Board 8x8 Game Mix
Those who read my variants know that I often mention lichess.org as free libre chess server with open source code. There are some sites which use its main code but they support different games. One of the youngest and most capable is playstrategy.org, which supports many board games.
So this site inspired me to create something mixed up.
Setup
Classical 8x8 board. Setup is like normal but, like Makruk, King is right hand from Dama if watching from each player’s position (simply, Kings don’t start on same files).
White: Pawns c2-f2, Checkers (represented by Ferzes) a2, b2, g2, h2; Liners (shown as ships) a1, h1; Knights b1, g1; Silvers c1, f1; Dama (looks like shortened Queen with arrow) d1 & King e1.
Black has mirrored setup (exc. for central 8th rank pieces). White moves first.
Pieces
Pawn (P)
It moves as in chess, one (two from start) straight forward passively and takes one diagonally forward. En-Passant is allowed (but not against capturing Checkers).
Checker (C)
It can be rendered as man who often checks sth. It moves exactly as man in international Draughts, but multi-captures are forbidden: it moves passively diagonally forward, but takes a piece one diagonally in any direction away by jumping over it and landing on the next space behind it (yes, it’s not displacement, but I’m not against that). Checker is colorbound (only half of the board is available), but 4 checkers can rock.
Liner aka Soucie (L)
Maybe ship, helicopter, or even jetting paratrooper, you can decide. It’s just LoA checker on chessboard. It moves in any orthogonal or diagonal direction at a distance of exactly so much squares how much pieces are on this line (file/rank/diagonal) from both sides of checker; it can leap over pieces. So it moves at different distance in different directions and captures as moves.
Silver (S)
An elephant from Thai Chess, but maybe a nobleman from Shogi. It moves one space diagonally or forward directly. This piece has the most mating potential in the game.
Knight (N)
Normal tricky FIDE horse: (1,2) jump.
Dama aka Draughts King (D)
Some languages call it Dama (lady), so I also left here this option. It moves as king in international Draughts, any number of squares diagonally and takes foe pieces by jumping over them and landing on the next square behind: it can capture up to three pieces per turn, providing they weren’t in row; multi-capture doesn’t change direction.
King aka Chess King (K)
Usual: steps 1 space not into check; no castling.
Rules
All pieces have freedom of choice of move. Checkers’ & Damas’ taking is not more obligatory.
You have three paths of winning.
- Chess rule: you checkmate opponent’s King – threaten him in way other player can’t evade and his/her King is to be captured on the next turn.
- Draughts rule: if all opponent’s pieces can’t legally move then this is stalemate and you win.
- LoAs rule: if you make a move after which all pieces on board are connected (form one conglomerate of pieces adjacent directly or diagonally) and the most of them are your pieces, you win.
Draw conditions are below.
- Connecting all the pieces but number is equal or you have fewer pieces than opponent.
- Two Kings and no more pieces.
- 20 moves (40 half-moves) without progress (capture/promotion/win). When one side has only King, 20 become 10.
Pawns and Checkers promote on the last rank (8th for White, 1st for Black). Checkers always turn into Damas, Pawns become Liners, Knights or Silvers (player’s choice).
Notes
Even if draughts’ taking is not obligatory, there’s a version where they must capture, but only if player wants to move by them – any other piece can be moved in that turn.
Also there's a version where Liner can leap only over friendly pieces (as in its native game).
There’s also other variations:
Board 8x8 Mix Chess
where stalemate is a draw while connection doesn’t work at all: checkmate is only legal way to win. In addition, 20 move rule is back 50, and Dama can threaten the King on the last space (simply, checks like Bishop, unobstructed diagonal line), K vs K + 1 piece is always a draw, & K vs K + 2 Knights also (2 Liners probably can, L + N is untested).
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By Lev Grigoriev.
Last revised by Lev Grigoriev.
Web page created: 2023-11-10. Web page last updated: 2024-04-23