Description

Even bigger ! This is a chess variant with 20 different pieces on a 14 x 14 board: such a board was used by some Maharajahs in old India. There are 196 cases and 48 pieces per side which gives almost the same density than for Orthodox Chess.

In Gigachess one will find again all 13 kinds of pieces encountered in Shako , Tamerlane 2000, Metamachy. Newcomers are the Corporal (a super-Pawn), the Machine (orthogonal dual of the Elephant), the Bow (diagonal dual of the Cannon), the Amazon (Queen+Knight), the Marshall (Rook+Knight) and the Cardinal (Bishop+Knight) so often used in chess variants, and the Buffalo, a terrific leaper combining the powers of Knight, Camel and more.

Rules

Initial setup

The board is a 14 x 14 checkered squares with a white one at the right end of each player.

There are 48 pieces per side:

2 Bows, 2 Cannons, 2 Camels, 2 Ships, 1 Buffalo, 1 Lion, 1 Eagle, 1 Amazon, 1 Marshall, 1 Cardinal on 1st row,
1 King, 1 Queen, 2 Princes, 2 Bishops, 2 Knights, 2 Rooks, 2 Elephants, 2 Machines on 2nd row,
6 Corporals on 3rd row and 14 Pawns on 3rd and 4th rows.

The white King is placed on the center of the second row on a black square, the black King being on a white square. The Queen is also placed on the center, beside the King. The Amazon is just behind the King. On the 1st row there is the "animal side" with Eagle, Lion, Buffalo from inside to outside, and the "knighted side" with Amazon, Marshall and Cardinal in this order. On 3rd row, Corporals occupy the six central columns.

All short-range pieces (and the Ship as well) promote.

Pieces

King

Exactly as in usual Chess.

Queen

Exactly as in usual Chess.

Bishop

Exactly as in usual Chess.

Knight

Moves as in usual Chess. In addition, when a Knight reaches the last row it promotes to a Buffalo.

Rook

Exactly as in usual Chess.

Elephant

As in Shako. In this game, when the Elephant reaches the last row it promotes to a Lion.

Machine

It is an orthogonal counterpart of the Elephant as it moves 1 or 2 cases orthogonally, jumping over the first case if it is occupied. Then, it combines the moves of old Dabbaba and Wazir found in ancient Muslim Chess variants. In this game, when the Machine reaches the last row it promotes to a Lion.

Lion

As in Metamachy, inspired (although with some simplification) by Chu Shogi, the most popular variant of the Japanese Chess. Here the Lion may move as a King (a single step move in any direction), or it may jump to a position two squares away, jumping in any orthogonal or diagonal direction, or alternatively jumping as a Knight in usual Chess. (Then this Lion has the same range but is more restricted than the Lion in Chu Shogi which can move two times in a turn).

Eagle

As in Metamachy, moves one square diagonally and then, goes away of an indefinite number of cases vertically or horizontally. It is authorized to go only one square diagonal. It can not jump and the unobstructed path must start with the diagonal movement. This piece is almost as powerful as the Queen and is inspired by the Giraffe from Tamerlane's Chess and the Aanca from Alfonso X's Grande Acedrex.

Ship

Originally invented for Tamerlane 2000, it moves one square diagonally and then, goes away of an indefinite number of cases vertically, never horizontally. It can move one square diagonally only. It can not jump and must begin its move with the diagonal step. The Ship is more limited than the Eagle (which can move horizontally). Nevertheless its move power is comparable to the Rook and the Bishop. When the Ship reaches the last row it promotes to an Eagle.

Camel

As in Metamachy, a well known piece from medieval Muslim great Chess like Tamerlane's Chess. It jumps to the opposite case of a 2x4 rectangle, like an extended Knight. No matter what intermediate cases contain. Note that it always stays on the same color of square. When a Camel reaches the last row it promotes to a Buffalo.

Cannon

As in Xiangqi, in Shako and in Metamachy. (Also known as Pao by problemists).

Bow

It is the diagonal counterpart of the Chinese Cannon. It moves like a Bishop and needs an intermediate piece between itself and its victim to capture it. The Bow jumps the intermediate and takes the victim on its square. The intermediate is left unaffected. (Also known as Vao by problemists).

Buffalo

Combines the leaps of the Knight (3x2), the Camel (4x2) and the Bull (see Terachess) (4x3).

Marshall

It combines the move of Rook and Knight. It can be found in many, many chess variants since Carrera, Bird, Capablanca and many others like Grand Chess or Gothic Chess. (under many other names: Champion, Guard, Empress, Concubine, Chancellor, etc. The later is sometimes preferred, however it is confusing since Capablanca used it once for R+N and once for B+N. It is an Elephant in Seirawan Chess).

Cardinal

It combines the move of Bishop and Knight. It can be found in many, many chess variants since Carrera, Bird, Capablanca, Modern and many others like Grand Chess or Gothic Chess. (under many other names: Centaur, Minister, Equerry, Janus, Archbishop, Princess, Chancellor, etc. It is a Hawk in Seirawan Chess).