Configuration Chess
This page contains one or more presets for playing a game online with Game Courier, an online server for playing Chess variants by correspondence.
Configuration Chess is like standard chess except that the players can, before play begins, swap places of the king + queen and another piece except the rooks. The players in turn swap, firstly, the king, secondly, the queen. Thus, when the king is swapped (relocated), the other piece (the relocatee) ends up on the king's square. When the queen is swapped, the relocatee ends up on the queen's square. One restriction is that the bishops mustn't end up on the same square colour, and the king cannot become a relocatee (i.e. swapped by the queen). Note that black begins by swapping his king. Alternatively he can choose to leave the position as it is. The white player then has the option to relocate his king. After the kings thus have been swapped the turn goes back to black. The queens can now optionally be relocated. When white has made his queen swap (or dispensed with this possibility) he immediately starts the game by making the first move. The method generates 400 different positions.
Note that the king retains his castling rights even if it has been relocated. The castling rules are simple and derive from Chess960. King and rook end up on their usual squares. The only difference is that the king can make longer leaps than usual (or shorter, or none at all). All squares between king and rook must be empty and unthreatened and neither of the pieces must have moved before.
Note! Castling is done by dropping the king on the rook. This is to resolve ambiguites. (The players must themselves keep count of whether the king/rook have already been moved.) Moves are automated (point and click), but rules of check, etc., are ignored. At pawn promotion the player is asked about promotion piece.
Note! During the initial relocation phase, when a red pawn is visible, the player is compelled to pass the move by moving the red pawn. When a green pawn is visible, the player can either make a piece swap or pass the move (by moving the green pawn). You can only swap pieces by typing e.g. "swap e8 g8". When the relocation phase is over the number (1) shows up on the board.
Configuration Chess
A Zillions
program and more information is here.
See also: Chess400 (This is the randomized variant, which also functions as a Chess400 position generator.)
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By M Winther.
Web page created: 2010-12-20. Web page last updated: 2010-12-20