Commedia dell'Arte Chess

.

Since first posting this page I have posted a variant on a larger board with a larger hole in it, Herichess. One of the subvariants of my new 3d variant Flipped-return Nichtschach, Bärnichtschach, features CDA pieces along with the Unicorn, Duchess, and Governor and their odd-only versions the Raccoon, Pantaloon (another CDA character), and Balloon. More recently I have used the Panda and Bear, though not their compounds either with each other or with standard linepieces, in GraTiA.

Setup

Since first posting this game I was encouraged to rethink it as games are likely to be on the short side - though not with enough certainty to qualify for the 32-move contest, even had anyone thought of this variant at the time. One obvious extension is to use the board's symmetry to extend it to a four-player variant, giving twice the piece density and an element of alliance-making and treachery. Checkmated armies - those whose King is threatened with capture by the player about to move - could be taken over, once their own King was removed, by the threatening player. Another option is to allow Shogi-style reintroduction of captured pieces so that the weakest pieces aren't permanently lost at an early stage. Certainly the few pieces of each of many types make Shogi pieces (including some promotees) the equipment most suiting CD'A Chess, and these would facilitate both types of defection. A third option, perhaps better than the sum of its parts, is apply both, involving players being cautious not to let allies get too strong through captures for when the alliance ends! These I term DOUBLE CD'A CHESS, CD'A CHESSGI, and DOUBLE CD'A CHESSGI. The choice between the terms Chessgi and Bishogi is somewhat arbitrary given the absence of promotion, but I choose the former as the latter puns on Bishops starting in a position analogous to Shogi generals, which they do not in CD'A Chess.

A more radical departure is FILLED CD'A CHESS, in which the 4 centre cells are restored and a Pawn rank of some kind added. It has 84 cells, but like the four-file versions of my Tryzantine Chess it was invented much too late for the 84-square contest. It also unbreaks ten broken diagonals, making the diagonal moves more useful. I do not envisage four-player or Shogi-style 84-cell versions.

Pieces

Simple pieces:

	The ROOK moves any distance orthogonally through empty cells, but not through occupied or missing ones. The one Rook aside, it being a major piece, starts at the ends of file C.
	The BISHOP moves any distance diagonally through empty cells, but not through occupied or missing ones, or corners of missing ones. The two Bishops aside start at the ends of the front ranks.
	The PANDA moves an odd number of steps orthogonally, but not through missing cells. Some forms of Panda can pass through selected occupied cells, see under Rules. The name alludes to its always moving, on a conventionally-coloured board, from a White to a Black cell or vice versa like the Wazir, Knight, and Zebra. Like these pieces it therefore cannot lose the move. The two Pandas aside, the King's ability to sneak through gaps between its destinations rendering the Panda a minor piece, start on the centre cells of the front ranks.
	The BEAR moves an odd number of steps diagonally, but not through missing cells or corners thereof. Some forms of Bear can pass through selected occupied cells, see under Rules. The name extrapolates from the Panda to a similar-shaped animal but with some of whom have entirely white fur and some entirely black fur, as this piece is colourbound like the Ferz and Camel. Also like them, though, it always switches Dabbaba binding and so cannot lose the move. The name fits the geographical connection as a famous fictional bear was named after the best London railway terminus for reaching Cliveden, Paddington. A variant with Pandas and Bears but not their compounds might be called Bear Garden Chess! The two Bears aside, a piece whose move is a subset of the Bishop's clearly being a minor one, start between the Bishops and the Pandas.

	The KING moves one step orthogonally or diagonally, and must be kept out of checkmate. The one King aside starts at the ends of file F.
	The QUEEN is the compound or Rook and Bishop, and like its components cannot pass through occupied or missing cells. The one Queen aside starts at the ends of file E.
	The HARLEQUIN is the compound of Panda and Bear. Like the Gnu and Gryphon its move may be to a cell of either a different Bishop binding (orthogonal) or the same one (diagonal) but always to a different Dabbaba binding. The name alludes to this as there are four Dabbaba bindings, represented by the alternative fourfold board colouring. Indeed which other Dabbaba binding it moves to depends exactly on whether it moves along a file, rank, or diagonal. The end of the name echoes Queen, reflecting its compound nature. The one Harlequin aside, as this is a major piece (see the example of checkmate below), starts at the ends of file G.

	The COLUMBINE is the compound of Rook and Bear. The name is after Harlequin's girlfriend as its primary component, like the Queen's, is the Rook. The one Columbine aside starts at the ends of file H.
	The CLOWN is the compound of Bishop and Panda. The name is after another character in the Commedia dell'Arte, and alludes to the French, Greek, and Romanian idea of the Bishop piece (the Clown's main component) as a Fool. The one Clown aside starts at the ends of file D.

The PAWN used in the Filled version only, moves one step forward, if capturing diagonally else orthogonally.

Rules

As each player's King and Rook are three cells apart Rookwise they can Castle, the King moving to the Clown cell and the Rook to the Queen one. The destination cells must be empty. Castling into, out of, or through check is not allowed.

In the Filled version Pawns (or Yeomen if you use them instead) have an initial noncapturing double-step move. They may immediately be captured En Passant by enemies of their own kind. They may be promoted to any compound array piece.

Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate are as usual.