Alpaca Chess

This page contains one or more presets for playing a game online with Game Courier, an online server for playing Chess variants by correspondence.

In Alpaca Chess the rules are the same as in orthodox chess, except that one extra piece per player is placed in the reserve. (Standard chess is included as an option.) The Alpaca is a Lama piece. It jumps one or two squares orthogonally. It cannot capture on the second square. A common motif is to create a breach by exchanging it for two pawns. The Alpaca is ideal for defensive purposes, but can also penetrate into the enemy position and, due to its lower value, drive away enemy pieces. A light piece can be exchanged for Alpaca + pawn, while retaining equality. Its value corresponds to two pawns.

The Alpaca jumps one or two steps orthogonally, capturing only on the first. Its value is 2.

Alpaca : a domesticated mammal (Lama pacos) esp. of Peru that is prob. descended from the guanaco. (Webster's Dictionary)

Players must first place the Alpaca on the file on which the player intends to introduce the piece. If, for instance, the player places the external piece behind his own queen, then the piece is automatically introduced on the queen's initial square when the queen moves away. If a piece is placed behind the king then it is also introduced at castling. The same is true if the external piece is placed behind the rook. Should a piece on the initial position be captured (exchanged), then the player has forfeited his right to introduce an external piece placed behind it. (In an alternative variant black is compelled to place his piece on the same file as white.)

The players, in their first move, decide from which file they aim to introduce the external piece. In this case, the external piece has previously been positioned on the knight file. It is introduced to g1 when the knight moves. Black introduces his piece when the bishop moves.

In the following preset moves are validated and automated, but check, etc., are not parsed. Pieces can be moved by pointing and clicking. The Alpaca is automatically introduced when a piece moves away from the initial square. When promoting a pawn, you will be asked what piece you prefer.

Alpaca Chess

(You can also download a Zillions

implementation here.)

Alpaca Chess is really a variant of Pioneer Chess. See also Pyrrhus Chess.

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 M Winther.
Web page created: 2011-02-08. Web page last updated: 2011-02-08