Chess64
This page contains one or more presets for playing a game online with Game Courier, an online server for playing Chess variants by correspondence.
By a randomized procedure of
relocation, the initial array is rearranged according to Relocation Chess rules. The resultant positions deviate marginally from the standard position and would comply with the general chessplayer's perception of strategical soundness. Only 8 of the 64 board positions are mirrored. Rules:
Before play begins, king/queen swaps places with another piece except the rooks. Thus, if the king is swapped (relocated), the other piece (the relocatee) ends up on the king's square. If the queen is swapped, the relocatee ends up on the queen's square. One restriction is that the bishops mustn't end up on the same square colour. Note that the standard position can also occur. Note also that the king retains his castling rights even if it has been relocated. The castling rules derive from Fischer Random Chess. King and rook end up on the same squares as usual.
With these relocation rules the rooks remain in their natural positions, and the bishops are always positioned so that there is still a choice to develop them on either of the queen's or the king's wing. This maintains the strategical ambiguity of the initial position, while sound positions are produced where no definitive advantage can be obtained. Although the initial positions are, as such, a subgroup of Fischer Random, the two parties in most cases have different setups.
Note! Castling is done by dropping the king on the rook. This is to resolve ambiguites. (The players must themselves keep count of whether the king/rook have already been moved.) Moves are automated (point and click), but rules of check, etc., are ignored. At pawn promotion the player is asked about promotion piece.
Chess64 (Relocation Random Chess)
A Zillions
program and more information is here.
This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.
By M Winther.
Web page created: 2009-04-26. Web page last updated: 2009-04-26