Asylum Redux

Asylum Redux is a complete makeover of Asylum Chess resulting in a more balanced but still very exciting chess game.
It features the following new pieces

The Insane Snake Bishop - An intricately complex dual path sliding moveset combined with the basic Bishop moveset .
The Loony Snake Rook - An inverse of the dual path mechanism of the Snake Bishop combined with the normal Rook moves.
The Ferz Knight - Combines the powers of the knight with a diagonal stepper.
The Wazir Knight - Combines the powers of the knight with an orthogonal stepper.
The Ninja Pawn - Combines the movement of the pawn with additional lateral movement and capture capabilities

Setup

The board is set up as follows for the white side (black side will mirror this):

Rook on a1
Wazir Knight on b1
Bishop on c1
Insane Snake Bishop on d1
Mad Queen on e1
King on f1
Loony Snake Rook on g1
Bishop on h1
Ferz Knight on i1
Rook on j1
10 pawns from a2 to j2.

Note that the lower right square is white, and that kings occupy the same color square.

5 Ninja pawns to be dropped one per turn into empty space from a2-j2

Pieces

The Insane Snake Bishop

The Insane Snake Bishop moves like a Bishop OR

sliding along one of two unobstructed paths

Two diagonal steps followed by one step orthogonally outwards
Or One orthogonal step followed by 2 steps diagonally outwards.

In addition to moving/capturing like a bishop, the Insane Snake Bishop can slide to squares in green.
It can take one of 2 paths as shown by the arrows.

The knight at b5 and the pawn at c5 block both paths to a6.
The pawn on b3 blocks one of the paths to a2 but it can still go two diagonally and 1 orthogonal square outwards to reach a2.

The Loony Snake Rook:

The Loony Snake Rook moves like a Rook OR

sliding along one of two unobstructed paths

Two orthogonal steps followed by one step diagonally outwards
Or One diagonal step followed by 2 steps orthogonally outwards.

In addition to moving/capturing like a Rook, the Loony Snake Rook can slide to squares in green.
It can take one of 2 paths as shown by the arrows.

The knight at c3 and the pawn at c4 block both paths to a3.
The Knight on c3 blocks one of the paths to c1 but it can still go two orthogonally and 1 diagonally outwards to reach c1.

Note that you cannot interpose a piece if the rook directly checks a king.

The Mad Queen

This is the same mad queen in standard chess and so has the same moves.

The Bishop

Moves exactly as in standard chess.

King

Same as in standard chess.

The Ferz-Knight

- moves like a knight or makes one step diagonally.

The Wazir-Knight

- moves like a knight or makes one step orthogonally.

The Pawn

The pawn can on any turn move 1-3 spaces forward towards the center (rank 5 for white, rank 6 for black).
From the middle, it takes one turn to move forward 1 square into the enemy half of board. Once in enemy territory, the pawn can go forward either 1 or 2 spaces forward.
For example, a pawn can start at e2 push forward to e5 then make one step to e6 then go e8, and promote at e10 in 4 moves!
It captures diagonally up as in standard Chess.
A pawn can capture en-passant any enemy pawn that on the last move made multiple steps and bypassed it.
Pawns can now promote to: Mad Queen, Insane Snake Bishop, Bishop, Ferz Knight, Wazir Knight or Loony Snake Rook on the 10th rank only.

The Ninja Pawn

Like the standard Pawn, it captures 1 space diagonally, moves multiple steps towards the center, thereafter 1 square forward into enemy territory and subsequently 1 or 2 spaces forward.
Additionally, it can move 1 space sideways without capturing.
If it is on the enemy side of the board (For White, rank 6+; for Black, rank 5-), the Ninja Pawn can capture 1 space sideways as well.
En passant does NOT apply to the Ninja Pawn.
5 Ninja Pawns can be dropped (1 per turn) into an empty space on the 2nd rank by either side during the course of play .
The Ninja Pawn can be optionally pushed forward (1-multiple spaces) towards the middle during the same turn.
The Ninja Pawn promotes just as the standard pawn does.

Rules

Castling is done by moving the king 1, 2, or 3 (or even 4 on Q-side) squares to the left or right and moving the rook next to it.
Except for new pieces and movement, all other rules as in standard Chess.

Notes

Asylum Redux was invented by accident while creating the Zillions file for Asylum Chess. Proving to be a more balanced and better version of the original game, it was released as a separate game.
Asylum Chess was one of my earliest games and it seems fit that its sequel will be one of my last chess variants. (I do have a few more to go!)

Zillions File

Older version Zillions File

This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.

By Charles Daniel.
Web page created: 2008-10-10. Web page last updated: 2009-07-10

Comments

Asylum Redux. Two new pieces: dual path sliding Zebra + Bishop and a dual path sliding Camel + Rook. (10x10, Cells: 100)

💡📝Charles Daniel wrote on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 03:31 PM EDT:

Note - The Ninja Pawn can be optionally pushed forward (1-multiple spaces) towards the middle during the same turn.

Thus, one can develop a pawn, and then later drop and develop a ninja pawn (with attacking possibilities) in one turn.

Larry Smith wrote on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 02:54 PM EDT:

Did not mean for there to be an additional row of Ninja Pawns, only that the second row of vacant cells be available for the introduction of the five Ninja Pawns. Since this introduction takes up a move, the players might not do such until at least a few of the forward Pawns are developed.

Of course, moving the Pawns to the third rank will deter the forward development of the leapser. But with their additional step movements, they would still have as many or more potential opening cells.

Another aspect, starting from the third rank a few of the Pawns appear to begin the game undefended. Contrary to assumption, this condition is not a negative in itself. But with the ability to introduce the Ninja Pawn, technically they are all potentially defended.

💡📝Charles Daniel wrote on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 11:07 AM EDT:

Larry, 
The problem with the regular pawns starting on the 3rd rank leaving the 2nd rank vacant (or filled with Ninja Pawns), is that this allows a double row of pawns which tends to clog the game  a bit I think. 
See Herculean and Hadean Chess in which the pawns are one row advanced with ninja pawns behind - its not too bad, but I was not too happy with that configuration in the end.
Many 10x10 variants do have start configurations with more than 2 rows but they normally use more powerful pieces not extra pawns. 
I think allowing extra pieces and pawns via gating/dropping allows more flexibility in the setup and keeps the original configuration more harmonious. 
Because the Ninja Pawns have to be dropped in the 2nd rank, the player is forced to move the regular Pawns first, thus favoring more aggressive type openings and advanced pawn chains. 
As it stands, the Ninja Pawns reinforces the pawn structure that can extend right towards the middle or even into enemy territory.

Larry Smith wrote on Sun, Oct 12, 2008 12:29 PM EDT:

This being played on a 10x10 field, might the Pawns start on the third rank?

This would open up the field for the introduction of the Ninja Pawn, initially offering ten vacant cells on the second rank.