Dealer's Chess
This was inspired somewhat by Hans Bodlaender's Pick-the-Team Chess, where several disparate pieces are brought together and the two players take turns choosing one to add to their team.
I thought, "What if the teams weren't chosen, but distributed randomly? How would that work?"
When some of my online shopping took me to a product on Amazon called Faerie Chess, which included reference cards for how each piece moved, I had my answer: each piece would have its own reference card with a picture and diagram, and the armies would be chosen that way.
Setup
This game (at least, if it's going to be played in person with physical pieces) requires some extra at-home creation before anything can start.
Advance Preparation
For each available piece, there should be a white version, a black version, and a reference card.
It stands to reason that the pieces themselves will have to be available, and you may use whatever means you prefer for making them. Some people prefer modifying existing pieces; others like to buy from specialty shops; others prefer to 3D-print theirs. Fairy chess fans have been doing this for years.
Printing out your own cards, on the other hand, is probably a new experience for most. Perforated cardstock is available from Amazon and most office-supply stores. I recommend using those that divide into 2 x 4 cards, measuring 2¾ x 4¼ inches (from Imperial 8½x11" letter-sized paper); this is the assumption on the sample PDFs I provide below.
The Game Proper
The cards come in three groups: Royal cards, Piece cards, and Pawn cards.
To keep the Royals interesting, there should be at least three different Royal pieces available (the sample cards below number six). Each player takes one card at random, and the corresponding piece is placed in the center of the back row, on the opposing color.
There must be a minimum of 16 Piece cards; the sample cards number 40, so the players may either agree on 16 to choose from, use the entire selection, or anything in between. Then each player is dealt seven of the cards; these will be the pieces that fill out the back row.
By probability, the two armies should be reasonably close in combined strength. However, if either player feels that one side is unreasonably more powerful than the other, then the cards may be returned to the deck, which is then reshuffled and seven cards dealt out again.
Each player then takes the pieces corresponding to the cards given. These pieces fill out the back row.
Generally speaking, the back-row pieces may be put into whatever order the player wishes, though a few guidelines are recommended:
- The tallest of these pieces should go in the center space next to the Royal.
- The other pieces should be arranged with the taller pieces on the inside.
- Where two (or more) pieces are the same height, the one with the more rooklike move should go on the outside.
The players should also take, and set aside, the dopplegangers of their opponents' Pieces (but only the regular pieces, not Pawns or Royals).
Then two more cards are taken from the Pieces stack, and each player takes both of those pieces to keep in hand (see Captures and Promotions below).
Finally, the Pawn cards are dealt out, eight per player, and each player takes the eight corresponding Pawns and arranges them on the second row in any order desired.
Alternate: 10 x 10
This could also be played on a 10x10 board, with each player getting 9 back-row Pieces and 10 Pawns.
Alternate: 12 x 12
And of course it can be played on a 12x12 board, using all of the available Pawns, plus 23 back-row Pieces on each side set into two back rows.
Again, while the players may arrange their pieces however they like, there's one additional recommendation: sliders and long leapers should go in the back, and shorter, limited movers in front of them.
Since this would require more pieces than available in the "starter kit," either an Expansion Set will be needed, or both players start with two each Bishops, Knights, and Rooks, and those cards removed from the deck. That will leave six cards left over after setup, and all six can be used as starter pieces in hand.
Pieces
The players may use any selection of pieces that suits them, as long as it's mutually agreed on. To get things started, I'm providing a set of PDF files for several (relatively) simple pieces, including the standard Chess pieces.
A few quick notes on notation and terminology used here (for those who may not be familiar):
- "Orthogonally" means horizontally or vertically, like a Rook, as opposed to diagonally like a Bishop.
- Phrases like "slides diagonally" or "slides orthogonally" mean that the piece may keep going until it hits an obstacle.
- A leap of (X,Y) is measured by going orthogonally Y spaces, then making a right-angle turn and going X spaces. (In these listings, X is always the smaller number.)
- "Outward" means away from the piece's starting point.
Royals
The sample Royal pieces are:
- Chef - Moves one or two spaces sideways, or one space diagonally.
- King - Moves one space in any direction.
- Pharaoh - Moves without capture to any adjacent space, or leaps (1,3) only to capture.
- Pope - Moves one space orthogonally, or two spaces (non-leaping) diagonally.
- President - Moves one or two spaces orthogonally.
- Rex - Makes a (1,2) non-leaping move.
- Shogun - Moves one space orthogonally, or captures with a (1,2) leap.
That's seven, which should be plenty even though the sheet generates eight cards. The eighth can be left blank, in case you want to create something yourself by hand.
All of these pieces carry the same Royal abilities and restrictions: capable of castling, must stay out of check, etc.
A PDF of the Royal cards, along with STF files for all seven pieces, can be found here.
Pieces
The sample list of regular Pieces are (listed alphabetically):
- Alfil - Leaps two squares diagonally.
- Alibaba - Leaps two spaces orthogonally or diagonally.
- Antelope - Leaps (3,4).
- Archbishop - Slides diagonally, or leaps (1,2).
- Aurochs - Leaps (1,2) or (1,4)
- Bishop - Slides diagonally.
- Bison - Leaps (1,3) or (2,3)
- Buffalo - Leaps (1,2), (1,3), or (2,3).
- Camel - Leaps (1,3).
- Cannon - Slides orthogonally, but must leap over another piece to capture.
- Chancellor - Slides orthogonally, or leaps (1,2).
- Cheetah - Leaps to any square three spaces away.
- Dabbaba - Leaps two spaces orthogonally.
- Ferz - Moves one space diagonally.
- Giraffe - Leaps (1,4).
- Gnu - Leaps (1,2) or (1,3).
- Gryffon - Moves one square orthogonally; then may continue sliding outward diagonally.
- Guard - Moves one space in any direction.
- Guardian - Moves without capture one space diagonally, or moves with required capture one space orthogonally.
- Impala - Leaps (1,2) or (3,4).
- Kirin - Moves one space diagonally, or leaps two spaces orthogonally.
- Knight - Leaps (1,2).
- Lion - Moves one space in any direction, or leaps to any square two spaces away.
- Mastodon - Moves one space in any direction, or leaps two spaces diagonally or orthogonally.
- Minister - Moves one space orthogonally, leaps two spaces orthogonally, or leaps (1,2)
- Nightrider - Makes repeated leaps of (1,2) in a straight line.
- Phoenix - Moves one space orthogonally, or leaps two spaces diagonally.
- Queen - Slides diagonally or orthogonally.
- Rhinoceros - Moves one square diagonally; then may continue sliding outward orthogonally.
- Rook - Slides orthogonally.
- Ship - Moves one space diagonally, then may continue sliding orthogonally forward or backward away from the starting point.
- Snake - Moves one space forward or backward, then may continue sliding outward diagonally.
- Squirrel - Leaps to any square two spaces away.
- Steward - Moves without capture one space orthogonally, or moves with required capture one space diagonally.
- Threeleaper - Leaps three spaces orthogonally.
- Turtle - Slides up to four spaces orthogonally or diagonally, or leaps two spaces in those same directions.
- Unicorn - Slides diagonally, or makes repeated leaps of (1,2) in a straight line.
- Vao - Slides diagonally, but must leap over another piece to capture.
- Wazir - Moves one space orthogonally.
- Zebra - Leaps (2,3).
A PDF of the Royal cards, along with STF files for all 40 pieces, can be found here.
The backs of the cards are in a separate file for two reasons: one, to save space, since printing them out merely means printing the one page five times; and two, for use with Expansion Sets.
Expansion Sets
I've begun the process of creating Expansion Sets for this game, in case anyone wants them (also because I find them quite fun to make!).
Expansion Set #1: Simple Variants features the Abbot, Admiral, Amazon, Camelrider, Castellan, Centauride, General, High Priestess, Hospitaller, Marquis, Missionary, Priest, Sorcerer, Templar, Wizard, and Zebrarider.
Pawns
The Pawns in the "starter kit" are:
- Arrow Pawn - Moves one or two spaces orthogonally without capturing; or one space diagonally, only to capture.
- Berolina Pawn - Moves one space forward diagonally (two for the opening move) without capturing, or one space directly forward to capture.
- Chicken Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the opening move) without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture; if under attack slides backward directly or diagonally.
- Enhanced Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the opening move) without capturing, or one space diagonally or sideways to capture.
- Fish Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the opening move) or backward without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture.
- Gold Pawn - Moves one space orthogonally, or forward diagonally.
- Horse Pawn - Leaps (1,2) directly forward (that is, two spaces forward, and one to the side). No en passant.
- Iron Pawn - Moves one space directly or diagonally forward.
- Japanese Pawn - Moves one space forward diagonally (two directly forward, without capturing, for the opening move).
- Korean Pawn - Moves one space orthogonally forward or sideways.
- Lance Pawn - Leaps (1,2) directly forward (that is, two spaces forward, and one to the side), or without capturing sidways and forward (one space forward, and two to the side). No en passant.
- Left End Pawn - Moves without capturing one space directly forward (two for opening), or one space diagonally forward and to the right and then orthogonally forward or to the right; or forward diagonally, only to capture.
- Linebacker Pawn - Moves one space directly or diagonally forward (two for the opening move). Cannot capture, but pushes an enemy piece to the empty square just beyond.
- Mecklenbeck Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the opening move) without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture. Promotes at the opponent's Pawn Row.
- Mongolian Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (three for the opening move) without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture.
- Patient Pawn - Moves one space directly forward without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture; opening move may be two spaces directly forward, or one directly forward and a second diagonally forward, to capture.
- Piglet Pawn - Moves one space diagonally forward (leaping two spaces for the opening move), or one space directly or diagonally backward without capturing.
- Right End Pawn - Moves without capturing one space directly forward (two for opening), or one space diagonally forward and to the left and then orthogonally forward or to the left; or forward diagonally, only to capture.
- Scorpion Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the opening move) or leaps (1,2) sideways and forward (one space forward, and two to the side) without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture.
- Silver Pawn - Moves one space diagonally, or directly forward.
- Standard Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the opening move) without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture.
- Torpedo Pawn - Moves one or two spaces directly forward without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture.
- Zabel Pawn - Moves one space directly forward (two for the final move to promotion) without capturing, or one space diagonally forward to capture.
- Zombie Pawn - Moves one space directly or diagonally forward, or without capture directly backward; a piece capturing it becomes a Zombie Pawn (but does not change color).
Except where noted otherwise, all Pawns can capture or be captured en passant, and promote upon reaching the farthest row.
A PDF of the Pawn cards, along with STF files for all 24 pawns, can be found here.
As with the Piece cards, the card backs are in a separate file, and for the same reasons.
Rules
Once play commences, the rules are however both players used to playing chess, subject to changes and exceptions for the individual pieces (most notably some of the Pawns), and the bit about Capturing and Promotions below.
Castling is used, since it's really dependent on the Royal piece; whatever pieces the player puts in the corner are the castling partners.
Both players are encouraged to keep the piece cards on hand for reference, and to allow their opponents to examine the information on the cards if needed.
Capturing and Promotions
A captured piece is taken by the capturing player, and its doppleganger placed in hand (along with the two that were drawn at the beginning). The player whose piece was captured should also hand over that piece's reference card.
When any Pawn reaches the back row (or, in the case of Mecklenbeck Pawns, the opponent's pawn row), that piece can immediately promote to any piece in the player's hand.
Notes
The name, of course, is a vague pun on the phrase "dealer's choice," and refers to how the pieces are dealt to each player at random.
Future Expansions
Over time, I probably will add any number of themed 8-, 16-, and occasionally 24-card "expansion sets." There's already one in place here.
Expansion Set #1 is called #1 because I'm hoping to make more. Themes for later sets could include those whose names are based on their moves, those with food names, those with animal names, those with special abilities, etc. I'm open to requests, suggestions, or even offers to make further sets.
There also may be a future sheet expanding the selection of Pawns, with Mecklenbeck fusions of Berolina, Enhanced, Fish, Gold, Linebacker, Mongolian, Silver, and Zombie Pawns. (That could allow expansion of the board to 16x16, with four rows on each side -- though that would also require at least three or four expansion sets for the regular pieces!) Other potential expansions might include military ranks, Cazaux pawns (like his Troll, they have other moves that cannot be used to reach the promotion line), and more.
As they develop, these will be linked in the Piece and Pawn sections above.
This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.
By Bob Greenwade.
Last revised by Bob Greenwade.
Web page created: 2023-08-31. Web page last updated: 2023-08-31