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This page is written by the game's inventor, Daniel Zacharias.

Overboard

This is an oversized combination of many of my older ideas. Despite the name, I tried to keep everything simple. Each piece has the same capturing and non-capturing moves, there are no multi-capturers, and only the pawns promote—but there are two types! It was originally meant to be smaller, but there wasn't room in 196 or even 225 squares for everything to fit comfortably.

Setup

files=16 ranks=16 promoZone=0 promoChoice=W/PH/PF/PQ/PS/VH/VF/VQ/VS graphicsDir=https://chessvariants.com/cgi-bin/fen2.php?s=50&t=Greenwade&w=e2d5bf&b=8F8779&p= squareSize=40 graphicsType= borders=1 rimColor=#505A71 lightShade=#CEb089 darkShade=#968164 coordColor=#CEb089 firstRank=1 royal=K guard pawn:P:f(dauf)W:weakpawn:a5,b5,c5,d5,e5,f5,g5,h5,i5,j5,k5,l5,m5,n5,o5,p5,,a12,b12,c12,d12,e12,f12,g12,h12,i12,j12,k12,l12,m1 morph=*/1/2/3/4 courier pawn:V:fyafodaubBcfB:pawn:f4,g4,h4,i4,j4,k4,,f13,g13,h13,i13,j13,k13 morph=*/5/6/7/8 knight:N:N:knight:c4,n4,,c13,n13 bishop:B:B:bishop:g2,j2,,g15,j15 rook:R:R:rook:a2,p2,,a15,p15 queen:Q:Q:queen:h2,,h15 horse queen:H:NmpafsyafFNmpafsyafW:pegasus--unicorn:g1,,g16 guard:gu:(dauf)W:wazir:h3,i3,,h14,i14 chipmunk:CI:(dauf)F:ferz:g3,j3,,g14,j14 elephant:E:yafodaubQcQ:elephant:d2,m2,,d15,m15 camel:C:C:camel:d3,m3,,d14,m14 zebra:Z:Z:zebra:e3,l3,,e14,l14 osprey:O:DmpafyafsW:osprey:e1,l1,,e16,l16 rhino:RH:WyafsW:rhinoceros:b2,o2,,b15,o15 unicorn:U:NmpafsyafW:unicorn:c1,n1,,c16,n16 gryphon:G:FyafsF:griffin:f2,k2,,f15,k15 pegasus:GG:NmpafsyafF:pegasus:b1,o1,,b16,o16 warrior:CM:WaffsW:champion:b4,o4,,b13,o13 titan:T:FaffsF:sniff:d4,m4,,d13,m13 ballista:BA:DH:ballista:f3,k3,,f14,k14 prince:KK:KafsK:prince:c3,n3,,c14,n14 courier:CU:yafodaubBcB:envelope:e4,l4,,e13,l13 condor:CO:AmpafyafsF:vulture:d1,m1,,d16,m16 flying bishop:OB:(dauf)B:wings--bishop:e2,l2,,e15,l15 wild queen:W:KANDGZCH:buffalo--duchess:j1,,j16 hare:RB:yafodaubRcR:rabbit:a4,p4,,a13,p13 ski bishop:BB:AmpafyafF:ski--bishop:f1,k1,,f16,k16 ski rook:RR:DmpafyafW:ski--rook:a1,p1,,a16,p16 ski queen:S:AmpafyafFDmpafyafW:ski--queen:i1,,i16 javelin:J:AG:javelin:b3,o3,,b14,o14 flying queen:F:(dauf)Q:wings--queen:h1,,h16 flying rook:OR:(dauf)R:wings--rook:c2,n2,,c15,n15 monkey:M:(dauf)K:monkey:a3,p3,,a14,p14 king:K:KisO6:king:i2,,i15

Pieces

Guard Pawn

The Guard Pawn moves straight forward to the nearest square that is not occupied by a friendly piece. It may promote upon reaching any of the last five ranks.

Courier Pawn

The Courier Pawn moves diagonally forward as far as possible until it lands on an enemy or is stopped by a friendly piece or the board edge. It may promote upon reaching any of the last five ranks.

Chipmunk

The Chipmunk moves in any diagonal direction to the nearest space in that direction that is not occupied by a friendly piece.

Guard

The Guard moves in any orthogonal direction to the nearest space in that direction that is not occupied by a friendly piece.

Monkey

The Monkey combines the moves of the Chipmunk and Guard. It moves in any diagonal or orthogonal direction to the nearest space in that direction that is not occupied by a friendly piece.

Courier

The Courier moves diagonally as far as possible until it lands on an enemy or is stopped by a friendly piece or the board edge.

Hare

The Hare moves orthogonally as far as possible until it lands on an enemy or is stopped by a friendly piece or the board edge.

Elephant

The Elephant combines the moves of the Courier and Hare. It moves as a Queen as far as possible until it lands on an enemy or is stopped by a friendly piece or the board edge.

Titan

The Titan makes one or two diagonal steps, optionally changing direction for the second step. It may not return to it's starting square on the same move. This piece is also known as War Elephant in Shatranj Kamil X.

Warrior

The Warrior makes one or two orthogonal steps, optionally changing direction for the second step. It may not return to it's starting square on the same move.

Prince

The Prince makes one orthogonal step, or one diagonal step, or one of each. It can reach the same squares as a King and a Knight, but it does not leap.

Knight

The Knight is the familiar chess knight. It makes a 1,2 leap.

Camel

The Camel too is it's familiar self. It makes a 1,3 leap.

Zebra

The Zebra makes a 2,3 leap, as expected.

Javelin

The Javelin leaps two or three squares diagonally.

Ballista

The Ballista leaps two or three squares orthogonally

Rules

Promotions

Guard Pawns and Courier Pawns may promote on any of the last five ranks. Promotions before the last rank are optional. These are the promotion options.


This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.

By Daniel Zacharias.

Last revised by Daniel Zacharias.


Web page created: 2024-04-04. Web page last updated: 2024-04-04

Revisions of MSoverboard