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This page is written by the game's inventor, (zzo38) A. Black.

Unbland Chess

Setup

Same as FIDE chess.

You also need a deck of cards four each of numbers 1 to 8.

Pieces

Same as FIDE chess; pieces must be marked whether or not a diagonal move has been made yet (including pawn and king, but does not needed for rook and knight). There is also upside-down rook (none initially on board), which move/capture as the Xiangqi cannon.

Rules

Same as FIDE chess, except as following:

  1. Each player is dealt two cards at the beginning of the game. It is not allowed to see opponent's cards.
  2. If a piece makes a diagonal move, that piece can no longer make a diagonal move for the rest of the game. Knight moves do not count as diagonal.
  3. Promotion is only allowed into pieces that have been lost; if into a rook you choose at that time if it is right-side-up or upside-down (don't change it afterward, except cards).
  4. A piece gained through promotion regains the ability to move diagonally once.
  5. Instead of moving, you may play two cards from your hand. Select one card for rank (1=your first rank) one for file (card 1=a=queen's rook's file), and discard them. It must be a square containing one of your own piece other than a knight. If it is a rook turn it rightside-up or upside-down. If it is not a rook it loses or regains its diagonal ability (which still becomes lost once used).
  6. After you capture, promote, or give check, if you have less than three cards in your hand, and there are some more cards remaining in the draw pile, draw a card. (If you do more than one, you can pick up a card for each until you have three.)
  7. Turning a rook does not count as moving for the purpose to decide if castling is OK.



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By (zzo38) A. Black.
Web page created: 2012-12-13. Web page last updated: 2013-12-10