FTM Chess

This variant has been created in 1994 by Gianluca Vecchi, member of AISE. FTM is an acronym for Follow the Mover. The FTM Chess rules are published first in Italian in Eteroscacco 69/70 June 1995. (Eteroscacco is the journal of AISE.)

Rules

In the following rules, the word Unit refers to both pieces and pawns.

1. After making an orthodox move the player may transport any friendly unit, except the king and the moved unit itself, to the square vacated by the moved unit (i.e. after 1.Ng1f3, for example, the white player may transport any white unit to the square g1, except the king and the Nf3). The transportation is optional.
2. Moving into self-check, as well as leaving the King in check, is forbidden even if a following transportation removes the check. A check must always be parried with the orthodox part of the move, and then the player can make a transportation.
3. Both the moved unit and the transported unit may give check.
4. The king cannot castle with a transported rook. After castling only one unit may be transported (to the square vacated by the King or to that vacated by the rook). The castling rook cannot be transported to the square vacated by the king.
5. A pawn cannot be transported to its promotion rank, but may be transported to its first rank. On this first rank a pawn may move or capture one square, in its normal fashion. On its second rank a pawn always has the double step option. The en passant capture is not allowed.
6. All the other rules of chess apply.

Sample games

Here are some postal games:

GAME 1
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. Ng5/Qd1f3 Ng8/Ra8f6 3. Q:f6/Ra1f3 g:f6/h7g7 4. N:f7/Nb1g5 f:g5/a7f6 5. N:h8/Bc1f7 mate

GAME 2
1.Nc3 Nf6 2. Nf3 Ng4/Qd8f6 3. Nd4/Ra1f3 Q:d4/Ra8f6 4. e3 Qc5/b7d4 5. R:f6/Bc1f3 N:f2/Nb8g4 6. Rf5/Nc3f6+ e:f6/Ae7 7. R:c5/Qd1f5 Nd3+/Bc8f2+ 8. Ke2/Bf1e1 Nc1+/Be7d3+ 9. resigns

Alessandro Castelli (email removed contact us for address) ink.it