I'm trying to use fairy max to play a game with 4 new pieces at the corners (the new piece is a hawk and it jumps 2 or 3 squares in any direction). The game definition is below (in fmax.ini). When I run this game black's pieces are shown in wrong locations, and the game immedietly results in a stalemate. (I have legality checking turned off, but I get errors either way). Can anyone let me know what I'm doing wrong? thanks.

// variant - [new piece at corners]
Game: fun01 # PNBRQ.....AKpnbrq.....ak # fairy
8x8
8 4 5 7 3 5 4 8
8 4 5 7 3 5 4 8
p:74 -16,24 -16,6 -15,5 -17,5
p:74  16,24 16,6 15,5 17,5
k:-1  1,34 -1,34 1,7 16,7 15,7 17,7 -1,7 -16,7 -15,7 -17,7
n:259 14,7 31,7 33,7 18,7 -14,7 -31,7 -33,7 -18,7
b:296 15,3 17,3 -15,3 -17,3
R:444 1,3 16,3 -1,3 -16,3
Q:851 1,3 16,3 15,3 17,3 -1,3 -16,3 -15,3 -17,3
H:900 -16,7 -32,7 1,7 2,7 16,7 32,7 -1,7 -2,7 -15,7 -30,7 17,7 34,7 15,7 30,7 -17,7 -34,7
 

The Mann is also used in Waterloo Chess and Amsterdam Medieval Chess (called spy) and "Chess on an Infinite Plane" and "Bulldog Chess" (called guard). I'm in a few games using a guard but no one is sure what it's worth. Fair exchange for a bishop or knight, or is it worth more than that?
 

In the section "One Set, Four Boards" the author wrote "Seems like a silly idea, but the small number of pieces means that the game won't take so many moves, and the position of the Kings means that they will never be safe -- and so there will be many short games with exciting attacks.".

This is interesting. It's one of the most extreme examples I've seen where piece values are not a good indicator of one side's advantage in chess.

Thanks for sharing.:)

How do you post a diagram? I tried to post an image of the guard in one thread, but it doesn't show immediately on the page. An icon needs to be clicked again to see the graphic.

Wow, this rule change makes a big difference to the game of chess!

The sample games were finished in 4, 7, 18, and 13 moves - each move certainly has much more influence on the game play.

I've been trying to think of ways to "add power" to the game "Chess on an Infinite Plane" without adding more or stronger pieces. This might be a good way to do it (but maybe with some limitations).

Is there anyone who would like to try such a game? I'm open to any new and innovative ideas. If you have any favorite pieces, we can try those also (but I'm looking for more than just a mix of new pieces).

The games in play for Chess on an Infinite Plane are going well so far. I'm just interested in a version which might somewhat amplify the game power a little.

Ok, Thanks Kevin. I didn't know there was a diagram maker on this site. I'm impressed that it can make diagrams with hexagonal shapes. Your diagram also appears to be an interesting start to a new game. Thanks for the info.

Thanks Kevin, that helps a lot!

Here's my first chess diagram made by HTML code (which I'm pretty sure is an illegal position):

<IMG SRC="http://play.chessvariants.com/pbm/drawdiagram.php?code=RnbqkbnRpPpPpPpP32pPpPpPpPrNBQKBNr">

Your information is a big help.:)

"Chess on an Infinite Plane"

Introduction: "Chess on an Infinite Plane" is a chess variant played on a chessboard of infinite size. This version uses Fergus Duniho's innovative and abstract piece images. The game starts with additional material not just for variety, but to help make enough material available in the endgame so that one player can force a win. Since there are no borders, pieces (and in particular the king) cannot be trapped at edges or in corners. The chancellors (R+N) provide immediate ability to create long distance attacks. There are also additional pawns, including some in rearward formations (called jäger units), which typically enter play late in the midgame, and can create the threat of additional promoted pieces. There are hawks centered in the jäger units, which protect the rearmost pawns, but can leave their formations and enter into spectacular play. Each player also has two guards, which can be used as king defenders or for other strategic play. Setup: Pieces: Black and White each have the following pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 chancellors, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, 2 guards, 2 hawks, and 24 pawns. All pieces move as in classical chess, with the "extra" three piece types moving as follows: Chancellor (C) - Moves and captures as rook + knight.
Hawk (H) - Leaps exactly 2 or 3 squares in any orthogonal or diagonal direction. The leaping move means it can jump over other pieces.
Guard (G) - Moves and captures the same as a king but is not affected by check.
Pawns play the same and promote at the same rank as in classical chess. (Using the board coordinates shown in the diagram, white pawns promote at rank 15, and black pawns promote at rank 8). Pawns can promote to chancellor, hawk, or guard in addition to queen, rook, bishop, or knight. Pawns may capture en passant with the same rules as in classical chess. There is no castling. There is no fifty-move rule. Draws can only occur from stalemate, threefold repetition, agreement, or a proven case of insufficient material to force checkmate. All other rules are the same as in classical (FIDE) chess. The Chessboard: 1. Board for OTB Play: A playing area should be setup with at least 22 ranks and 20 files. Ensure provisions are available to expand the board if play requires. If this becomes inconvenient due to far-away pieces, a display board is used to indicate the location of remote pieces. If there is interesting play in small but remote areas, other playing areas can be labeled and used separately from the main board. 2. Diagram for Online Play: A chess diagram is used to indicate the position of pieces either after each move by white, or each move by black. The diagram should include 22 ranks and 20 files. If any pieces are moved outside of this area, the diagram is expanded or notes are shared to indicate the location of far-away pieces.  If there is interesting play in small but remote areas, other diagrams can be used to show piece positions separately from the main diagram. Ranks are numbered just as in classical chess; ranks 16 and higher are deeper into black's side; ranks 7 and less are deeper into white's side. Files visible in the initial diagram are labeled a - t. From white's view, they continue to the right u - z, and then aa,ab,ac, and so on. The file immediately to the left of "a" is "phi" ("φ"). Files further to the left are -a,-b,-c, and so on to -z, and then -aa, -ab, -ac, and so on. For convenience, the "φ" file can be written "0". (The zero file = "φ" = "0") Parenthesis are used around each square identification. Some examples of move notations are as follows (view from white): 1) A rook moving to the left from e8 to a8: R(e8)-(a8) or R(a8) (With a classical board, this would be "Ra8") 2) A rook moving to the left one square from the a8 square: R(a8)-(φ8) or R(φ8) or R(08) 3) A rook moving to the left three squares from the a8 square: R(a8)-(-b8) or R(-b8) 4) A rook moving vertically three squares from e8 farther back into white: R(e8)-(e5) or R(e5) (The game can also be played using numerical coordinates for both files and ranks, as is usually played at chess.com) Notes: Other sub-variants exist including: 1) Chess on an Infinite Plane with Huygens Option - The huygens is a piece which leaps 5, 7, 11, 13, and all larger prime numbers of squares in orthogonal directions. The huygens are initially located to protect one of the pawns in the jäger units, thus, making it safer for the hawks to leave their positions and join other battles. (as a side effect, the huygens may ensure that this variant of chess will never be "solved" by computers, as the complete set of prime numbers is itself unknown). 2) Formation Chess/Infinite Plane - The Battle of Kadesh - Each player starts with a large number of knights (usually twelve or more). The knights can join into 2x2 formations, gaining the ability to move together as a queen. The group must stop moving when at least one of the members encounters an occupied square. A group can capture an opponent’s piece, but only one and not more than one per move. If the group falls apart, or one member is captured, the remainder play again as knights. (This hybrid version was invented by EvertVB). Thanks to Fergus Duniho for making Diagram Designer available, and also the abstract piece collection. Also thanks to Kevin Pacey for helping with Diagram Designer. by Vickalan. I will also be happy to consider other variations of the rules, or to play with other pieces. Please contact me if interested in playing a game.

Thanks Kevin, you've been a big help! I just added the game to a new thread. I was even able to switch the square colors so the queens are now on her own color. Fergus Duniho's abstract (and cubist) piece images were also very helpful to make the chess diagram have a nice appearance.

I have many questions about this game, which I hope people on these forums might be able to answer. (For example what are some example of pieces required to checkmate on an infinite plane?)

And I also hope someone will play me in a game.

Thanks again!

I'm now posting the rules for a sub-variant of "Chess on an Infinite Plane:

"Chess on an Infinite Plane with Huygens Option"

Introduction: "Chess on an Infinite Plane with Huygens Option" is a chess variant played on a chessboard of infinite size. This version uses Fergus Duniho's innovative and abstract piece images. The game includes two huygens for each color. Huygens can jump 5, 7, 11 and other prime numbers of squares in orthogonal directions (i.e. 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31...). Since it jumps in prime numbers, other jumpers such as the knight and hawk, need to make an inefficient maneuver when pursuing a huygens, causing wasted moves. The huygens do not add a lot of strength to the army, but may have some effect on play. They are initially located to protect one of the pawns in each of the rearward formations (jäger units). Thus, it is safer for the hawks to leave their positions and join other battles. (The huygens is named after Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch mathematician who studied the rings of Saturn and invented the pendulum clock). As with the base version of this game, other new pieces are included not just for variety, but to help make enough material available in the endgame so that one player can force a win. Since there are no borders, the king cannot be trapped in a corner. The chancellors (R+N) provide immediate ability to create long distance attacks. There are also additional pawns, including those in the jäger units, which can create a threat of additional promoted pieces. A hawk is centered in each jäger unit, initially protecting the rearmost pawns, but can leave its formation and enter into spectacular play. Each player also has two guards, which can be used as king defenders or for other strategic play. Setup: Pieces: Black and White each have the following pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 chancellors, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, 2 guards, 2 hawks, 2 huygens, and 22 pawns. All pieces move as in classical chess, with the "extra" four piece types moving as follows: Chancellor - Moves and captures as rook + knight.
Hawk - Leaps exactly 2 or 3 squares in any orthogonal or diagonal direction. The leaping move means it can jump over other pieces.
Guard - Moves and captures the same as a king but is not affected by check.
Huygens - Jumps 5, 7, 11 and other prime numbers of squares in orthogonal directions (5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29...).
Pawns play the same and promote at the same rank as in classical chess. (Using the board coordinates shown in the diagram, white pawns promote at rank 14, and black pawns promote at rank 7). Pawns can promote to chancellor, hawk, or guard in addition to queen, rook, bishop, or knight. Pawns may capture en passant with the same rules as in classical chess. There is no castling. There is no fifty-move rule. Draws can only occur from stalemate, threefold repetition, agreement, or a proven case of insufficient material to force checkmate. All other rules are the same as in classical (FIDE) chess. The Chessboard: 1. Board for OTB Play: A playing area should be setup with at least 22 ranks and 20 files. Ensure provisions are available to expand the board if play requires. If this becomes inconvenient due to far-away pieces, a display board is used to indicate the location of remote pieces. If there is interesting play in small but remote areas, other playing areas can be labeled and used separately from the main board. 2. Diagram for Online Play: A chess diagram is used to indicate the position of pieces either after each move by white, or each move by black. The diagram should include 22 ranks and 20 files. If any pieces are moved outside of this area, the diagram is expanded or notes are shared to indicate the location of far-away pieces.  If there is interesting play in small but remote areas, other diagrams can be used to show piece positions separately from the main diagram. Ranks are numbered just as in classical chess; ranks 15 and higher are deeper into black's side; ranks 6 and less are deeper into white's side. Files visible in the initial diagram are labeled a - t. From white's view, they continue to the right u - z, and then aa,ab,ac, and so on. The file immediately to the left of "a" is "phi" ("φ"). Files further to the left are -a,-b,-c, and so on to -z, and then -aa, -ab, -ac, and so on. For convenience, the "φ" file can be written "0". (The zero file = "φ" = "0") Parenthesis are used around each square identification. Some examples of move notations are as follows (view from white): 1) A rook moving to the left from e8 to a8: R(e8)-(a8) or R(a8) (With a classical board, this would be "Ra8") 2) A rook moving to the left one square from the a8 square: R(a8)-(φ8) or R(φ8) or R(08) 3) A rook moving to the left three squares from the a8 square: R(a8)-(-b8) or R(-b8) 4) A rook moving vertically three squares from e8 farther back into white: R(e8)-(e5) or R(e5) (The game can also be played using numerical coordinates for both files and ranks, as is usually played at chess.com) Notes: Thanks to Fergus Duniho for making Diagram Designer available, and also the abstract piece collection. Also thanks to Kevin Pacey for helping with Diagram Designer. by Vickalan. I will also be happy to consider other variations of the rules, or to play with other pieces. Please contact me if interested in playing a game.

Thanks Aurelian! I read about your variant Enep. I like the short and succint name. I know it means Enhanced Knight Exrtra Pawn, but the name also sounds Norse or Scandanavian (I think that might be where gnomes came from).

I also like the simplicity of the game. Chess can already be very complicated, so only a minor rule change is needed to make a good variant. Your variant sounds intriguing. When I finish one or two other games (I'm usually playing about 5-7 games concurrently, one move per day), I might want to play Enep.:)