Check out Symmetric Chess, our featured variant for March, 2024.

This page is written by the game's inventor, DaveHogarty.

My38 Chess

A chess variation by Dave Hogarty for the 38-challenge.

Introduction

In January of 1998 we received the following email from Dave Hogarty:

My name is Dave Hogarty, and I'm a fourteen year-old eighth grader.

I was browsing your page on Jan 26 when I found the 38-challenge. I decided to enter, and sat down to design my very first Chess variation. Please write back to me and tell me how you liked it and how it can improve.

[Dave's email address is: (email removed contact us for address) racterlink.net - Ed.]

The Board & Setup

Here is a picture of the board:

White:
King c1; Queen c2; Rook b2, d2; Knight b3, d3; Bishop c3, c4; Pawns a4, b4, d4, e4

Black:
King c11; Queen c10; Rook b10, d10; Knight b9, d9; Bishop c8, c9; Pawns a8, b8, d8, e8

Note: c6 is NOT a square.



The Rules

The rules are the same as FIDE Chess with these exceptions:

  1. Each King is entitled to one Queen move which he can use at any time (i.e. check, must use if otherwise stalemated, if one king has used his move and the other hasn't it is possible to checkmate with the King).
  2. Pawns promoting on a8,e8,a4, and e4 cannot become Queens but can become other pieces.
  3. Each person is entitled to one double move (two different pieces).
  4. If any enemy piece (not pawn) gets to your kings starting square the game is a draw.
  5. If you get one of your pawns in the opposing Kings starting square you win the game.

In case you wondered, there isn't any form of castling but en passants are allowed

I hope you like it, it's my first try at a chess variation


Written by Dave Hogarty. Diagram by Dave Hogarty. HTML conversion by David Howe.
This is an entry in the Contest to make a chess variant on a board with 38 squares.
WWW page created: January 27, 1998.