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My own preference is for the Altenberg game as it is more compact and does lengthens the Pawn trek less. If anything the initial double step, far from being dropped as in Dessau, should be extended! Some may not like the Altenberg rule to prevent first-move capture, but the problem of it being a special case can easily be overcome by making it a general rule that no piece can move through that concavity - thus a Bishop on a Knight square would not be able to move to the nearest other Knight square. It would be consistent to also bar a Knight moving between Rook and Rook Pawn squares.
I have built a Dessau set that we play and make up rules as we go. A checkmate does grant control of pieces and then the king of that color is removed. To solve the pawn trek problem, pawns can move forward and then turn either way, but must stay moving that direction for the remander of the game. A question we had was this: can you move a king into check if you have a teammate moving immediately after you who will block it? Theoretically you could, because the other team could not attack the king until his turn when it would be too late. What do you think?
Hey Locke, I built one of those (the Altenburg variety) THEN found this page. The rule I'd set up was the golden rule around the original chess board (ie no rook pawns capturing across the line into the other kitches, to avoid the pawn of doom march). As far as Check/Checkmate, I simply had it that you still must announce check etc. But the person can still capture INTO checkmate. So the king can go suicidal if they choose, but if the king dies, ALL of that player's pieces disappear. You can see the logistical pandemonia that would ensue, all of a sudden you have holes, mayhem. A blast, just a blast to play. You have to be mindful of the fact that it will be 3 turns after you go that you can go again. Partners across the table only, but if you eliminate one person, the war is pretty much over. So the only changes to the version I do is pawns not capturing across the rule (ie the rook line outward). And check does not stop nor hinder a king, until he's killed at which point all that players pieces are removed. You must actually kill the king.
I have a new rule set similar to yours, although we play 4-Way Chess on the Dessau board. Its called REGICIDE RULES, the king must be actually captured rather than just check-mated. Even when check-mated a player still gets to make a move even if moving into check, and sometimes check-mate can be evaded, it is intense. After a king is killed the rest of his pieces remain on the board and can not move except to capture. See the rules at this link: http://hometown.aol.com/taurusgaming/regicide.html
I made a three-player game a while back, and the same things apply as to any more-than-two-player game--the King need not respond to 'check' (it may not be his TURN next,) the King may go 'suicidal,' (interpersonal play ALWAYS causes weaker players to gang up on a strong one, and you might trust the following player not to take advantage of your King's exposed condition,) and the pieces of a 'dead' King must be dealt with somehow. It hadn't occurred to me to remove the dead King's pieces; I decided to let them remain as obstacles, capturable at leisure as required by the surviving players (on a real table it's fun to have a bigger stack of 'prisoners',) and actually your 'pandemonium' which ensues by removing the dead King's pieces would be quite exciting, and in a way, for him, a revenge from the grave. 'Kill ME, huh?! Well, here's some confusion for ya, ya dogs!' What fun. Good idea and thanks for it.
You know u can play this 4 handed chess on the game courier, one of u guys should go there and challenge me to a game for the World's 4-Way Chess Championship
I would like to add another chess-for-four-game, one I have designed myself. It is called Chess44', you can read more about it at www.chess44.com. I hope you will consider mentioning my game on your website. Thank you, Teun Dings teundings-at-gmail.com
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