Anywhere Chess and Variations

Anywhere Chess is a variant, mentioned in The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants (without name of the inventor.)

Edward Jackman designed some new variants on the theme of Anywhere Chess which were here first published in February 1998.

Anywhere Chess

Standard array on 8x8 board. Kings move and capture normally. Pawns and pieces capture normally but can teleport to any vacant square except that pawns may not move to the 1st rank and may only move to the 8th rank by a normal one-step move or capture. (Players may allow pawns to teleport to 1st rank.) Bishops not restricted to opposite color. (Players may chose to restrict bishops to opposite colors.) A perfectly legal opening move would be: 1) b1N-d4 +. Has been played progressive. Listed in The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants.

New Variations by Edward Jackman

Nearly Anywhere Chess

No piece or pawn may teleport to give check or checkmate, direct or discovered. In other words, captures, checks and mates must be done with the piece's normal power of movement.

Parachute Anywhere Chess

In addition to the above rule, no piece or pawn may teleport so that it attacks any enemy piece, either directly or by discovered attack. In other words, captures, checks, mates and all moves threatening capture must be done with the piece's normal power of movement.

Hardly Anywhere Chess

In addition to the restrictions above, no piece or pawn may interpose check by a teleporting. In other words, captures, checks, mates, all moves threatening capture and all moves blocking check must be done with the piece's normal power of movement.

Restrictions on destinations

Possible restrictions on destination of teleporting moves for players to chose from:

1. Teleport only to squares guarded by allied pieces.
2. Teleport only to squares not attacked by enemy pieces.
3. Teleport only to squares adjacent to allied pieces.
4. Teleport only to squares non-adjacent to enemy pieces.
5. Pawns may not teleport to the enemy side of the board.
6. Pawns may not teleport at all.

Restrictions on origination squares for teleports

Possible restrictions on origination of teleport moves for players to chose from:

1. Teleport only from first four ranks.
2. Teleport only from or first two ranks.

Reserve Chess

RESERVE CHESS is a related game of completely different flavor. Pieces do not teleport directly to another square. Instead, a piece (not Kings) may be removed from the board and placed in reserve. A piece in reserve may be dropped onto the board on any empty square as in Shogi or Chessgi. There is no limit to the number of pieces taken into reserve or to how long a piece may stay there. All moves and captures on the board must be orthodox. Any of the restrictions in the four mentioned variations of ANYWHERE CHESS may be applied to this game.