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

This page is written by the game's inventor, Patrik Hedman.

Bede Chess

Inspiration from Jetan, Jester Chess, and Betza Chess. I added some rules that might speed things up.

Setup

Starting position: B B <> Q K J <> Z B S S S S S S S S S P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P S S S S S S S S S B Z <> J K Q <> B B Pieces are on ranks 1, 2, 10 and 11. Pawns are on ranks 3 and 9.

Pieces

B=Bede The bede is from "Betza Chess". Bedes (colorbound) move an unlimited number of squares diagonally (without changing direction), or they jump two squares in any orthogonal direction. They capture by displacement the same way they move. They can’t jump obstacles when they’re moving diagonally, but they can jump agents of either color, and even unoccupied squares, when jumping two squares in any orthogonal direction. <>=Chancellor The chancellor is a rook + knight compound. It captures by displacement, and can't jump obstacles when it moves as a rook. It can't change direction during a move. J=Jester The jester will have (most of, excepting promotion and the king's vulnerability to checks and mates) the abilities and properties of the agent the opponent just moved(but functioning as a counterpart of opposite color, naturally). Unlike how it works in "Jester Chess", this jester will be able to capture even if the opponent did not just capture. If the opponent moved the king, then the jester will only have assumed the powers of movement from the king, and not the vulnerability to checks or mates. Since a king can’t capture agents, then the jester won’t be able to, either. Jesters are allowed to give check to the enemy king (when working as a capturing agent), so they'll function as previously moved agent (by the opponent) until the opponent has made yet another move. The jester can't promote, ever. Z=Zebra The Zebra is a (2,3)-jumper, in the same sense that a knight is a (1,2)-jumper. It takes out agents the same way it moves. Q=Queen Queens are the same as in orthodox chess (but can take out friendly agents). S=Squire Squires move without capturing 1, 2 or 3 squares orthogonally forwards and/or to either side, and can change direction during the move – but they must always move at least 1 step straight forwards each time they move. Squires take out enemy agents that are 1 or 2 steps diagonally forwards to either side (they can change direction during the capturing move) – and this happens by displacement. They can’t jump obstacles, and they can never take out more than 1 agent per move. Diagonal movements and orthogonal movements are not possible during the same move. P=Pawn Pawns move without capturing 1 or 2 squares diagonally forwards, and can change direction during the move. Pawns take out enemy agents that are exactly 1 step orthogonally straight ahead or exactly 1 step to either side – and this happens by displacement. They can’t jump obstacles. Diagonal movements and orthogonal movements are not possible during the same move. K=King The king functions the same as in orthodox chess. It can capture the same way and it can move the same way.

Rules

Change of rules from orthodox chess:
¤ The game is played on a checkered 9x11 board instead of an 8x8 board.
¤ There is no castling and no en passant.
¤ Pawns and squires promote to bedes on the player’s 10th rank.
¤ All agents that can take out agents can take out both friends and enemies. No agent can take out the friendly king, though.
(¤ A player wins the game by mating the enemy king, as in orthodox chess.) 
¤ It’s not allowed to move backwards before escalation has occurred. Escalation is when: 1) a king has been in check; or 2) an agent other than a pawn has been taken out (by friend or foe).


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 Patrik Hedman.
Web page created: 2014-03-23. Web page last updated: 2014-03-23