Turkish Great Chess, variation IV

By John Ayer

Introduction

John Gollon's Variation Four, at least, though apparently known from a Turkish source, is just as apparently not purely Turkish, since "raja" and "rani" are Indian words and "shahzadeh" is Persian.

Setup

Variation Four is played on a board fourteen squares by fourteen, uncheckered.  (Shown checked here for clarity. --Ed.)

Interactive diagram: pieces movable, right-click resets!    14   13   12   11   10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1  a b c d e f g h i j k l m n      Click here to open/close a piece overview. Play it! The AI will now respond to your moves! (  +  2.5 ply  -  ) Info for selected board piece mc Move or capture mc Move or capture (unblockable jump) m Move only im Move only (unmoved piece only) c Capture only m,c Forbidden move, but delivers check  Click on piece to toggle its moved status Click on piece name to see its move diagram. (print version) ID white nr black nr name move P - - pawn fmWfcF R - - rani K G - - ghora N D - - dahja B F - - fil B R - - ratha R R - - rook R S - - shahzadeh Q V - - vizir Q R - - radja K

Click below to display piece moves: Pawn (a2-n2; a13-n13) Rani (i1; f14) Ghora (b1,m1; m14,b14) Dahja (c1,l1; l14,c14) Fil (e1,j1; j14,e14) Ratha (d1,k1; k14,d14) Rook (a1,n1; n14,a14) Shahzadeh (f1; i14) Vizir (g1; h14) Radja (h1; g14)

Pieces

• The raja, or king, starts on H1 and G14, and moves as the king (there is no castling).  
• The rani, or queen, starts on I1 and F14.  It moves one square in any direction, but may be placed or left en prise.  
• The shahzadeh, or prince, starts on F1 and I14, and moves as bishop or rook.  
• The wazir, or vizir, or minister, starts on G1 and H14, and also moves as bishop or rook.  
• The fil, or elephant, starts on E1, J1, E14, and J14, and moves as the bishop.  
• The ratha, or chariot, starts on D1, K1, D14, and K14, and moves as the rook.  
• The dahja, or standard, starts on C1, L1, C14, and L14, and moves as the bishop.  
• The ghora, or horse, starts on B1, M1, B14, and M14, and moves as the knight.  
• The rook starts on A1, N1, A14, and N14.  
• Pawns fill the whole of the second and thirteenth ranks.  They have no multiple moves, and on reaching the last rank of the board are promoted to wazir.  

Rules

The rules on stalemate and bare king are unknown. 

Computer Play

You can also play this game by email, using the web-based Play by Mail system at the link below.

Credits

 Play by Mail preset and Chess board illustration made using the Play by Mail system, by Tony Quintanilla.