Terran Chess Galactic Federation
an extract from the Encyclopaedia Galactica, print date 30-April-2353
The last 300 years
With the demise off F.I.D.E. in the mid-21st century Chess was free to evolve and did so under the influence of two main forces: one internal; the other external.
Internally the millennia-old trend towards ever more power re-asserted itself and was accompanied by a growth in board size.
Externally the emergence of China as an Economic and Cultural leader ensured the adoption of many elements from that country's national chess game.
The effects of over 200 years of experiment and change were eventually consolidated by the formation of the Galactic Federation in 2275, which body oversaw the production of the official rules of Terran Chess.
Terran Chess Rules Summary
(from the full rules as promulgated by the Terran Chess Galactic Federation)
There are two players, Red and Gold. Gold moves first
The Board contains 100 squares arranged in 10 files (a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j) each of 10 ranks (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10).
Between the 5th and 6th ranks a blue line, the River divides the board.
Occupying the first 3 ranks of files c,d,e,f,g and h is the Gold Palace; while occupying the last 3 ranks is the Red Palace.
Each player starts the game with 24 pieces
- 1 King
- 1 Huntress
- 1 Queen
- 1 Chariot
- 2 Troopers
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Bishops
- 2 Marauders
- 2 Dragoons
- 2 Guards
- 8 Pawns
Diagram 1 shows the initial placement of the pieces.
King and Guards
Both pieces move and capture by taking a single step to an adjacent square. Both pieces are restricted by being confined to their own Palace area, and the King is restricted still further by not being able to move into check. Kings are also not allowed to occupy the same file if there are only empty squares between them. Kings that have never moved may also castle, which move is made in conjunction with either Rook provided that Rook also has never moved.
Diagram 2 illustrates these moves. The Gold King can move to squares with a grey dot, while the Gold Guard can move to those with a Green dot.
The Red King demonstrates castling, with the King taking two steps towards a Rook and that Rook then leaping the King to land on the square just beyond it. All squares traversed by the King must be empty and free from attack; squares traversed by the Rook alone need only be empty. The Red King will finish castling on one of the squares with a light-grey dot while the Rook from the yellow square would finish on the square marked with a yellow dot, and that from the red square would finish on the square with a red dot.
Pawns
Pawns move without capturing by taking a single step orthogonally forwards. On its initial move a Pawn may make an optional second step, again orthogonally forwards. Once across the River a Pawn gains the ability to take single steps orthogonally sideways, again without capturing.
To capture a Pawn moves diagonally forwards a single step. On reaching the far most rank a Pawn must promote to one of Huntress, Queen, Chariot, Trooper, Rook, Bishop or Marauder.
Diagram 3 shows the Pawn moves: grey dots for non-capturing; gold crosses within red circles for capturing.
Dragoons
Dragoons move without capturing by making a Knight's leap of one diagonal step followed by one orthogonal step continuing in the same outward direction. The move cannot be blocked by a piece on the square reached by the initial diagonal step.
To capture, Dragoons move like Guards, making a single step in any direction. Dragoons may not cross the River.
Disgram 4 shows the Dragoon's movement. From the orange square the Dragoon can move passively to the squares with a grey dot, or capture on squares with a green dot. From the red square a move without capturing can be made to squares with a dark blue dot or a capture made on squares marked with a light blue dot.
Marauders
Marauders are hippogonal sliders, making an unlimited number of hippogonal steps in a single direction. Each hippogonal step is a knight-like move, a compound step of a diagonal step followed by an orthogonal step or vice-versa. Subsequent hippogonal steps may reverse the order of the component orthogonal and diagonal step but their directions must be the same as for the components of the initial compound step.
The Marauder may not leap and each step of the slide must be a complete compound step. It can also be described as a moo=(moa+mao)-rider.
Diagram 5 shows the Marauder's move.
Bishops
Bishops are diagonal sliders.
See Diagram 6
Rooks
Rooks are orthogonal sliders.
See Diagram 7
Troopers
Combines Bishop and Marauder.
See Diagram 8
Chariot
Combines Rook and Marauder.
See Diagram 9
Queen
Combines Rook and Bishop.
See Diagram 10
Huntress
Combines Rook, Bishop and Marauder.
See Diagram 11
Win/Loss Conditions
The primary aim is to Checkmate the enemy King
A player loses if:
- their King is checkmated
- they are stalemated
- they are reduced to only restricted pieces (Dragoons and Guards and King)
- they cause a position to occur for a third time
Tournament Scoring
| Result | Winner scores | Loser scores |
|---|---|---|
| Checkmate | 5pt | 1pt |
| Time fault | 5pt | 1pt |
| Resignation | 5pt | 1pt |
| Stalemate | 4pt | 2pt |
| Restricted pieces | 4pt | 2pt |
| Other win | 5pt | 0pt |
| Draws | Both players 1pt | |
Piece Values
| Piece | ZOG | PERK |
|---|---|---|
| Pawn | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Guard | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Dragoon | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Marauder | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Bishop | 2.5 | 2.0 |
| Rook | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Trooper | 5.0 | 5.5 |
| Chariot | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| Queen | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Huntress | 9.0 | 9.5 |
| Diagram 1 Start Array  |
| Diagram 2 King and Guard Move  |
| Diagram 3 Pawn Move  |
| Diagram 4 Dragoon Move  |
| Diagram 5 Marauder Move  |
| Diagram 6 Bishop Move  |
| Diagram 7 Rook Move  |
| Diagram 8 Trooper Move  |
| Diagram 9 Chariot Move  |
| Diagram 10 Queen Move  |
| Diagram 11 Huntress Move  |
A rules file for Zillions is available from CV.org
Hey, Graeme, very nice! That trooper move is interesting! [Reminds me of something and other ;-) ] Know I shouldn't ask, but how's it play? It looks like it could work real well. Congrats on another game! Joe
Hi Joe, glad you like it since your good-self, along with George Duke, are to blame as the prime motivators for this flight of fancy. I hope the now-added-text hasn't spoilt it for you. I must admit to really liking the Marauder (moo-rider) and not just becuse I can't resist an awful pun!
I'll hopefully be posting a zrf to cv.org shortly
Cheers
Graeme