Parity Chess
Parity Chess is chess on a 12x8 board with added Champions and FADs
The variant's name and design was inspired by my thought that two thirds of the pieces (not counting pawns) seemed relatively close in value to me, on a 12x8 board. Note that a Champion plus a K can force mate vs. lone K (on 12x8) in 37 moves maximum - Dr. H.G. Muller, citing endgame tables, which was another inspiration for this variant's design.
There is a preset available for play on Game Courier.
Setup
Pieces
This game uses two unorthodox piece types:
The Champion (CH) is a triple compound piece that moves like a wazir (one square orthogonally, that is by rank or file) or like an alfil (i.e. leaps 2 squares diagonally), or like a dabbabah (i.e. leaps 2 squares orthogonally).
The FAD (!F) is a triple compound piece that moves like a ferz (one square diagonally) or like an alfil (i.e. leaps 2 squares diagonally) or like a dabbabah (i.e. leaps 2 squares orthogonally).
Rules
The castling rules for Parity Chess are as follows: A king that has never moved, and is not in check, can 'leap' once a game, along the first rank, to any unattacked empty square between it and an unmoved rook, followed by said rook 'leaping' to the king's initial square so as to complete castling in one single move. It does not matter if any squares in between are occupied or under attack.
Threefold repetition of position or stalemate is a draw as in standard chess, and the 50 move rule is also in effect in Parity Chess (i.e. game drawn if no captures or pawn moves have been made before 50 consecutive moves by both sides). Pawns move as in chess, and can promote to any piece type included in the setup, except for a king.
Notes
I'd estimate the values for this 12x8 game as: P=1; N=3.06(or 3 approx.); B=3.75; FAD=CH=3.86(or 3.75 approx.); R=5.5; Q=R+B+P=10.25; K's fighting value=2.67. Fast castling rules are used in this variant to try to facilitate king safety and development. Note that all the pawns are protected in the setup.
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By Kevin Pacey.
Last revised by Kevin Pacey.
Web page created: 2023-12-24. Web page last updated: 2024-01-26