Biform Chess Variants

by Michael Howe

Biform Chess 1

In this game, the pieces other than the king move normally when not capturing (except for the queen), but have unorthodox moves when capturing The rules of orthodox chess apply with the following changes:

The bishop, knight, rook, and queen have different capturing and non-capturing moves.
The bishop moves like an orthodox bishop when not capturing, but moves like an orthodox knight or rook when capturing.
The knight moves like an orthodox knight when not capturing, but moves like an orthodox bishop or rook when capturing.
The rook moves like an orthodox rook when not capturing, but moves like an orthodox bishop or knight when capturing.
The queen moves like an orthodox king when not capturing, but moves like an orthodox bishop, knight, or rook when capturing.

Biform Chess 2

In this game, rather than having unorthodox capturing powers, the pieces capture normally and have unorthodox mobility. The rules of orthodox chess apply with the following changes:

The bishop, knight, rook, and queen have different capturing and non-capturing moves.
The bishop moves like an orthodox bishop when capturing, and moves like an orthodox knight or rook when not capturing.
The knight moves like an orthodox knight when capturing, and moves like an orthodox bishop or rook when not capturing.
The rook moves like an orthodox rook when capturing, and moves like an orthodox bishop or knight when not capturing.
The queen moves like an orthodox queen when capturing, and moves like an orthodox king or knight when not capturing.

Either of these two games can be play with the Berolina pawn rule, creating Berometric Chess 1 and Berometric Chess 2.

Written by Michael Howe. Discuss these and other chess variants with Michael Howe by email: (email removed contact us for address) .com.

WWW page created: September 15, 1997.