Reflection teammate

Inspired by This article. I thought, how it will work with four player games. It really can be played! But it will not be 4 player game anymore, it will require only 2 players.

Setup

Several possible opening setups on different boards. They don't need 4-colored sets, but it's better if pawns, moving in diferent directions are different. First setup, looking like setup in several different four player variants: RNBKQBNR PPPPPPPP -------- rp----------pr np----------pn bp----------pb qp----------pq kp----------pk bp----------pb np----------pn rp----------pr -------- PPPPPPPP RNBKQBNR Two other setups need rules that prevent moving first 2 and last 2 ranks of one of players to first 2 and last 2 of other player. Second setup, also used in several games: RNBQKBNR PPPPPPPP rp--------pr np--------pn bp--------pb qp--------pq kp--------pk bp--------pb np--------pn rp--------pr PPPPPPPP RNBQKBNR Third setup, from my Mini four player chess, can be played with standart equipment: NBKR PPPP rp----pr kp----pk bp----pb np----pn PPPP NBKR

Rules

With each turn, player must move two pieces from different parts of his army, and second move must mirror first. Some examples for third setup:
R d2-d4, R d7-d5.
N e3-d5, N e6-d4.
B c3-f6, B c6-f3.
Both pawns may move diagonally if at least one of them makes capture, and may move orthogonally if at least one moves without capturing (originally i wanted to allow them move only orthogonally without capturing and capture only diagonally, but it makes pawn too weak).
Move must be posible for both pieces, neither may leap and rooks may not leap over each other.
When pawn becomes blocked by it's reflection, they swaps positions on same move (this action don't need separate turn).
When piece losts it's reflection, it may move freely, but when two pieces of same kind without reflections moves to corresponding squares, they will become reflections of each other and will have to move simultaneously.
Simultaneously moving pawns must promote to pieces of same kind.
Winning conditions are optional: capture both kings or checkmate either (choose before playing).
Castling is possible in first two setups. During castling, neither king may cross or move out of check.
Pawns promotes when they are in position, where they will never be able to move. Promotion to queen in third setup is optional.

Notes

I have several subvariants.

Reverse symmetry:
Setup is different. In first two setups queens faces kings, third setup in this subvariant looks like this:

  NBKR
  PPPP
np----pr
bp----pk
kp----pb
rp----pn
  PPPP
  RKBN

Example of reflecting move:
N f1-e3, N c8-d6.

Second subvariant: when piece is captured, it's reflection is also captured.

Another setup on 8x8 board:

RNBKkbnr
PPPPpppp
--------
--------
--------
--------
PPPPpppp
RNBKkbnr

Capturing through line between 4th and 5th files is not allowed. Castling is possible. Promotion to queen is optional.

Same, but with reverse symmetry:

RNBKkbnr
PPPPpppp
--------
--------
--------
--------
ppppPPPP
rnbkKBNR

Game on two boards: two independed normal boards, on first board setup is usual, on second white king is swapped with white queen. With each move, player must move one piece on each board, these moves must mirror each other for white and be made with two identical pieces, in same direction and with same number of steps, for black (actually rules for white and black are identical, i described these rules in this way only for convenience). And both moves must be legal. Win by checkmating either king.

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By Daniil Frolov.
Web page created: 2010-09-07. Web page last updated: 2010-09-07

Comments

Reflection teammate. Missing description (8x8, Cells: 64)

George Duke wrote on Wed, Oct 12, 2016 03:30 PM EDT:

Daniil Frolov has solution recently well in 2010 in "Reflection teammate" for Missoum's poser of year 1997 to make a reflection or forced symmetrical Chess: Mirror. He links Missoum's game in lead sentence.

Charles Gilman's comment here is interesting: Three_Player. There Gilman lines up a Three Player version to be played by Reflection Teammate Rules. Academic game theory counterpart could be China, Russia and United States. In Charles' diagram the third force occupies the center entirely, so there is not only Reflection but potential cooperation two against one shifting alliance when there are three more or less equal.

💡📝Daniil Frolov wrote on Thu, Sep 9, 2010 10:51 AM EDT:

Another question: how third player's rooks exactly moves?

💡📝Daniil Frolov wrote on Thu, Sep 9, 2010 04:41 AM EDT:

Is it supposed that in this setup pawns of first two players promotes where non-pawn pieces of third player starts?
It may be interesting setup for 6-player game.

Charles Gilman wrote on Wed, Sep 8, 2010 01:46 PM EDT:

The 14x14 board has always struck me as a bit unwieldy for just 64 pieces (hencr my own Fivequarters) - but might benefit from an extra player. A 3-player Reflection Teammate might look like this, where the third army are shown by the inverted White pieces to save characters: