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This page is written by the game's inventor, Andrew L Smith.

Reservists' doublechess

Each side has two rows of pieces, instead of one. I was inspired by Capablanca Chess, which expands the game onto a larger board while introducing two new pieces. However, I do not like how Capablanca chess has almost as many Queen-strength pieces as it has minor pieces, which makes the game too tactically sharp while de-emphasising the more strategic role of the minor pieces. So, I have created this variant, which adds two new minor pieces and one new major piece to restore the distribution of material found in orthodox chess.

Equipment

This game may be played using an 8x10 board and two standard sets of chessmen, though these sets must have distinct designs (for example: a wooden set and a plastic set; or a traditionally designed set and a novelty set) The first chess set represents the orthodox chess pieces while the second set represents the new pieces.

Setup

Pieces

Pawns

Pawn: Moves one space orthogonally forwards, but captures one space diagonally forwards. When on the first three ranks, it may also move without capturing twice, but it is susceptible to en passant if it does so.

Minor pieces

Cannon: Moves like a Rook, but captures the second piece on its path instead of the first. Represented using a Rook from the second chess set.

Knight: Moves to the 8 closest squares which cannot be reached by the Queen in one move, like in orthodox chess. The knight moves directly to its destination without going through any of the intervening squares, so it can leap over a solid wall of pieces 1 square wide. 

Bishop: Moves any distance diagonally, like in orthodox chess.

Commoner: Moves as a King, but cannot be placed in check. Represented using a Bishop from the second chess set.

5-point major pieces

Rook: Moves any distance orthogonally, like in orthodox chess.

Nightrider: Makes any number of consecutive Knight moves in a single direction. The Nightrider is to the Knight what the Queen is to the King. Represented using a Knight from the second chess set.

9-point major pieces

Paladin: Moves as a Knight or a Bishop. Represented using the Queen from the second chess set

Marshall: Moves as a Rook or a Knight. Represented using the King from the second chess set

Queen: Moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally, like in orthodox chess.

The King

King: Moves one space orthogonally or diagonally, like in orthodox chess. Additionally, the King is subject to check.

Rules

This game follows the rules of Chess except for the following differences:

There is no castling, instead the Kings start away from the centre of the board. Note that the Kings do not start on the same file as each-other.

When a major piece* is captured, a pawn of the same colour as the captured piece is placed on the first empty square in the same file as the captured piece, as shown below:

after dxc5:

*"Major piece" means Rook, Nightrider, Paladin, Marshall or Queen.

Pawns on the first three ranks may make a double move. This means a pawn starting on the first rank may make two double moves. En passant works in the same way as Torpedo Chess.

It is illegal to make a move which would result in a file containing no empty squares (as the new pawns would have nowhere to go). As such, the following position is checkmate:

The white Queen cannot be captured, as that would cause the b file to be full.

When notating moves, the five new piece types use the following letters: A=Cannon, C=Commoner, I=Nightrider, P=Paladin, M=Marshall

Notes

In total, each player has 15 pawns (of which 7 are locked behind major piece trades), 8 minor pieces, 4 5-point pieces, 3 9-point pieces and one King.

The rule of major pieces dropping pawns upon being captured is to make sure there are always enough pawns to keep the endgame interesting after the major pieces are traded off. These pawns are not present in the opening position, as they would cause the position to be too closed.

The extra pawns produced by captured major pieces effectively reduce the exchange value of all major pieces by 1 pawn. This means a 5-point piece for a minor piece and a pawn is usually a fair trade for both sides; as is a 9-point piece for two 5-point pieces.

The Paladin is about a pawn weaker than the Queen, with the Marshall's strength lying somewhere between the two other 9-point peices.

The four types of minor piece all have roughly the same value, except the bishop pair. However, the piece values vary as the game goes on. In the opening, Cannons are stronger than Knights, which are stronger than Bishops, which are stronger than Commonners. However, in the endgame, this order is reversed.

The Commoner is the only minor piece that can checkmate a bare king on its own, while the nightrider is the only major piece that can't.

As the opening position is three rows deep and all four of the pieces stronger than a Nightrider start on the back rank, there are no Nightrider reated opening tactics unless the opponent makes a bad pawn move.



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 Andrew L Smith.

Last revised by Andrew L Smith.


Web page created: 2021-11-27. Web page last updated: 2022-01-01

Revisions of MSreservists-doublechess