External Link

Synchronous Chess: http://www.hexenspiel.de/engl/synchronous-chess/

I have described the rules of a synchronous chess game, where black and white move their figures exactly at the same time.

It is the first time that these rules, which were invented by me and coauthors and which were first published in the journal "Rochade Europa" 2003 in German, are published in English on the web.

There are no pictures on this website as the game uses the original chess board and figures. However, in Synchronous Chess, there is absolutely no difference between the chances of winning for black and white as both sides start the game at the same time.

In each turn, the players decide independently of each other which move to make next, then they note their decision secretly on a sheet of paper, and when both moves have been noted, then these moves are jointly executed and the result is displayed on the board.

It took us some time to develop the exact rules, which make this synchronous chess playable. This was only possible through the invention of an intermediate phase for exchanging blows on the two different squares to which the two moving pieces usually (i.e. if they do not move to the same square) move in one turn. As compared to this variant, all previous synchronous chess variants that I know, or can think of, either lack structure, or enhance a passive playing strategy, or represent a pure gamble.

Ralf Hansmann

By Ralf Hansmann.
Web page created: 2004-09-21. Web page last updated: 2004-09-21