Hit and Run Chess
Background – in the 80’s a good friend (Galth Ractus) and I decided to see if we could make Chess more challenging, yet still easy to remember. It's already a great game, but I really wanted to see if it could evolve to another level. So, after much play-testing we decided that upping the number of moves you can make each turn to two dramatically changed the game. (We did try 3 and 4 move variants, but they seemed frought with issues and would require extensive changes to work.) After working out a few challenges to make sure the game was balanced and fair, we came up with what was dubbed Rune Chess, as I was running a BBS on my C64, dedicated to gaming, called Runestone BBS. Over the years I have honed the rules and determined that playing Pirate Chess adds a whole new dimension to chess. I’m not sure if it makes your chess game any better, but it sure makes you think at right angles.Rules
Hit and Run Chess is played with a normal chess set with normal pieces, placement, and movement.
The big difference is the combination of pieces and moves you can make after the 1st turn.
- The 1st turn for each side is always played by standard chess rules; one move on each side.
- From there on both sides have the option of moving 1 piece twice or 2 pieces once.
The complete rules and stipulations follow:
- All turns after the first must consist of 2 moves on each side, in the following combinations.
- 2 pieces: Both move once.
- 1 piece: Moves twice.
- You cannot voluntarily move once, but if you cannot legally take a second move with any piece (say the king would be put in check) your second move is forfeited.
- All captures, if they are made, must occur on any pieces first move.
- No single piece may ever capture on its second move.
- When moving 2 pieces, both may capture.
- If a piece makes a second move after it captures, it may not continue to move along the same path used to capture, nor is it allowed to return to it's original square (This mainly affects the Knight). (see below):
- Column ( i.e. castle, king, or queen )
- Row ( i.e. castle, king, or queen )
- or Diagonal ( i.e. bishop, king or queen )
- nor return to the same square from which the capturing piece started (i.e. a knight, but, as a rule, is not limited to just Knights. It is sort of a moot point for other pieces, though, as they would technically have to return along their original path to get to the starting square.).
- Pawns can only go forward.
- Below we can see an Examination of the Queens Hit and Run Choices and an opinion of the best move. Whether a square is safe or not is fluid, depending on what was actually captured.
- If a piece makes a second move after it captures, it may not continue to move along the same path used to capture, nor is it allowed to return to it's original square (This mainly affects the Knight). (see below):
- If the king is in check, the first move must always resolve the threat. *
- If a king is put in check on the first move, you may still take your second move with another piece, if applicable.
- All other basic chess rules apply.
- Checkmate is only ever achieved on the defending Kings turn, as it is in Chess. The King always gets a chance to get out of Check. The 50 move rule is as much a thing in Hit and Run Chess as it is in regular Chess.
- If your piece moves to put the king in Check, and that move reveals a piece lined up to capture the king, It is still just Check. Sovereign defeat can't be taken, it must be accepted. You can't just swoop in and capture a king.
- Check Mate, Stale Mate, mutually agreed upon draw, it's all determined on the Defending Kings turn. A stale mate is always in favor of the defender.
- Capturing en passant; is allowed unless the target Pawn is given a second move, putting it beyond the normal position required for it to be captured. **
It’s really simple, especially if you already know how to play chess.
Variations: (No matter the variation, no Kings may be captured without Check. If no Check was called, no King may be captured.)
- * Simultaneous Chess – Simply means that the results for both moves each player takes are considered simultaneously. Meaning you may move the king further to get out of check, even passing through a check situation to get out of check (the end justifies the means, so to speak), or another piece may make two moves to block.
- So long as both moves take place at the same time, the first move does not have to remove the check.
This usually results in much longer games, more pieces are required to pin the king, and although the King is the piece this version most affects, it may have some situational benefits across the board.
- ** en passant; – rather than simply allowing normal capturing en passant;, it may be allowed even if the pawn takes a second move, especially if it moves to a position similar to normal capturing en passant;.
Notes
Also Known as Pirate Chess Also Known as RuneChess
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By Stephen Howell.
Last revised by Stephen Howell.
Web page created: 2020-07-31. Web page last updated: 2020-07-31