Alice Chess

Alice Chess is chess variant played on two boards, moving pieces jump between them.

 

1. Game Rules

Alice Chess is played on two standard chess boards (A and B), with one set of standard chess pieces.

After each move, the moving piece is transposed to the corresponding square on the opposite board. Moves must be legal on the board on which they are made, and you can only move if the destination square is vacant on the opposite board. You can't move through check, even if that move would transport your king to the opposite board.

For example, here is the position after (in Alice1 game) white played e2-e4, black replied h7-h5, and white played d2-d4:

Board ABoard B

 

rnbqkbnr/ppppppp1/8/8/8/8/PPP11PPP/RNBQKBNR

 

8/8/8/7p/3PP3/8/8/8

You are free to move using any piece, whether it is on the board A, or board B (note that piece moved on the board B will return to the board A).

Captures are allowed and are made on the same board, on which capturing and captured pieces are initially placed (transposition to the other board happens after capturing). For example, in the position above, black can play Rh8xh2, achieving the following position:

Board ABoard B

 

rnbqkbn1/ppppppp1/8/8/8/8/PPP11PP1/RNBQKBNR

 

8/8/8/7p/3PP3/8/7r/8

The game ends in checkmate - when the king is under check, and can not escape, or be protected. For example, here is the checkmate from some Alice2 game. Black king can not escape to c7, because it is not empty on the other board (note that white queen moved from h5 on the board B, if before the move it were on board A, it would be transposed and no checkmate would occur):

Board ABoard B

 

4Q3/3k1B2/3p4/8/8/8/PPPP2PP/RNB1K1NR

 

rnb2bnr/ppp1p1pp/8/8/4P3/8/5q2/8

Castling is allowed (both king and rook are transported), en-passant is not allowed.

On SchemingMind Board A is displayed in the normal place, Board B can be seen by selecting the 'Alice' tab in the right hand panel. The analysis board shows both boards superimposed on each other.

 

2. Alice Chess 1 versus Alice Chess 2

There are two variations of Alice Chess played at SchemingMind. They differ in the initial setup.

 

2.1. Alice Chess 1

The game starts using the Standard Chess start array on board A, board B starts empty.

Board ABoard B

 

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR

 

8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8

 

2.2. Alice Chess 2

Alice 2 is similar to Alice 1, however the black pieces start on Board B.

Board ABoard B

 

8/8/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR

 

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/8/8

 

3. Game hints

See the following resources for playing suggestions:

Journal Article about Alice Chess (a lot of suggestions, and commented game),

ChessVariants.org article

article on BCVS site (game rules, a couple of commented games)

 

4. Example games

a king's hunt - Black has a mate in one, but white chases the king all over the board and wins.

more welcome


Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2002 - 2024

SchemingMind.com | Westhoughton | Bolton | England