queen and King are reversed. For example:

White: Knight d2; Pawn c2. Black: Rook e2.

The white pawn moves as a rook, the white knight moves as a pawn, but the black rook moves as a pawn, not a knight as it would in standard Dynamic Chess.