Skandaran Chess

By Francisco Marzoa

Board

Like the traditional chessboard, but with 144 squares arranged in 12 rows and 12 columns, labeled 1 to 12 and a to l.

Pieces

The same as ordinary chess. Moves and values don't change, but each player starts with a set of 32 pieces consisting of :

16 Pawns
6 Knights
4 Bishops
4 Rooks
1 Queen
1 King

Rules

The same as ordinary chess. Castling is possible with the additional Rooks, all Pawns can promote.

A Pawn of the second rank that reaches the fourth rank can a second time move up two squares.

Each player starts with one of the three following configurations of pieces :

- order by echelon on King's side (Diag. 1)
- order by echelon on the centre (Diag. 2)
- order by echelon on Queen's side (Diag. 3)

This results in nine possible initial positions, ranked in four categories :

1) echelons on the centre (Diag. 4)
2) echelons on same side (Diag. 5)
3) echelons on opposite sides (Diag. 6)
4) echelon on the centre vs. echelon on one side (Diag. 7)

The first and second categories consist of three initial positions, which give no advantage to one of the players.

The third and fourth categories consist of six initial positions, which can give an advantage to one of the players.

To play only with an initial position of categories 1 and 2 : Blacks choose the order, Whites make the first move.

To play also with an initial position of categories 3 and 4 : Whites choose their order first, Whites make the first move.

Francisco Marzoa, Geneva, June 2006