TigerPad
Listings in order:
First steps
Of the book, of the author
Of the Median-lands, of Merridonia
Indented contents
Forward
“.....the most exciting game in the world”
General including:
A brief note regarding the origin and history of Chess
The Steps Tapestry, and cloaks and scarves
Interpretation of rules etc.
Standard points of note, rules and procedures etc.
A note on direction pointers
Of changes to Kings and Queens.....and of Pikemen and Lancers
The trapping of a Queen
Deployment determinations – Preset, Played and Random
Other names for Checkmate including the reserved name of Surrounding, and a note on additional objectives to and other objectives than Checkmate, and other strategies
Castling renamed
Saying Check
A note on placement of captured pieces
The Standard moving pattern
Boards with decoration and ornamentation, Piece types - representational, symbolic, standard and gothic staunton, traditional, and role-played; also variation designations and game notation
Referees and additional services
Player and team identification
Game type examples - a Maze game and Convergence games
Types of moves - Switching, Sliding, Jumping, Leaping, Threading, and Flying
Special moves - Protecting the Queen, En passant, a Magic carpet Ride and Boarding, Teleportation and Amulets, Stepping and Stepping over, Compulsory and continuing captures, and Promotions
Different names in different games for participating characters (pieces)
Further descriptive terms
There is no à outrance and a note on captured participants (pieces) after games
Scoring and currency and tax, and A Rider
Role playing and productions and game adventure holidays
Picture of Role played game
Game recording and story telling
Live game commentating and analysis
Post play comments and analysis
Base Games
Western chess
Chinese chess
Arabian chess
Mongolian chess
Capablanca chess
A Chess Set: a Handful of Games
The Cornerstone of Steps
Matched games and Bridge games
LancerChess with Lancers.....and a New balance
Mysterious times
Underpromotions
Game transpositions and Opening line transpositions
Kingside protection and the King's Lancer, and a mention of comparisons to queenside protection
A note on the compass points
Chess as the Royal Game
Of Towers and Siege towers
A Clash of Knights and Lancers
Basic values of Base game pieces, also Lancers and the Jini
A beginner's puzzle - the King's Lancer's circuit 2D
A further puzzle - the King's Lancer's circuit 3D
A note on current tournament type and size of Western chess pieces and boards
Pictures of Staunton chess pieces and Gothic variation pieces
A Game within a Game
The Magic stream of the Rainbow territories
The Placement phase with Alternate placing and the Engagement phase
The Forbidden squares and their ethos
QiPlacements:
Traditional placement - an offer and acceptance
Accelerated placement - an offer and acceptance
Encounter placements - counter-offers and acceptance
Open placements - without accepted offers or counter-offers
A note on Encounter
Picture of traditional Chinese chess pieces
Further of Cannons, and Two-piece Pins and Triple checks, also the Quadruple-checkmate Puzzle
Opening shots - a Desperado & the Corner trap, an Unexpected move; the Quickfire gambit…..and statistics
Talismanic Sceptres and rays
A beautiful Princess and a wicked Magician, and Magic carpets and Jinis in Magic lamps.....and a brave young Prince
Picture of ancient Arabian Chess pieces
Arabella - Traditional variation
Arabella - Modern variation
Of Horses and training of skills
Caves and spells of concealment.....and Further adventures
Invasion - Traditional variation
Invasion - Modern variation
Invasion - Points of Checkmate
Arabian chess - Steps version with Magic amulets, and Historical version
The Raja, a Magic Horse and Arabian-Indian chess, also further values and a further Regal character
The Principal kingdoms of Meridian and their traditions
Meridian - Western variation
Meridian - Eastern variation
The Snow Panther of Mongolian chess and Pouncing
Something of 19th century Western chess, Something of Chinese chess
Picture of an old Mongolian Chess set
The Khan - a King and a Horseman
A Combination of Western and Eastern
Of Secret passageways
The Escape rule - restricted and unrestricted
Swordsmen - Values and example of Checkmating abilities…..with a move outside the box
Storm and 10x8 and 10x10 boards
The Emerald forest and Fireworks games where Triple checks may occur
The Uncharted regions
Of Foresters and their placement, both role-played and with piece sets
Also of light haired and dark haired Service-maidens
Complex tactics and Crossfire
Of Princes and Princesses, and Foresters and their King and Queen
Lateral and vertical move combinations
One piece line-up tables
Picture of the Capablanca pieces (Staunton type)
Examples of tactics
Additional Games
The Lore of RiverQi
RiverQi - Crossing the River of Many Bridges
RiverQi - Soldier variation
RiverQi - Hawker variation
RiverQi - Water-horse variation
Siege - the mission of Banner carriers
Siege - Field variation
Siege - Trench variation
Siege with Berolina infantrymen
Siege - A comparison between Infantrymen
Siege - Re-enactments and 'What-if' re-enactments
Siege - a comparison of objectives
Gyroscope - Directors and scarce resources, Freemen and the Silver Broker
Gyroscope with a 5x5 3D board
The Jewel series
A mention of software applications.....and a quote
A note on Zugzwang
Duel - a practice game for beginners
Example Duel game
Skirmish - further practice for beginners and inexperienced players
Example Skirmish game
Combat and chivalry
Shielded squares
Northern Light with Pages and dashing young Officers
Observers
Also Kaleidoscope where a Duchess must be Encircled
A comparison of Stalemate and various passing of moves
Crystal of Doom - a legendary Talisman
Of Swordfights with glowing swords.....and Raiders in the dark.....and Seers.....and a Trek
Lost Treasure and a Green Gem
Relay – Race-legs and Board shapes
Relay - Running and Obstacle variations
Game groups and their types
A Hope for more than the sum of the parts
Individuals and teams
A mention of consultation games and a note on the Opera game
Examples of (fixed) bonus scoring
A note on possible groups for Siege and RiverQi
A question raised on most-ever popular board games
A Steps Trilogy and variable bonus scoring
The Rainbow group
An Accelerated bonus
The Jini group
Arabella and the Key to a Treasure
The Chequered group
The Chequered Saga and Merit prizes for a Sequential production
The Meridian group
The Forest group
Enhanced game status - a reserved designation set
From the first Stepping-stone to the last - Promoted games
The Jewel series with Key positions within Keys in Time
The Jewel series and next-game advantages and cumulative scoring, also independent scoring
Jewel team play and beginners
Also there is included
Parallel playing of Chess and Crossover moving patterns
The Woodland parallel group
Parallel and Linear (Consecutive) match play - a comparison
Transfer playing of Chess
The Realm transfer group
Transfer chess piece entrenchment
Relay - Swing scoring and grouplets, the Combat grouplet
The Groups landscape with notes
Swings and Pendulums
Exhibitions of Simultaneous playing and Blindfold playing and Grandmasters, also productions and awards
Games at odds
The Runich Dice
Picture of Runich Dice
Clocks
Time management - a Chess skill
Single countdown clocks
Tournament clocks
Fischer clocks - perhaps with Bobby Fischer's preferred settings
Hourglass clocks
Picture of Hourglass
Pauses and Holds
Intervals and Intermissions
Increments
Increases and Reductions
Sealed moves
Of time pressure and scrambles
Phased Countdown clocks - standard
Phased Countdown clocks - triple controls
Independent Single countdown clocks
Phased Increment clocks - standard
Phased Increment clocks - variable parameters, with example
Clock display method showing actual and potential times
Phased Combination clocks, with illustration
Phased Swing clocks - standard, with illustration
Phased Swing clocks - open ended
Calendar chess - Interludes & Recycled reserves.....Format combinations & Concurrent play
Further games
A reference to Stones of Fortune
Touchstone:
A legendary Sword
Proclamations and prerogative
Rewards for the endeavours of Pikemen
The Earl and a dangerous mid-game possibility
After the battle Promotions
Shadow - where Checkmate becomes Locking-up
A Draughts Set:
General Introduction
TwinDraughts Introduction
Board and basic deployment
Of an eligible young Princess
Boards and diagonals
Champions and Men-at Arms
Further deployment
Winning objectives and requirements – Decisive win and To First win
Occurrences upon reaching the end rank
The Dual playing format
Individual, team and four-handed play
TwinDraughts cards
Scoring
Practice variations
Core variation – Rebound
Outward and Homeward bound Men-at-Arms, also the Go and Transfer variations
Core variation – Reset
Royal Champions, also the Clearance, Transfer and Promotion variations
Main core variation – Election
Full choice and First only choice
The Royal variation
Transferable option
Reaching the end rank as additional winning opportunities
The TwinDraughts group
Blockading
Reversing the move
Champion + Man-at-Arms v Champion
Sovereign - English draughts v RoyalDraughts
The Diagonal groupling and a Highly influential game
Calendar draughts
Draughts and Daleks
Picture of traditional Draughts pieces
Circuits and Tours
Tour of a Knight on a 5x5 board
Tour of a Knight on a 4x3 board
Circuit of a Knight on an 8x8 board
3D Circuit of a King's Lancer on a 3x3x3 board
Studies etc.
An aside with a mention of Spectator involvement
The Saavedra position where a Skewer, if overlooked, could turn the tables
The Golden move and a Shower of Gold
The Platinum move on a Birthday to celebrate
The Silver move - a Silver bullet.....and a Second shot
A Chinese chess game and the Pursuit of a General
An Arabian chess mansuba
Author participation: a Handful of Roles
Notes on favourites and the Parallel-swing playing arrangement
Reasons for preferring group play and a further mention of A Steps Trilogy
Favourite Chess computers and other various software
The Rhunich puzzle set – the Rhunich dice plus the Rhunich jigsaw
An aside - Table Hockey
The Rhunich games computer
Further thoughts
Name changes etc. including:
A note on a Steps Inventory of Reserved names and terms
The River Xiangqi
Phased or Stepped clocks
Picture of representational Western chess pieces
Picture of 3D representational Chinese chess pieces
Alternative boards
Further pieces including:
Basic piece - a Pike senior (Senior pikeman)
Powerful piece - a Lance-commander (Royal pikeman)
Powerful piece - a Knight-royal
Powerful piece - the Storm Emperor
Mythological piece - the Ice Dragon and setting him afire
Mythological piece - the Elder Winged-serpent
Mythological piece - the Younger Winged-serpent
A reference to the Game and features of Dragon
Other games and variations, and a few novelties:
Game variation – The Two Towers
Game variation - Breakout
Game variation - 8x8 Capablanca chess
Game variation - Storm Force 24 with a table of piece values and a note on non-forceful pieces, also a (Storm) Shelter and piece attributes and classifications
Object variation - Occupation of an opposing Palace.....with Standard bearers and Royal guards
Promotion variation - Lesser value piece promotion on the penultimate rank
A note on opening theory
The Home rank, an alternate name for the First rank
Deployment variation – Squeeze-down placing
Deployment variation – Mirrored shuffling (unrotated and rotated)
Changeover chess - Width v Depth
Various including:
Winning by promotion to First Queen
Parallel play and time advantage for Tie-breaks
Forced passing and From Stalemate to Checkmate reference
The Jewel portrait with notes
Tournament & Match play
Use of Computers - Game recording, Legality check and Possible moves list, and Graphic board position
Player ratings and the Elo system.....and outstanding players
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 Glenn Nicholls.
Last revised by Glenn Nicholls.
Web page created: 2015-11-09. Web page last updated: 2015-11-09