Blackjack chess

Chessclub `Promotie' (`Promotion') in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands has for many years each year between Christmas and New Years Eve an `Oliebollen'-tournament. (Oliebollen are a tradition Dutch treat for the end of the year.) In this tournament, several chess variants are played - some existing ones, but also several new ones, just invented for the occasion.

One of such variants, described in a booklet called `Bloemlezing Humorschaak', written by Henk Breugem of SV Promotie, is this variant, called `Tel uit je winst' (Count your profits), renamed Blackjack chess by me. The variant is probably invented by Henk Breugem or another member of Chessclub `Promotie'.

Rules

Each piece (except kings, who count for the purpose here as 0) has a point value: queens have 9 points, rooks are 5 points worth, bishops and knights each count for 3 points, and pawns each are worth one point. A player can win in two ways: by mating its opponent in the usual way, or by having pieces of a total value of exactly 21 (twenty-one) points: i.e., if the total value of the pieces that a player still has on the board is exactly 21 points, he wins instantly.

If a player is mated by a move that captures a piece such that his point value is now exactly 21 points, then he wins: the `21 points' rule prevales above mate.

Comments

Note that each player starts with 39 points. When ones point total drops between 21, one only can hope to mate or to win by getting 21 points with help of pawn promotions.