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This page is written by the game's inventor, M Winther.

External Link: Stheno Chess

The Stheno slides maximally two steps in any direction, but it cannot capture. Instead the Stheno has the power to repulse (1) any enemy piece (provided that any intervening squares are empty) (2) a friendly pawn (provided that the Stheno stops next to it). The piece is repulsed as far away as possible in the alignment direction, as far as the empty spaces reach. In case of a pawn, it cannot be pushed back to the first rank, that is, the second rank is the limit. An enemy pawn can be pushed to its promotion square, whereby it is promoted to a queen, as only option. A friendly pawn, pushed to the last rank, will promote in the usual manner. Other rules are the same as in standard chess, except for the possible promotion to Stheno. The Stheno's value is 3, that is, the same as a bishop or knight (preliminary estimate).

Stheno, in Greek mythology, one of three monstrous daughters of the sea god Phorcys and his wife, Ceto. The sisters, or the Gorgons, were terrifying, dragonlike creatures, covered with golden scales and having snakes for hair. They lived on the farthest side of the western ocean, shunned because their glance turned people to stone. (Another variant which employs a form of repulsive magnetic force is Magnetic Chess.)

A Zillions program and more information is here.

External Link: http://www.two-paths.com/bg/sthenochess.htm

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By M Winther.
Web page created: 2006-10-11. Web page last updated: 2006-10-11