Alternate Rules For Chess Games

There are many different ways to play a thrilling game of Chess. While a traditional game on a normal board can provide you with a great thrill and a chance to exercise your brain, there are alternative approaches to a lively game of Chess. Many different people have invented various approaches to the game of Chess, some of which rely on different boards, some on different pieces. All of these games are provided, however, to give a different perspective on Chess, allowing you to think more outside of the box, approaching the problems from a new angle.

One such famous example would come in the form of Glinksi's Hexagonal Chess. This board, which was first used in 1936, is a bit larger than a traditional board, having 11 ranks and files. The spaces are three colors, with a light, a dark, and a gray theme. The pieces move a little differently than in a traditional game, although they do keep to the same basic theme. This version of the game forces you to think a little more creatively in the adoption of strategy and tactics, as it is easier to miss the possibility of seeing an oncoming attack.

Some forms of Chess alter the beginning sequences of the game. Played on a traditional board, they switch the game up by changing the format. Chess960 will randomize the placement of the major pieces, destroying the initial setup of the board. The finished ranks will mirror each other, however, so that all Knights will be opposite Knights, as will Kings and Queens and such. Transcendental Chess works on the same premise, except that each side will be randomly placed and will not mirror each other. Upside Down Chess will swap the placement of the Black and the White Pawns, making each player's Pawn be only one space away from being promoted.

Other alternate Chess games remove pieces from the board. Dunsany's Chess has one side be completely normal while the other side works with only 32 Pawns. In the Pawns Game, White does not have a Queen, but 8 additional Pawns instead. Peasant's Revolt vastly changes the board, with White having one King and 8 Pawns, representing the peasants. Black will have its King, one Pawn, and either 3 or 4 Knights, depending on the version being played.

Some version of the game will allow you to work with the board in additional ways. Cylinder Chess plays the game as if the edges of the board were connected, allowing you to move one piece off of the edge of the board and onto the correlating space on the other side. Grid Chess takes the board and lays a grid of lines upon it. For any move to be counted, the piece must move along the grid in some way. Another popular alternate version of the game is Alice Chess, which is played on two separate boards. Based on Alice in Wonderland, whenever you make a move, the piece goes to the correlating spot on the other board. It will move back again to the first board when you move that spot again. The same rules as standard Chess apply, but offer a new complexity in the orchestration of tactics. This, among other games, offer a whole new possibility in the world of brilliant Chess games.