🚀 go-pugleaf

	My latest chess variant is played using 30 standard chess pieces and
two Chancellors (moving like Rook or Knight).  The initial position
restores the old Shatranj rule: put the most powerful pieces in the
corners.  Pawns promote to N, B, R, C, Q of the same color.  Note that
each player has 3 pieces that can move like a Knight ... ditto Bishop
..... ditto Rook.  "Castling" remains the same for the King, but now
involves a Queen or a Chancellor. 

	The King's Gambit looks stronger than ever in this variant!  If BLACK
attempts to play the (FIDE chess) standard opening, he may be in for an
unpleasant surprise: 
1. e4 e5
2. f4 exf4    2. ... d5 
3. Nf3 d5     3. exd5 e4 
4. exd5 Nf6   4. d3 Nf6 
5. Nc3 Nxd5   5. dxe4 Nxe4 
6. Nxd5 Rxd5  6. Be3! 
7. Bc4! 


        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+   black
      8 ! c !/n/! b !/r/! k !/b/! n !/q/!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      7 !/p/! p !/p/! p !/p/! p !/p/! p !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      6 !   !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      5 !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!   !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      4 !   !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      3 !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!   !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      2 ! P !/P/! P !/P/! P !/P/! P !/P/!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      1 !/C/! N !/B/! R !/K/! B !/N/! Q !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+   WHITE
          a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h


	Next time you are playing an off-hand game, try turning a pair of
Rooks upside down and calling them Chancellors.  No special board or
pieces are required ... just the spirit of adventure.  If you wish to
contact me, please replace (at) in my address with the appropriate
symbol.  One last thought: some non-european chess variants place the
Kings crosswise, instead of opposite each other.  This suggests
reversing the order of the BLACK pieces, resulting in yet another
variant: 


        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+   black
      8 ! q !/n/! b !/k/! r !/b/! n !/c/!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      7 !/p/! p !/p/! p !/p/! p !/p/! p !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      6 !   !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      5 !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!   !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      4 !   !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      3 !///!   !///!   !///!   !///!   !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      2 ! P !/P/! P !/P/! P !/P/! P !/P/!
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
      1 !/C/! N !/B/! R !/K/! B !/N/! Q !
        +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+   WHITE
          a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h



  __        copyright (c) 1997       __  
 / o\--                           --/o \ 
 \ \/       by David Paulowich      \/ / 
 /  \                               /  \ 
[====]       paulo(at)isn.net      [====]