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

Mosaic Chess

Mosaic Chess is a simple 12x12 game with 20 types of pieces derived from various sources.

Setup

files=12 ranks=12 maxPromote=13 promoZone=4 promoChoice=+ promoOffset=13 graphicsDir=/graphics.dir/alfaerie/ squareSize=50 graphicsType=gif baring=0 firstRank=1 lightShade=#DDDDDD darkShade=#91c981 pawn:P:ifmnDfmWfceF:pawn:a4,b4,c4,d4,e4,f4,g4,h4,i4,j4,k4,l4,,a9,b9,c9,d9,e9,f9,g9,h9,i9,j9,k9,l9 drunk elephant:E:FfsW:/graphics.dir/alfaerie5a/%drunkelephant:c3,j3,,c10,j10 kirin:I:FD:/graphics.dir/alfaeriemisc/compounds/%warmachineferz:b3,k3,,b10,k10 gold:G:WfF:goldgeneral:d3,i3,,d10,i10 zebra:Z:Z:zebra:d1,i1,,d12,i12 silver:S:FfW:silvergeneral:e3,h3,,e10,h10 phoenix:X:WA:elephantwazir:a3,l3,,a10,l10 copper:C:vWfF:/graphics.dir/alfaerie5/%coppergeneral:f3,g3,,f10,g10 knight:N:ND:/graphics.dir/alfaeriemisc/wheeler/%knightwarmachine:c2,j2,,c11,j11 rook:R:R:rook:a2,l2,,a11,l11 bombard:M:pR:cannon:b2,k2,,b11,k11 bishop:B:B:bishop:d2,i2,,d11,i11 arbalest:A:pB:vao:e2,h2,,e11,h11 lion:L:CH:lion:b1,k1,,b12,k12condor:D:AmpafyafsF:bird2:a1,l1,,a12,l12 osprey:O:DmpafyafsW:bird:e1,h1,,e12,h12 osprey:O:DmpafyafsW:bird: rhino:U:mpyafsW:rhino:c1,j1,,c12,j12 rhino:U:mpyafsW:rhino: condor:D:AmpafyafsF:bird2:a1,l1,,a12,l12 condor:D:AmpafyafsF:bird2: gryphon:Y:FyafsF:gryphon:f2,g2,,f11,g11 gryphon:Y:FyafsF:gryphon: queen:Q:QpQ:immobilizer:f1,,f12 queen:Q:QpQ:immobilizer: queen:Q:QpQ:immobilizer: queen:Q:QpQ:immobilizer: king:K:K:king:g1,,g12

Pieces

P

The Pawn is a modern chess pawn. It moves one step straight forward and captures one step diagonally forward, and may move two spaces forward from its starting position and capture other pawns en-passant.




The pieces in the third rank are all from Chu Shogi.


X

The Phoenix moves as a Wazir or Alfil, stepping once straight or leaping two squares diagonally, in any direction.

I

The Kirin moves as a Ferz or Dabbabah, stepping once diagonally or leaping two squares straight, in any direction.

E

The Drunk Elephant moves as a King, except it cannot move straight backwards.

G

The Gold Generaal moves as a King, except it cannot move diagonally backwards.

S

The Silver General steps diagonally or straight forwards.

C

The Copper General steps in any of the three forward directions or straight backwards.




The first and second ranks contain pieces from Grant Acedrex and Janggi, along with some modern pieces derived from therefrom.


R

The Rook slides any distance through the edges of the squares.

M

The Bombard is the Cannon from Janggi. It moves like the Rook, only it must jump over exactly one other piece, whether moving or capturing.

N

The Knight in this game makes a 2,1 leap or a 2,0 leap.

B

The Bishop slides any distance through the corners of the squares.

A

The Arbalest is to the Bombard what the Bishop is to the Rook. It moves like the Bishop, only it must jump over exactly one other piece, whether moving or capturing.

Y

The Gryphon makes one diagonal step and then slides outward as a Rook.

D

The Condor is derived from the Gryphon. It first moves as the Alfil, and then continues by sliding outward as a Rook.

L

The Lion is from Grant Acedrex. It makes a 3,1 leap or a 3,0 leap, in any direction.

U

The Rhinoceros (Unicorn) is also from Grant Acedrex. It leaps as a Knight and then slides outward as a Bishop.

Z

The Zebra is the Giraffe from Grant Acedrex. Its makes a 3,2 leap.

O

The Osprey first jumps as a Dabbabah, and then slides outward as a Bishop.

Q

The Cannon Queen in this game combines the moves of Rook, Bishop, Bombard, and Arbalest.

K

The King is just a King. It steps to any of the eight adjacent squares. It has no special jumps or castling moves.

Rules

Promotion

Whenever a promotable piece makes a move that ends within the last four ranks of the board from the moving player's perspective, it may promote, but if a Pawn reaches the last rank, it must promote immediately. Each promotable piece can promote to one other piece. The promotable pieces and their promotions are shown below.

Unpromoted Promoted
Pawn
Lion
Copper General
Gryphon
Knight
Gryphon
Silver General
Condor
Phoenix
Condor
Gold General
Rhinoceros
Zebra
Rhinoceros
Drunk Elephant
Osprey
Kirin
Osprey
Rook
Cannon Queen
Bombard
Cannon Queen
Bishop
Cannon Queen
Arbalest
Cannon Queen

Ending the Game

Victory is achieved by Checkmate or Bare King, with Stalemate and double Bare Kings being drawn.



This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.


By Daniel Zacharias.

Last revised by Daniel Zacharias.


Web page created: 2021-11-22. Web page last updated: 2021-12-15