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Separate Realms. Pieces capture like normal FIDE pieces, but have limited moves that only take them to part of the board when not capturing. (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

💡📝Michael Nelson wrote on Mon, Dec 26, 2005 04:58 PM UTC:

David,

The SR Murray Lions seems to be a capital addition to the SR army and
would make for a nice variant. I don't care for pushing the pawn line
forward. I invented it solely, Peter didn't collaborate on this--and I
despise this variant: it ruins the peculiar flavor of Separate Realms.
I'd prefer to  try it on an 8x10 board, or position the Lions as you
suggest and only move the Pawns on the Lion's squares forward.

Clearly K L vs K is a win in most cases in separate realms: K vs K is
decisive if the Kings are on the same color--the King able to gain the
oppositon can force statemate. 

So if the Kings are on the same color, the Lion stays out of it if you
have the oppositon and wastes a move if the enemy has the opposition, thus
giving the oppositon back to you.

If the Kings are on opposite colors and the Lion is on the same color as
the enemy King, forcing a win should be no trouble. If the Lion is on the
same color as the friendly King, it should be quite possible to set up a
position where the Lion is moved adjacent to the enemy King which is
forced to make a losing realm-switching capture.

It would take extensive analysis to demonstrate a forced win in all cases,
but the win percentage is certain to be very high. The only non-trivial K X
vs King ending with the standard SR pieces which is draw is K B vs K with
the K B on the opposite color from the enemy King.