Comments by Mark Bates
Joe, Thank you very much for your help! Sincerely, Mark Bates
Since the content for this game has been removed, and since I have created a different variant with the same name, is there a way to remove the game, so I can submit under the same name? Thanks, Mark Bates Creator, Sovereign Chess mark@sovereignchess.com EDIT: The old game has been removed, and the associated comments moved here. --Ben Reiniger
While we are awaiting the inclusion of Sovereign Chess on this website, we wanted to direct followers to some minor rule changes we made recently: http://bit.ly/GRAYMATTERS
Sovereign Chess if now on LIVE on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/39522775/sovereign-chess Our goal is to create this colorful variant for you to have in your home. Come check us out at Strategicon at the Los Angeles Hilton this weekend, February 14-15.
Sovereign Chess. Ten neutral armies can be activated on this 16 x 16 board. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Lawrence, I have had a few people ask me about adapting the pieces for color-blind players. One solution I have found is by creating small stickers which can be affixed to the pieces and the board, thus helping players see which squares control which armies. I like the idea of stripes on the pieces because that should be possible for a larger manufacturing company, and I'm open to other suggestions that people have. Thank you for taking a look at the game, and for helping to make it accessible to a wider audience.
Sovereign Chess is in production, and pre-orders are available on our website!
This Alpha Edition of the game also includes Sovereign Chess Royale, a 4-player variant of the game. Rules will be uploaded to CV.com soon...
Jeffrey,
Thanks for your kind comments about the game. Like many variants (and even traditional chess), there can be wild swings for players who aren't used to how the game plays.
Probably the most important aspect is how the value of a piece changes, based not only on the type of piece, but on how it influences other armies. For example, if a white pawn sits on a red square, and if there is a red piece on an orange square, and if there is an orange piece on an ash (light gray) square--then that white pawn may be the most "valuable" piece in the game!
In playing Sovereign Chess, and watching hundreds of others play it, I think there is the same clarity as traditional chess, although many players would say that they are playing "on an extra dimension". I think the ability to control multiple armies can allow a strong player to take advantage of a mistake quickly, just like a chess GM will always annihilate a lesser player if they have a simple pawn advantage.
As for the pieces and squares, I made the pattern symmetric, and located the squares so that they were not that close to the actual color. This made it easier to create a "chain of control", like the example above.
Let me know if you'd like to play a game online to try it out. Thanks again for your comments!
Mark
Sovereign Chess is excited to be at Strategicon in a few weeks for OrcCon 2018! If you are in the Southern California area, we will be at the event on Saturday and Sunday, February 17th and 18th.
We will be demoing the game, as well as introducing the 4-player version, Sovereign Chess Royale! Pre-orders are available now!
Sovereign Chess. Ten neutral armies can be activated on this 16 x 16 board. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]We are less than a month away from delivery of Sovereign Chess, and for those of you who have seen my self-designed, hand-painted prototypes, I am excited to show you that the production set is just as beautiful! The team at Accord International has been a dream to work with, and they have exceeded my highest quality standards for the game.
Pre-orders are available now at sovereignchess.com!
Sovereign Chess is here!
Thank you for this great community, which has contributed to the development of this game! If you would like to pre-order, please do so at sovereignchess.com .
Mark Bates
Sovereign Chess. Ten neutral armies can be activated on this 16 x 16 board. (16x16, Cells: 256) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]How many chess variants out there use the "pie rule", where one player makes an opening move, and the other player chooses which side to play? In Sovereign Chess, I think this helps neutralize the first-player advantage. Do you agree?
As appreciation to the Chess Variants community, we are offering Sovereign Chess at a 10% discount through the remainder of 2020, if you use the discount code "XMAS2020" at sovereignchess.com
Thanks for all the great support of chess variants here!
So...Aurelian, I've been wondering. Why would someone change the rules of a game to discourage what is the key feature of that game?
Sovereign Chess is about the neutral armies, just as we live in a world with hundreds of different cultures, not just our own. When a player tries to win by just using their own pieces, they quickly get overwhelmed by an opponent who uses neutral armies wisely.
I appreciate variants of variants, but this one made me go "Hmmm...". Thanks for the suggestion!
I'm simply replying to a comment you made a while back...no problem!
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