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This is essentially the standard game, played on the regular 8 x 8 chessboard, using the traditional chess pieces. However, the game is transformed by the new-fashioned roles of the pawns!

This is a game that enjoys the use of stronger pawns, without En passant or castling.

The King, Queen, Bishops, Knights, and Rooks, these all move and capture as in the standard game.

The objective of the game remains the same; that is to “checkmate” the opponents King.

The ancient chess pieces Fers, Mann, and Wazir, are re-introduced into the modern game, as super pawns.

The movement of these special pawns imitates the piece that they start in front of, in the array.

The King’s pawn and Queen’s pawn move and capture as a Mann, one square in any direction, (a).

This is similar to the King, but these pawns can be captured and promoted.

The Rook’s pawn moves and captures as a Wazir, one square along the rank or file.

Forward, backward, or sideways, (b).

The Bishop’s pawn moves and captures as a Fers, one square diagonally forwards or backwards, (c).

The Knight’s pawn only moves and captures one square forward along the file, then diagonally forwards, (d). This pawn, like the Knight, may leap over other pieces.

 

 

ë

(a)

é

 

ì

 

 

(b)

é

 

 

ë

(c)

 

ì

 

ë

(d)

 

 

 

ì

ç

King &

Queen

Pawn

è

ç

Rooks

Pawn

è

 

Bishops

Pawn

   

 

ñ

 

í

ê

î

 

ê

 

í

 

î

 

Knights

Pawn

 

The pawns in most existing chess sets can be simply modified to identify these new moves.

A diagrammatic symbol of their move is inscribed upon them, or the appropriate initial.

On reaching the opponents first rank, the pawns are promoted to the piece that they started in front of. Consequently, only the King’s and Queen’s Pawns are promoted to a Queen.

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The Fers, Mann, and Wazir appear throughout the history of chess and related games, in many different guises.

The King, Rook, and Knight, have undergone little change, whilst the Bishop aka Courier, replaced the Al fil.

The Fers was the Counsellor or wise man in the original game; it survives today in Xiangqi.

The modern Queen later replaced the Fers. The Mann as appeared in ancient Chess games.

The Wazir also featured in many ancient Chess games, today it is found in Xiangqi.

The Knight’s pawn or alternative Knight move is found in games such as Shogi.

The various pieces all come together naturally, making CHESS a sensible and logical move forward.

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