Ninjutsu (Claustrophobia 2)
This is an entry in the 45/46 cell 2007 design contest.Like Claustrophobia, this game is played on a 5x8 board with 3 additional squares on each side - a total of 46 squares.
Here however, the Ninja Warriors - the exact orthogonal version of the ninja guards - replace the flying bombers. There is also the additional aspect of piece promotion, for both the Ninja Warriors and the Ninja Guards can promote to Insane Ninja Knights! These super-powerful knights, not present initially in the game, combine the moves of the knight, the ninja guard and the ninja warrior.
Setup
note that the standard chess pieces can represent the new ones:Queen = Queen-Guard
Bishop=Ninja Guard
Rook=Ninja Warrior
Upside Down Rook=Insane Ninja Knight!
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Start Position for white. (black mirrors white)
Ninja Warrriors on a1, b1 Knights on c1,g2 Ninja Guards on d1, e1 Queen Guard on f2 King on f1 |
Pieces
The Ninja Guard’s Moves
The Ninja Guard is a color bound piece that can move one or two steps diagonally. It can leap over a diagonally adjacent friendly piece to land exactly 2 squares away (a two-space diagonal leap). It can capture on any square it lands, and additionally it can can capture an enemy piece that is diagonally adjacent by jumping over it. It can capture two pieces (the first immediately adjacent to it, and the next right after) in its path on a diagonal by jumping over the first one and capturing the second piece on the square it lands. |
The Ninja Guard on c4 can capture all the pieces in the diagram.
It can capture the pawn on a6 by jumping over the knight at b5. It can capture the pawn on b3 by moving to b3 or by jumping over the pawn and landing on a2. It can capture the knight on d5 by moving to d5 or it can capture both the knight and the pawn by jumping over to e6. |
The Ninja Warrior’s Moves
The Ninja Warrior can move one or two steps orthoganally. It can leap over a friendly piece to land exactly 2 squares away (a two-space orthogonal leap). It can capture on any square it lands, and additionally it can can capture a piece right next to it by jumping over it. It can capture two pieces (the first immediately adjacent to it, and the next right after) in its orthogonal path by jumping over the first one and capturing the second piece on the square it lands. |
The Ninja Warrior on d4 can capture all the pieces in the diagram.
It can capture the pawn on d6 by jumping over the knight at d5. It can capture the pawn on d3 by moving to d3 or by jumping over the pawn and landing on d2. It can capture the knight on c4 by moving to c4 or it can capture both the knight and the pawn by jumping over to b4. |
The Extra-mobile sliding pawn
The pawn moves and captures exactly as in orthodox chess except for the following. Normally, when a pawn faces an opposing pawn or an enemy piece, the pawn is blocked. However, the sliding pawn can, under these circumstances only if it is blocked, slide pass the enemy piece or pawn with the same 1-step diagonal movement that it would make when capturing.The Queen Guard
The Queen Guard moves exactly like the King, 1 step orthogonally or diagonally.The Insane Ninja Knight
This piece is the ultimate goal of Ninjutsu. It combines the powers of the knight, ninja guard and ninja warrior.For more info on this piece see Asylum Chess
Rules
The rules are as in orthodox chess except as noted below:- There is no castling as the king is already in its palace where it is normally safe.
- In addition to checkmate, a side can also win by capturing the opposing king's scepter.
Black's scepter is in the palace on f8,f7,or g7 and white's scepter on f1,f2,or g2.
Only the king can capture a scepter, so for example,if the white king marches towards the black king's palace, black can use this opportunity to checkmate, or drive the white king away and march the black king towards the opposing palace. - The ninja guard or the ninja warrior promote to the most powerful piece on the board: the insane ninja knight by landing safely in the opposing side's palace. E.g. White can promote a ninja piece by landing it on f8,f7,or g7.
- Pawns promote on the last rank to Insane Ninja Knight, QueenGuard, Ninja Warrior, Ninja Guard, or Knight.
- The unused squares do not hinder the movement of any pieces.
- All rules governing draws including stalemate are exactly as in orthodox chess
Notes
- A king and a lone ninja guard or warrior can easily checkmate a king since the ninja just has to promote to an insane ninja knight.
- A knight cannot deliver mate but can succeed with the help of the king and with a timely sacrifice divert the opposing king away from the palace.
- All the pieces in this game: the Queen Guard, Ninja Guard,knight,ninja warrior and king each control 8 squares. Thus, their relative values are quite close though the promotional capabilities make the ninja pieces more valuable.
- A Queen-Guard with the help of a king can mate and/or pry the opposing king out of the palace.
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By Charles Daniel.
Web page created: 2007-10-02. Web page last updated: 2007-10-02