Check out Symmetric Chess, our featured variant for March, 2024.

This page is written by the game's inventor, Bruce Zimov.

Non-prise Chess

Introduction

In an email we received in January 1999, Bruce Zimov writes:

Included in the Zillions 1.0 release was a variation I invented and play-tested back in 1994 called Non-prise Chess. Can you include it in section N of your index?? Thanks.

Rules

Non-Prise Chess is the same as orthodox chess except that Knights, Rooks, Bishops, and Queens cannot capture Knights, Rooks, Bishops, or Queens.

If you like tactics, this is the game to play.

Sample Game

Below is a game I played against the Zillions engine. In it, I demonstrate my standard opening as White in this variation. c3 is played first to prevent the queen knight from threatening check by moving c6, b4, c2. The Queen and King's Knight then develop the Kingside attack. The effect of Zillions gobbling my King's Rook and Knight Pawns, effectively freeing my King's Rook is devastating.

VariantName=Non-Prise Chess

White: Bruce Zimov Black: Zillions 1.0 engine

1.  Pawn c2 - c3 Knight g8 - f6
2.  Knight g1 - f3 Knight b8 - c6
3.  Queen d1 - c2 Knight f6 - e4
4.  Queen c2 - d3 Pawn e7 - e6
5.  Knight f3 - e5 Pawn d7 - d6
6.  Knight e5 - g4 Queen d8 - h4
7.  Queen d3 - g3 Queen h4 x h2
8.  Pawn f2 - f3 Knight e4 - c5
9.  Queen g3 - h3 Pawn f7 - f5
10. Knight g4 - f2 Queen h2 x g2
11. Queen h3 x h7 King e8 - f7 
12. Rook h1 - h5 King f7 - f6 
13. Pawn d2 - d4 Bishop f8 - e7
14. Queen h7 - g8 Queen g2 - g5
15. Rook h5 - h7 Knight c5 - d3
16. Pawn e2 x d3 Queen g5 - e3
17. Bishop f1 - e2 Pawn e6 - e5
18. Rook h7 x g7 Pawn e5 x d4
19. Rook g7 - g6+ King f6 - e5 
20. Queen g8 - e6+ King e5 - f4 
21. Knight f2 - h3 mate

Board position after 18 ... pxd4


Written by Bruce Zimov. HTML conversion by David Howe.
WWW page created: January 14, 1999.