The Chess Variant Pages

ALICE Chess

Invented by V.R. Parton 1953
Text by Edward Jackman

ALICE is one of the top 20 played chess variants in NOST and David Pritchard in his Encyclopedia of Chess Variants recommends it as one of the best variants. Personally, I think it is one of the few variants that has that 'neato' quality to it; one of the most fun to play variants.

The standard game of ALICE Chess is played using two boards, A and B. All pieces move as in standard chess. The normal array is on board A; board B starts empty.

The starting setup:

                Board A                              Board B
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 8 | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 7 | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 6 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 5 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 4 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 3 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2 |[P]|[P]|[P]|[P]|[P]|[P]|[P]|[P]|    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1 |[R]|[N]|[B]|[Q]|[K]|[B]|[N]|[R]|    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
     a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h        a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

The rules are very simple. In turn, each player makes a single move on either board following these three rules:

A move must be legal on the board where it is played.
A piece can only move or capture if the corresponding destination square on the other board is vacant.
After moving, the piece is transfered to the corresponding square on the other board.

Since a square and it's corresponding square on the other board are never both occupied, ALICE Chess can actually be played on a single board. Checkers are placed under pieces that are on board B. I don't know if this makes moves easier or harder to visualise.

There are less played variations of ALICE Chess. One variation is to simply have all Black's pieces start on board B. Another, MS. ALICE Chess, allows 'zero' moves. To make a zero move, simply transfer a piece to the same square on the other board. Kings may not zero while in check.

Parton also suggested a smaller version, played on two 4x8 halves of a single board:

   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 8 | R | Q | K | R ||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 7 | N | B | B | N ||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 6 | P | P | P | P ||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 5 |   |   |   |   ||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 4 |   |   |   |   ||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 3 |[P]|[P]|[P]|[P]||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 2 |[N]|[B]|[B]|[N]||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
 1 |[R]|[Q]|[K]|[R]||   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---++---+---+---+---+
     a   b   c   d    a   b   c   d

Written by Edward Jackman

Alessandro Castelli sent me three short games of Alice Chess.

GAME 1

1.e4/B e5/B 2.Qh5/B g6/B 3.Q:e5/A mate (Castelli-Pugnali, Grand Prix 1993, 1-0)

GAME 2

1.d4/B e6/B 2.Bg5/B Be7/B 3.Bf4/A Bb4/A mate (Kustrin-Castelli, Grand Prix 1995, 0-1)

GAME 3

1.e4/B d6/B 2.Bc4/B Q:d2/B 3.Bb5/A mate (Castelli-Jelliss, Grand Prix 1995, 1-0)

Written by Edward Jackman.

Last modified: February 16, 1996.

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Last modified: Monday, December 22, 2008