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This page is written by the game's inventor, H. G. Muller.

Shock Chess

This variant is based on an idea I picked up from a variant called North Sea Chess, namely that capture of a piece of a particular type would give the capturing player an extra move. This can also be described as a forced turn pass immediately following the capture of such a piece. This acts as a powerful anti-trading rule for the involved piece type.

Setup

satellite=shock ranks=8 files=8 maxPromote=1 promoZone=1 promoChoice=GRBN graphicsDir=/graphics.dir/alfaeriePNG/ squareSize=50 symmetry=mirror firstRank=1 lightShade=#FFFFCF darkShade=#70B09F rimColor=#0F0F90 coordColor=#EFEF1F whitePrefix=w blackPrefix=b graphicsType=png useMarkers=1 borders=0 newClick=1 captureMatrix=.5:/"/"/"/"/" pawn::::a2-h2 knight:N:::b1,g1 bishop::::c1,f1 rook::::a1,h1 general::Q:general2:d1 king::KisO2::e1

Pieces

All pieces move as in orthodox Chess. The General moves like a Queen, and is merely named differently to stress the unusual consequences of its capture.

Rules

When a General gets captured, the army it belonged to is frozen on the immediately following turn by the shock of this loss of command. This forces a turn pass, and the capturing player can immediately move again.

When the forced turn pass prevents you to resolve a check, you are checkmated.

Even when in check you can capture a General elsewhere, as freezing the opponent army is considered to resolve the check. The next move then of course would have to truly resolve it.

All other rules are as in orthodox Chess.

Notes

It is very difficult to trade Generals; after GxG the shock prevents recapture, and the capturing general will withdraw to safety before your next turn comes. This makes it unwise to put your General in the path of the opponent one.

Counter-attacking a General when your own is attacked also offers no solace: Your general will be captured, and the opponent General will withdraw to safety before your next turn comes up. So both direct and indirect trading is almost impossible.

We propose the term 'shock piece' for a piece the capture of which forces a turn pass.



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By H. G. Muller.

Last revised by H. G. Muller.


Web page created: 2024-10-15. Web page last updated: 2024-10-16