Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam is a chess variant, submitted by Kris Barski for the contest to design a chess variant on a board with 40 squares.

Rules

This entry is caled chase. The board is set up with three ranks, consisting of 13, 14, 13 files. The object of the game is to control the fourteenth file. Players begin with a prince on the first file, squire on the second file, cleric on the third file and pawns on the fourth and fifth files, the middle rank being vacant. A prince may move one square orthogonally. A cleric may move one square diagonally. A squire may cover two squares, making a turn, in effect one square diagonally but jumps over an empty or occupied square. Pawns may move one space in any direction, but may attack only diagonally. Princes, squires, clerics, and pawns may not take pieces from the board; instead the piece they attack is sent back to the king's starting square (or nearest vacant square). If a squire moves over an occupied square this is considered an attack and the piece is sent back to start. A piece must attain the fourteenth rank to promote. The prince promotes to the king. The cleric promotes to the bishop. The squire promotes to the knight. Knights, unlike squires, do not attack while jumping. Pawns do not promote. Bishops, Knights, and Kings may remove pieces from the board. The king, however, must stay on the board and if attacked is sent back to its starting square. When a king reaches the fourteenth square, the opponent has one move to try and dislodge the king, if not possible the game is over.