Alien and Predators Symmetric
It is based on the game Alience Vs Predators, however I made a symmetric game and made some other changes, including more clearly rules.
Setup
y.oa..co.y rnbmqkmbnr pppppppppp .......... .......... .......... .......... PPPPPPPPPP RNBMQKMBNR Y.OA..CO.Y
Pieces
You should use shogi-like pieces which face, or use flat pieces which is white on one side and black on other side. Initially the Amazons (three per player, six in total) begin off-board; all other pieces start on the board.
- Archbishop (A): As FIDE bishop or FIDE knight.
- Bishop (B): As FIDE bishop. Colorbound.
- Chancellor (C): As FIDE rook or FIDE knight.
- King (K): One space any direction (like the FIDE king). Moving the King into check is not permitted, but there is no obligation to move out of check, and moving a piece other than the King to cause the King to be in check is still permitted. It is still considered "check" if opposing amazon can threaten your king, even though all three of their first ranks are filled in (this does not apply to amazon vs amazon, however). Castling is possible by the king moving either two or three spaces, in either direction, as long as the king and rook are on their original locations (even if they have already moved, if you are in check or through check, but you still cannot castle into check). Royal.
- Camel (M): (1,3)-leaper. Colorbound.
- Knight (N): As FIDE knight.
- Cannon (O): As Xiangqi cannon.
- Pawn (P): As FIDE pawn, including en passan. Double-step from third rank. Promotes (on last rank) to any piece off board (regardless of what color it used to be or who captured it), other than Pawn, King, Amazon. You can promote into your or opponent's pieces. If there is no pieces off board to promote into, moving into the promotion zone is not a legal move.
- Queen (Q): As FIDE queen.
- Rook (R): As FIDE rook.
- Wye (Y): Move (including capture) one space diagonally forward, or one space straight backward.
- Amazon/Superking (Z): As FIDE queen or FIDE knight, but has same restricions as moving itself into check as the King does when not capturing (if it is capturing, it is allowed to move itself into check). Amazons cannot capture Amazons. If an Amazon captures an opponent's pawn, you must flip it and place it on a vacant square on your third rank. If an Amazon captures any opponent's pieces (even Kings) other than a Pawn, you must flip it and place it on a vacant square on your first or second rank. If the captured piece is colorbound, it must stand on the same color square that it is on before it is captured. If there is no legal space to put it, you are not allowed to make that capture. Royal.
Rules
- Each player may, once per game, as a move, place three Amazons of their color on their first three ranks such that none are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, or knight's move from each other (regardless of what is in between). They must be placed on vacant spaces, or on spaces containing a piece (of either color) that there is currently only one piece of that kind and color on the board currently (those pieces are removed). It is not allowed to make this special move if you are unable to place all three Amazons. (Placing them in check is OK.)
- Lose if you have no royal pieces on board.
- A flipped piece is immune to being captured for one turn.
- Player with no legal moves while it is their turn, but still has royal pieces on board, is end the game in a draw.
Notes
I do not know how long you should wait before placing the Superkings, or how long it expects before such a move is even available. It is, however, one way to avoid checkmate if you have the king checkmate, then placing more royal pieces makes it harder to be checkmated. Furthermore, you might have your amazon capture opponent's king, now you have another king, too.
Note that if you captured too many opponent pieces by your amazon/superkings then you fill up your first three rows, then even if opponent has only one more king remaining and no other royal pieces, your amazon still cannot capture them (therefore, you haven't won yet)! Such situation is probably really unusual, though.
The further variant may be with pieces "eggs", having cards in your hand to tell you what is inside of eggs (therefore, would also involve hidden information). Such further variant has not been made up yet. (There is the asymmetric game with eggs (without hidden information) although the one I am making is the symmetric game.)
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By (zzo38) A. Black.
Web page created: 2012-12-03. Web page last updated: 2013-12-10