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This page is written by the game's inventor, Stan Druben.

Lancelot

The purpose of the game is to provide an alternative to standard (FIDE) chess for those who want to avoid "book" play without any loss of challenge.  The name comes from the most powerful Knight on each side, the one within the Lancelot (called the Archbishop in other variants).

Setup

The board and pieces are positioned as in standard chess, with the following exceptions:
 
     The Bishops and Knights are reversed:  the Bishops are beside the Rooks and the Knights are on the (standard game's) Bishop squares. 

     Each Queen is replaced by a Lancelot.

     Kings take color:  the black King is on a black square and the white King is on a white square.

Pieces

Except for two Lancelots (which replace the two Queens), all pieces are the same as in standard chess.  The Lancelot can move either as a Bishop or as a Knight.

Rules

All standard chess rules apply except that mate is achieved with checkmate or stalemate.


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By Stan Druben.
Web page created: 2005-09-26. Web page last updated: 2005-09-26