SOHO Chess
SOHO Chess is chess on a 10x10 board with with added Champions and FADs; Wizards and Cannons are also added. The variant's name comes from its designing being influenced by Shako, Omega Chess, Hannibal Chess and Opulent Chess, to varying degrees. The game also has a resemblance to TenCubed Chess IMHO, in hindsight. Note that a Champion plus a K can force mate vs. lone K (on 10x10) in 39 moves maximum - Dr. H.G. Muller, citing endgame tables, which was another inspiration for this variant's design.
A preset is available for play on Game Courier.
Setup
Pieces
In this game four unorthodox piece types are used:
The Champion 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 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).
The Cannon moves as a rook but must hop over an intervening piece to capture.
The Wizard may leap one space diagonally, as a ferz does, or it may make an angular 1-3 leap, as a camel does.
Rules
Castling occurs on the 2nd rank between the king & either rook, with conditions as in chess. Pawns act standardly too (e.g. an initial 2-step move & en passant capture allowed), the only difference is that they still promote on the last rank, but any of the piece types in the setup may be selected, except for a king.
Threefold repetition of position or stalemate is a draw as in standard chess, and the 50 move rule is also in effect in SOHO Chess (i.e. game drawn if no captures or pawn moves have been made before 50 consecutive moves by both sides).
Notes
I'd estimate the piece vales for this 10x10 game (in the endgame at least) as: P=1; Cannon=2.75; N=3; B=3.5; FAD=Champion=Wizard=3.75; R=5.5; Q=R+B+P=10; K's fighting value=2.5 approx. Also 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: 2023-12-25. Web page last updated: 2024-01-26