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Transporter Chess

Introduction

This is my second entry in the 84 spaces contest (the first I did with my dad, this time I made it myself). I love chess games, when I was younger I invented little ones on a pegboard. So naturally I'd want to enter my own variant in the contest. In Transporter Chess I've Mix-matched movements from other chess games and invented some of my own. With transporters and blockers I hope Transporter Chess will be an enjoyable game to play.

Setup

The board consists of a ten by ten square with only the center four squares in rows one and ten and only the center eight squares in rows two and nine. It may or may not be checkered. Rows one and two and rows nine and ten are the "camps." The Transporter squares are permanently located at spaces A3, A8, J3, and J8. The Interference pieces always remain in their starting row. The standard initial setup of the pieces is as follows:

	10        R A C R 
	 9    F D M B B M D F
	 8  o - F S F F S F - o  
	 7  - - - - - - - - - -
	 6  - - - - - - I - - -  
	 5  - - - I - - - - - -  
	 4  - - - - - - - - - -  
	 3  o - F S F F S F - o
	 2    F D M B B M D F
	 1        R C A R 

	    A B C D E F G H I J

Pieces

In the movement diagrams below: x=capture square, m=movement only, o=other piece

A - Admiral: The Admiral is the King piece. The Admiral moves and captures like a King in European Chess with one extra square on orthogonals. The Admiral cannot jump and can never move to a square that would put him in check.

        x
      x x x 
    x x A x x     
      x x x
        x

C - Commodore: The Commodore moves like a Bishop in European Chess, but captures like a Chinese Chess Cannon. The Commodore can only move orthogonally when capturing and only jumps when capturing.

       m  x  m
        m o m
    x   o C   o  x
        m   m
      m   o   m
    m     x     m

R - Commander: The Commander moves and captures like a Rook in European Chess.

B - Assistant: The Assistant moves and captures exactly like a Bishop in European Chess.

M - First Mate: The Mate moves like a King in European Chess, but doesn't capture to the sides.

      x x x
      m M m 
      x x x

D - Advisor: The Advisor moves and captures like a King in European Chess, with an additional space on diagonals. The Advisor never jumps.

    x       x
      x x x
      x D x
      x x x
    x       x

F - Fighter: The Fighter moves and captures like a Berolini Pawn.

	m x m
      F

S - Super Fighter: The Super Fighter moves one square diagonally in all directions, and captures one square orthogonally in all directions except to the rear.

	m x m
    x S x
    m - m

I - Interference: The Interference moves to any unoccupied space in its row and blocks all pieces. This means that no piece may pass through, jump over or land on the Interference, which means it cannot be captured. Moving the Interference counts as a turn, just like any other piece.

  m m m I m m m m m m

Rules

The object of the game is to check-mate the opponent's Admiral.
Black always goes first.
Fighters are permitted an initial two step move.
There is no en passant capture.
There is no castling option.
Promotion: Fighters arriving at the enemy "camp" (the last two ranks) always promote to Super Fighters. Super Fighters arriving at the enemy "camp" always promote to First Mates. Mates promote to Advisors. No other piece promotes.
There is no stalemate but a draw may be agreed on.
Bare Admiral counts as a win.
Transporters are idicated by an "O" or circle. They are special spaces that if a piece lands on them, the piece is "transported" immediately to one of the other Transporter spaces that is orthogonally opposite. For example: a piece which lands on the Transporter located at A3 could be "transported" to either A8 or J3, but not to J8.

Computer Play

We would like to have a Zillions of Games format version of Transporter Chess, but we have not been able to figure out how to implement it in time to submit a Zillions file for the 84 Spaces Contest.

Equipment

I made a board out of paper with 1 and 1/2 inch squares. For the playing pieces I used plastic checkers with a paper circle that I cut to fit in the middle, labeled with the initial of the piece it represented on one side and the piece it promoted to on the other. I have also used icon-type drawings instead of the initials.

Contact

This game was invented by Andrew P. Newton. I hope to eventually work out a point-value system for Tansporter Chess. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on any aspect of the game you can e-mail me, (Find the email address via this link; editor.)

Written by Andrew P. Newton.

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Created on: November 19, 2002. Last modified on: November 19, 2002.