Check out Symmetric Chess, our featured variant for March, 2024.

This page is written by the game's inventor, Eric Clayton.

mettamorphachess

Traditional chess is a static game. The board stays the same. However, that is not the case with metamorphachess. The board is made up of 64 movable squares, which are numbered 1-1- to 8-8. The squares can be moved with the aid of four 8-sided dice. The element of chance has been injected into this time tested game.

Setup

White can either make a traditional move or roll the dice, two dice at a time. If the roll results in two same color squares, then white can choose to either make a traditional chess move or exchange positions of the like colored squares. If a piece is on the square, it moves to the location with the square. If a white rolls the dice for two unlike colored squares, then white is forced to make a traditional chess move. Black proceeds in the same manner as described above.

Pieces

8-sided dice included

Rules

A player is not forced to move a square. He can opt for a traditional move. A pawn cannot be moved to his own back row 3) A player shall not exchange squares that would put his King in check A player can move out of a check, checkmate, or attack with a roll of the dice exchange. A player can attack , check, or checkmate with a dice roll exchange

Notes

Metamorphachess preserves the skill factor of traditional chess, but adds a little luck. Since it is different to roll the right squares, skill is still needed in this game. Imagine being able to get a pawn to the seventh rank is a couple of moves. Or... even to the eighth rank for a Queen before the middle game begins.



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 Eric S. Clayton.

Last revised by Eric Clayton.


Web page created: 2005-07-12. Web page last updated: 2005-07-12