Exhausted King

By Jörg Knappen

Introduction

Win by giving permanent check. 

This very modest chess variant is exactly like FIDE chess with one rule added: A king becomes exhausted by a long uninterrupted sequence of checks, forcing it to resign.

Setup

Same as FIDE Chess.

Pieces

Same as FIDE Chess.

Rules

In addition to the usual ways of winning, you also win if

(a) You give the opponent king 50 checks in a row, or

(b) You can force a three times repetition of the same position by permanently checking the opponent king.

The usual 50 moves rule of FIDE chess is modified as follows:

The game is a draw after 50 moves without taking a piece or moving a pawn and if the last pair of half moves does not contain a check.

The usual 3 times repetition rule is also modified accordingly -- a draw can only be claimed if the last two half moves do not contain a check.

Notes

This variant turns a defensive tactic (turning a potential loss into a draw by permanent check) into a powerful offensive one. It will reduce the number of drawn games in comparison to FIDE chess. 

It may be interesting to combine this rule with the 18th century rule of stalemate being a loss -- eliminating even more draws.

Equipment

Same as FIDE Chess.

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