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

This page is written by the game's inventor, Charles Gilman.

Mitred Framing 2: 9 files to 10x10

This page follows on from Mitred Framing 1. Although the board size is the same as that previous page, it is worth having a separate page as the "mitring" process is slightly modified.

This time the starting place is 9-file variants - though again only those already having Bishops in them. The pieces from all but the centre file are then arranged on a FIDE board, usually bringing the two camps closer together. An extra row is added around the new board, and FO versions of the outer pieces again placed diagonally out from them rather than directly behind. The middle cells of the end ranks are then filled in by a restored King - or in the Notchess case Cardinal - either alongside a Prince or as part of the Mitregi set of generals. Pawn ranks are again filled out at either end.

Interestingly the numbers and diversity of pieces in the variants mean that Xiang Qi sets - a 9-file game itself - are more useful representations than 8-file FIDE sets.

The next page in this series puts a rim round 6x6 variants to gfive 8x8 ones.

Setup

All these variants have an intimate connection between how pieces are represented and how they are promoted. In particular, only pieces represented by Shogi pieces are promotable and only those and Silvers represented by Xiang Qi Points (which are in sufficient supply to represent with a switch of opposite-coloured ones) can return from capture. For this reason unpromoted Shogi Bishops/Points represent Pawns, and unpromoted Silvers Mitres. Unless otherwise stated other Shogi pieces and Cannons represent themselves, and other Xiang Qi pieces their FIDE counterparts. I have not managed to devise Mitregi or Frontofhouse versions of any of these as the number of distinguishable piece types using two Shogi sets is not sufficient.

MITREYANG uses one Xiang Qi and one Shogi set minus the XQ General and Shogi Rook. Ferzes represent Arrows and XQ Points array Silvers.

MITRED WILDEBISHOGI uses two distinguishable Shogi sets minus the small King. The large-set back rank represent FIDE pieces, the large/small Gold the Queen/Gnu, all Rooks Camels, the large Bishop a Prince, and large Points Humps.

MITRED KNIGHTED-PIECE NOTCHESS uses one Xiang Qi and one Shogi set minus the Shogi King/Rook. A Ferz represents the Queen, a Cannon the Marshal, the General the Cardinal, and XQ Points array Silvers.

MITRED SOUTHWARK BISHOGI uses two Shogi sets. A Gold represents the Prince, Wings the Knights, and Rooks and Bishops the Bishops.

Pieces

Pieces are listed by my preferred English name for them, with an actual or suggested Japanese name and its translation in brackets. Pieces returning as a lesser piece can be promoted back to their array piece type, and promotees always return unpromoted.
The KING (Japanese name varies between armies) moves one cell along any of the eight radials, and must be kept out of Check. It is unpromotable, and return from capture does not arise.
The QUEEN (Japanese name varies between variants) moves any distance through empty intermediate squares along any of the eight radials. It is unpromotable, cannot return from capture in Mitred KP Notchess, and returns as whatever array piece it started as in other variants.
The INFANTA (no suggestion) moves as a Queen along any of the four orthogonals, or exactly two steps along the four diagonals. It is specific to Mitred Southwark Bishogi, in which it is unpromotable and returns as whatever array piece it started as.
The PRINCE (Taishi) moves like the King but can be captured. It is unpromotable and returns from capture as itself.
The ROOK (Hisha=Flying Chariot) is the Queen restricted to the four orthogonals. In Mitreyang and Mitred KP Notchess it cannot be promoted or return from capture. In Mitred Wildebishogi it is promotable to Queen and returns as itself.
The WING (Kyoosha=Fragrant Chariot) is the Queen restricted to the single forward orthogonal. It is promotable to Gold (see next) and always returns from capture as itself.
The GOLDGENERAL (Kinsho), Gold for short, moves like a King restricted to orthogonals and forward diagonals. It is unpromotable and returns as whatever array piece it started as.
The CANNON differs from the Rook in that capturing requires an intervening piece of either army which is not itself captured. It is unpromotable and cannot return from capture.
The BISHOP (Kakugyo=Angle Mover) is the Queen restricted to the four diagonals. In Mitreyang and Mitred KP Notchess it cannot be promoted or return from capture. In Mitred Wildebishogi it is promotable to Queen and returns as itself. In Mitred Southwark Bishogi it is promotable to Infanta and returns as itself.
The MITRE (Yohei=Ramshead Soldier) is the Queen restricted to the two forward diagonals. It is promotable to Silver (see next) and always returns from capture as itself.
The SILVERGENERAL (Ginsho), Silver for short, moves like a King restricted to diagonals and the forward orthogonal. It is unpromotable and returns as whatever array piece it started as.
The ARROW differs from the Bishop in that capturing requires an intervening piece of either army which is not itself captured. It is unpromotable and cannot return from capture.
The KNIGHT (Choma=Jumping Horse) makes any 2:1 leap and cannot be blocked. In Mitreyang and Mitred KP Notchess it cannot be promoted or return from capture. In Mitred Wildebishogi it is promotable to Gnu and returns as itself. In Mitred Southwark Shogi it is promotobale to Infanta and returns as itself.
The HELM (Keima=Honourable Horse) is the Knight restricted to the two leaps taking it 2 ranks forward. In Mitreyang and Mitred KP Notchess it is promotable to a CRAB (sugg. direct translation) by the addition of the two leaps taking it 1 rank backward. In Mitred Wildebishogi and Mitred Southwark Bishogi it is promotable to Gold. It always returns from capture as itself.
The CAMEL (no suggestion) makes any 3:1 leap and cannot be blocked or promoted. It is specific to Mitred Wildebishogi, in which it is promotable to Gnu and returns as itself.
The HUMP (no suggestion) is the Camel restricted to the two leaps taking it 3 ranks forward. It is specific to Mitred Wildebishogi, in which it is promotable to Silver and returns from capture as itself.
The GNU (no suggestion) combines the Knight and Camel moves and cannot be blocked or promoted. It is specific to Mitred Wildebishogi, in which it returns from capture as whatever it started as.
The MARSHAL (sugg. Masha=Horse Chariot) combines Rook and Knight moves, and the CARDINAL (no suggestion) Bishop and Knight moves. They are specific to Mitred KP Notchess, in which both are unpromotable and cannot return from capture.
The PAWN (sugg. Sekijin=Stone Sword) moves one step forward at a time, diagonally if capturing otherwise orthogonally. It is promotable to a STEWARD (no suggestion), which moves one step along any diagonal if capturing otherwise along any orthogonal. It returns as itself.

Rules

Pawns have an initial double-step move from anywhere on their player's first three ranks, and can immediately be captured En Passant by any enemy Pawn that could have captured them normally had they moved only the single step.

At the end of a move entering, moving within, or leaving the enemy camp a player may promote that piece, if it is of a promotable type and not already promoted. If the piece can move no further unpromoted, promotion is required. A player capturing an enemy piece may reintroduce it unpromoted in place of a normal move.

Castling involves the King moving 3 steps sideways and the Rook to move to be adjacent to the King on the inner side. With the King and Rooks starting on different ranks restrictions are loosened to those in Ecumenical Chess - that the King has not left the middle two files, the Rook involved has not left its own and the adjacent file, neither has left the back two ranks, and both are on the same rank.

Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate are as in FIDE Chess, except in Mitred Knighted-piece Notchess. The latter variant has victory by capturing all of any of the following groups (including those promoted to other pieces):
* Rooks, Wings, Queens, Marshals;
* Bishops, Mitres, Queens, Cardinals;
* Knights, Helms, Marshals, Cardinals.


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 Charles Gilman.
Web page created: 2009-09-19. Web page last updated: 2016-03-24