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Refusal Chess. Refuse your opponent to make certain moves. (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Joe Joyce wrote on Wed, Oct 30, 2013 11:55 PM EDT:

Okay, you got me to dig out my complete set of Variant Chess issues. 

First: Refusal Chess [article by Paul Novak]

"Refusal Chess (also known as Rejection Chess or Outlaw Chess) was invented by C.H.O'D, Alexander... The only rule change from normal chess is that you may refuse one of your opponent's moves each turn (you cannot leave your king in check though and refuse your opponent's piece takes your king).

Since its conception two very similar siblings have appeared; that the number of refusals is limited; and where two moves are proposed together on each turn... 

Different pawn promotions count as different moves..."

So there is a confusion among similar games, which is causing the problem.

Based on my reading of this, a player may or may not refuse a move. So white is not obligated to refuse a move of black's. But black has the right to refuse white's move R-h5+. So white must make a different move. Still, any rook move on the H column would mate, except of course, R-h7. 

This does indicate a problem - if white did play R-h7+, could white then refuse k x R, leaving black no legal moves at all, and if so, would it be considered stalemate rather than checkmate? It's maybe slightly shaky logic, but not totally outside the realm of possibility.