Triangular xiang-qi
Chinese chess, played on triangular board. See also this page for my triangular variant of standart chess and other chess games with same equipment. Note: in 64 triangles game rook is different, because i wanted 64 triangles being the closest equivalent to standart chess, but here i'm using piece, wich is usually used for rook in triangle games for several reasons: 1. It must be strong in comparision to other pieces. 2. Cannon must be able to capture knights on first move. 3. It keeps bare facing rule logical. 4. It explains pawn's same rank movement. Optionally you may replace this rook with 64 triangle rook and cannon with respective piece (but bare facing rules should be same as in original game).Setup
Here is diagram of empty board:
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/{ \/ \/ \/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/ \/{ \/ \/{ \/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/ \/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \/ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Palace diagonals are marked with "]" symbols (palace consists of 9 triangles), rivers are marked with "{".
I was thinking about opening position a lot... And thing i got is still not ideal... If you can suggest better opening position, please, help me!
Here is 3-player setup. Two-player game is also possible, just remove all pieces of one of players.
/\
/] \
----
/\ G/\
/]A\/]A\
--------
/\ R/\ R/\
/]E\/] \/]E\
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ H\/ P\/ P\/ H\
----------------
/\ C/\ P/\ P/\ C/\
/{ \/{ \/{P\/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ C/\ /\ /\ /\ C/\
/ H\/{ \/ \/ \/{ \/ H\
------------------------
/\ /\ P/\ /\ /\ P/\ /\
/]E\/ P\/{P\/ \/{P\/ P\/]E\
----------------------------
/\ R/\ /\ P/\ /\ P/\ /\ R/\
/]A\/] \/ P\/{ \/{ \/ P\/] \/]A\
--------------------------------
/\ G/\ R/\ /\ C/\ C/\ /\ R/\ G/\
/] \/]A\/]E\/ H\/{ \/ H\/]E\/]A\/] \
------------------------------------
G - general;
A - advisor;
E - elephant;
R - chariot (rook);
C - cannon;
H - horse;
P - pawn.
Pieces
Rook is not same as in my "64 triangles", but as in most of other triangular variants. It moves along "straight" line, 6 directions:
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ */\
/] \/]*\/] \
------------
/\ /\ */\ /\
/ \/ *\/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ */\ /\ /\
/{ \/{*\/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ */\ /\ /\ /\
/ *\/{*\/ \/ \/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ */\ */\ */\ */\ */\ */\
/]*\/ R\/{*\/ *\/{*\/ *\/]*\
----------------------------
/\ /\ */\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/]*\/ *\/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ */\ */\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/]*\/] \/ *\/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Cannon's non-capturing move is same, but to capture, it must hop over one piece of either side (same as in traditional Chinese chess).
General is royal. He steps to any of 3 triangles, wich shares side with triangle he starts on. He may not leave palace. Plus, he can capture hostile generals by "shooting" (capturing without moving) along rook lines (bare facing rule).
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/{ \/ \/ \/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/ \/{ \/ \/{ \/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/] \/ \/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ G/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/]*\/] \/ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Advisor steps to diagonally adjecent cells, may not leave palace (thus, can visit 6 triangles, they are marked on all diagrams).
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/{ \/ \/ \/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/ \/{ \/ \/{ \/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]A\/]*\/ \/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/]*\/] \/ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Elephant steps 2 diagonally, may not leap. May not cross river, thus, can visit 6 triangles (maybe, this rule is better: he may move along river, but can't enter camps of other players, with this rule it can visit 9 cells). Note that it CAN capture other elephants!
On diagrams "*" symbols marks destination cells, "!" symbols marks cells, wich are crossed and must be unoccupied:
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/{ \/ \/ \/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/ \/{*\/ \/{ \/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/]!\/ !\/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/]!\/]E\/ !\/{*\/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Horse is same as in "64 triangles", but non-leaping. Fiirst, it moves orthogonally, and if that cell is unoccupied, must move further 1 cell diagonally.
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ *\/{*\/ \/ \/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/ !\/{ \/ \/{ \/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ H/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/]*\/]!\/ !\/{*\/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/]*\/] \/ *\/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Pawn's move on "forward" triangles (triangles, pointing away from player) is different from move on "backward" triangles (pointing at player). It may move 1 orthogonally forward on any cells. After crossing river, it may move in other orthogonal directions on backward triangles (after crossing river, it can move in any direction, wich looks as "sideways", but NOT directly backward).
Here are several examples.
On "forward" triangles:
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/{*\/ \/ *\/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ P/\ /\ P/\ /\ /\
/] \/ \/{*\/ \/{*\/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/ \/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \/ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
And on "backward" triangles, this move is different before and after crossing river:
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ \
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \/{ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ */\ */\ /\
/ \/{ \/ \/ P\/{ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ */\ /\ */\ /\ /\
/] \/ P\/{ \/ \/{ \/ \/] \
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/ \/{ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \/ \/{ \/ \/] \/] \/] \
------------------------------------
I hope, pawn's move is not too complicated.
Rules
Win by capturing generals of both opponents (or of one opponent, if it's 2-player game). Remember that general can capture other generals by shooting. Pieces of captured general changes side.
Many other rules of multiplayer games are possible.
Triangular changi (Korean chess). Setup is same as in Chinese game, but before playing each horse may be swapped with diagonally adjecent elephant (see rules of original changi). And there is no river.
Pawn moves as pawn of Chinese game after crossing river, it don't depend on position (as there is no river).
Cannon must hop when moves without capturing to, and it can't hop over cannons of either side and can't capture cannons.
General, rook, pawn and cannon can move diagonally along palace diagonal lines (general - one step, rook - one or two steps, cannon - by hopping, pawn - one step forward or sideways).
Advisor now moves general, inc. ability to move diagonally along diagonal lines.
Elephant's move is prolonged horse move: first, one orthogonally, after this, two diagonally outwards (and it's unrestricted):
/\
/] \
----
/\ /\
/] \/] \
--------
/\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \
------------
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ *\/ \/ *\
----------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ !\/ !\/ \
--------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/ \/ \/ \/ !\/ \/ \
------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ E/\ /\ /\
/] \/ *\/ !\/ !\/ !\/ !\/]*\
----------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/ \/ !\/ \/ !\/] \/] \
--------------------------------
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
/] \/] \/] \/ *\/ \/ \/]*\/] \/] \
------------------------------------
Other rules are same.
Notes
Traditionally, Chinese and Korean chess are played on intersections of lines. So, these games are also supposed to be played on intersections. How to do this? It must be played on intersetions of hexagonal board! Playing on intersections of hexagonal board makes triangular board, and vice versa: playing on intersections of triangular board makes hexagonal board! Look here for example.
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By Daniil Frolov.
Web page created: 2010-10-05. Web page last updated: 2010-10-05