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

This page is written by the game's inventor, Mark Hedden.

EUROPAN CHESS

INTRODUCTION

I looked at Ganymede Chess, and I thought "This is good". But it wasn't good enough. Oh, sure, it was a terribly fun game, and there was nothing at all wrong with it, and quite a few right with it, but it seemed that there was still a lot more room to be explored in the realm of large CVs, and that it was my Solemn Duty, <g>, as a chess variant enthusiast, to do so. The first thing that came was the idea. A similar, and the same promotion abilities, but quite a different feel. For this game, I wanted a more open game, reminiscent of games like Grande Acedrex (another wonderful CV), and quickly set out to do so. Thus, the name. Europa is a very flat world, with no major obstructions. Even so, it is constantly in upheaval from the vast tidal forces that exist under its surface. That is what I wanted this game to feel like. Open, with no real potential for blockades or the like, but still extremely quick and exciting. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I have!

SET UP