xchess rulesxchess.org/pdf/xchessrulesprinttoplay.pdf · 2016-04-21 · this is the chess...

xChess Rules

xchess.org

P r i n t t o P l a y

Take the Leap

x C h e s s R u l e s C o p y r i g h t © W o l f g a n g F l a t o w

Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Objective ................................................................................................................................................. 4

xChess Relaxed .................................................................................................................................... 4

xChess Traditional ............................................................................................................................... 4

A Draw ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Openings ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Traditional Opening ........................................................................................................................... 5

Fortress Opening ................................................................................................................................. 6

McCooey Opening ............................................................................................................................... 7

Glinski Opening ................................................................................................................................... 8

Choosing Sides ........................................................................................................................................ 9

Moving .................................................................................................................................................... 9

Capturing ................................................................................................................................................. 9

Converting ............................................................................................................................................... 9

Chess Pieces ............................................................................................................................................ 9

King ................................................................................................................................................... 10

Queen ................................................................................................................................................ 10

Bishop................................................................................................................................................ 12

Knight ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Castle ................................................................................................................................................. 14

Pawn.................................................................................................................................................. 15

Pawn Variations ................................................................................................................................ 16

For Traditional Chess Players ................................................................................................................ 16

The Story of the Flatow and Glinski Games .......................................................................................... 17

The Hexagonal Hub of Canberra ........................................................................................................... 19


Introduction

xChess is based on a Hexagonal Chess Game invented in Canberra Australia, in 1973 by Wolfgang Flatow. The Flatow Chess Board is a 65 hexagon 8 x 4 x 4 hexagonal matrix, one more hexagon than the traditional 64 square matrix.

The chess piece moves are intuitively and logically mapped by closely correlating adjacent and diagonal moves used by the traditional square Chess game. xChess has 2 openings, the Flatow opening can be played using a traditional set of pieces, having 2 bishops (all on the same diagonal grid) and the Fortress opening having 3 bishops (one for each diagonal grid) per side.

Two additional openings are included, McCooey and Glinski, which are openings developed for the Glinski Chess Board yet work equally well on the Flatow Chess board.

Flatow Chess was refined over 2 years of intensive exploratory play by Canberra Chess enthusiasts and was self-published in 1976 in Australia.

The Flatow Chess Board and openings present the neatest and most compact form of Hexagonal Chess and xChess is the combination of the best openings and pawn variations discovered over the years.

The X in xChess stands for HeXagon, eXtra dimension, eXtra power, eXtra possibilities, eXtra fun and X Factor.

We trust you will enjoy xChess once you Take the Leap.


Objective

There are 2 alternative objectives in xChess. Announce which one is used (along with

which pawn is used - see below) before the start of each game.

xChess Relaxed

The relaxed aim of xChess is to cause the opponent to resign or capture the opponents King.

This is similar to traditional "Check Mate" which stops short of the capture move, but in xChess the opponents King may actually be captured to win, and may be captured from a "non-check-mate" scenario. A player may resign if they deem that they are facing a check-mate scenario.

Any move that threatens to capture the opponents King in the next move may be announced as "Check", but is voluntary. It remains good form and gamesmanship to announce "Check".

The capture of a King, or resignation by a players, is announced as "xChess" by the winner.

xChess Traditional

The traditional Check Mate rule of square chess can be used. This means that any move that would place you in Check is illegal and that the only way to terminate the game is to block all means of escape for the opponents King in the next move, which is announced as Check Mate.

A Draw

If a player is not in check but has no legal move, or only a move that would place

them in Check, it is a Draw.

If a move is repeated 3 times the game is a Draw.

If no win has occurred within 60 moves it is a Draw.

Openings

xChess provides 4 openings, the original two openings developed by the inventor Wolfgang Flatow for the Flatow Hexagonal Chess Board used by xChess, and 2 openings historically used on the Glinski Hexagonal Chess Board.

All openings use these xChess Rules with the Flatow Chess Board.


Traditional Opening

Flatow's 2 Bishop, 7 Pawn opening for traditional Chess Piece Sets (you can use chess

pieces supplied with traditional square chess games). It is the simplest opening.

Note that both bishops on both sides are on the same diagonal grid. This leaves the

other two diagonal grids with less cover and makes for an easier game.


Fortress Opening

This is Flatow's 3 Bishop, 9 Pawn opening. This is the chess enthusiasts opening.

You need 2 extra bishops and 2 extra pawns from a traditional chess set.

Note the three bishops each inhabit one of the three diagonal grids providing even

coverage of bishop power. The double pawns in front of the King and Queen provide

a highly defensive fortress opening.


McCooey Opening

McCooey's 3 bishop, 7 Pawn opening. This is the most compact 3 bishop opening.

Note the Knights in front of the King and Queen making a strong defence from the

front. However, the single Pawns in the far left and right columns make for weaker

opening flanks.


Glinski Opening

Glinski's 3 bishop, 7 Pawn opening. This is for players of the Glinski Hex Chess game

who have become accustomed to this widely used opening.

Note that this opening was used on the 6 x 6 x 6 Glinski Chess board with 91

hexagons. However, the number of central column hexagons (11) is the same for

both boards.


Choosing Sides

The player who picks yellow starts the first game. Pick blue or yellow using a coin toss or any other method.

Players retain the same side and colour for all subsequent games.

The first move of each game is then alternated between players/sides/colours.

Moving

Each player takes turns moving a chess piece.

See the Piece Moves section to see the way each piece can move.

All chess piece moves are blocked by all other pieces, except the Knights moves which can 'leap' all other pieces (Note diagonal moves below).

Capturing

A player can capture an opponent's chess piece by moving their own piece onto the hexagon occupied by the opponent's piece in a legal move.

The captured piece is removed from the board and no longer factors in play.

Converting

When playing with the Classic 3 Pawn, when the Pawn reaches the opponents rear row of hexagons, the Pawn may be swapped for any captured piece.

Chess Pieces

xChess uses traditional chess pieces that move on the hexagonal grid in a similar manner to the square grid.

There is a 150% increase in the directions available on the hexagonal grid when compared to the square chess game.

The Chess Pieces have a similar 150% increase in directions that they can move in.

In xChess, you can select between Classic 3, Power 6 or Super 12 Pawns, corresponding to the number of hexagons they can move to (see below).


King

The King moves one hexagon through the sides or one hexagon through the corner

(diagonal). The King must be protected from capture by your opponent. If your King

is captured you lose the game.

Note the relaxed aim of xChess is to cause the opponent to resign or capture the opponents King.

This is similar to traditional "Check Mate" which stops short of the capture move, but in relaxed xChess the opponents King may actually be captured to win, and may be captured from a "non-check-mate" scenario. See "Objective" above.

Queen

The Queen moves through the sides or through the corners (diagonal) of hexagons,


in a straight line. The Queen moves in 12 directions across the chess board and is the

most powerful chess piece.

Note that the Queen is able to move between and along the 3 diagonal grid. These

are the hardest to spot at first. Notice how moves along the diagonal are NOT

BLOCKED by any pieces not on the same diagonal grid.


Bishop

The Bishop moves through the corners (diagonal) of hexagons, in a straight line. The

Bishop moves in 6 directions across the chess board and remains on the same colour.

Note that the Bishop is able to move along the 3 diagonal grids. These are the

hardest to spot at first. Notice how moves along the diagonal are NOT BLOCKED by

any pieces not on the same diagonal grid.

With the Flatow Opening there are 2 Bishops each side, all on the same central

diagonal grid.

With all the other openings there are 3 Bishops each side, one on each diagonal grid.


Knight

The Knight 'leaps' to 12 hexagons circling the Knight 'off-line'. The leap is navigated

by moving 2 hexagons through the side, then one hexagon either way at 60°.

Note that the 2/1 path used to navigate the leap is NOT BLOCKED by any pieces along

that path.

It is a long leap and is strategic in overcoming defences.


Castle

The Castle moves through the sides of hexagons, in a straight line. The Castle moves

in 6 directions across the chess board and is the second most powerful chess piece.

Note how 2 Castles, or a Castle with a Queen, can cover a pair of Hexagon Rows in 2

directions, making them a valuable strategic piece to trap the opponents King.


Pawn

In xChess, you can select between Classic 3, Power 6 or Super 12 Pawns, corresponding to the number of hexagons they can move to (see below).

All Pawn variations can move 2 hexagons directly forward on their first move.

All Pawn Variations CANNOT capture moving directly forward.

The Pawns are your defensive shield in the face of the powerful Hexagonal Chess

Pieces.


Pawn Variations

All Pawn variations can move 2 hexagons directly forward on their first move.

All Pawn Variations CANNOT capture moving directly forward.

xChess has 3 variations of the Pawn:

Classic 3 Pawn moves one space forward and captures one hexagon at 60° left or right.

Power 6 Pawn moves and captures to 6 adjacent hexagons. Super 12 Pawn moves and captures to 6 adjacent and 6 diagonal hexagons

(same as King).

These can be combined with any of the 4 openings and create great variations in game play.

The Classic 3 Pawn is closest to the traditional square chess pawn. It works best with the Flatow Opening.

It has been found that the great power of the major Hexagonal Chess Pieces is more balanced using the more capable Power 6 Pawn.

The Super 12 Pawn raises the Pawns to a formidable and versatile Chess Piece. The diagonal move capability allows it to cover 3 hexagons (through side) in 2 moves.

The Power 6 and the Super 12 Pawn are recommended for all xChess Openings.

For Traditional Chess Players

Traditional chess players, please note the following if using the xChess Relaxed rule:

A King can be captured, at any stage, without a Check-Mate prerequisite.

A King can be moved into a check position.

A Player Resigning when in Check is the closest to Check-Mate

And in all cases:

In xChess there is no "Queening", instead a pawn is promoted to any captured piece - which may be a Queen (Classic 3 Pawn only).

In xChess there is no Castling.

In xChess there is no En Passant.


The Story of the Flatow and Glinski Games

In 1974 Wolfgang Flatow, an artist and inventor, began playing chess on a hexagonal

chess board he invented with friends in Canberra, Australia. He used intuitive

mapping of chess pieces from a square chess board to a hexagonal chess board,

designed a 8 x 4 x 4 hexagon chess board and wrote a rule book.

Unknown to Wolfgang, and in an incredible example of global synchronicity, Glinski

was publishing his version of Hexagonal Chess in England at a similar time. Wolfgang

eventually discovered Glinski's version of Hexagonal Chess in 1976 in a Canberra

Games shop, while he was selling his own version of Hexagonal Chess.

The Glinski game was taken up by games publishers and was marketed around the

World, diminishing player and commercial interest in the Flatow version.

As it turned out, Wolfgang had made virtually identical intuitive mappings of the

chess pieces to a hexagonal grid and in hindsight they are simply 'logical'. What was

very different however was the Hexagonal Chess Board and game opening!

The Flatow Chess Board is a 65 hexagon 8 x 4 x 4 board while the Glinski Chess Board

is a 91 hexagon 6 x 6 x 6 board.

The Flatow board has 1 more hexagon than the 64 squares of the traditional chess

board. The Glinski board has 27 more hexagons which greatly increases complexity.

A significant difference between the Flatow and Glinski games are the openings.

Wolfgang created one opening for his board that uses 2 bishops and 7 pawns

(Flatow) to allow players to play with existing chess sets, and another opening that

uses 3 bishops and 9 pawns (Fortress). Both of Wolfgang's openings are neater and

more compact when compared to Glinski's opening (see above).

So while both Flatow and Glinski games share some logical chess piece moves, they

are distinctly different expressions of Hexagonal Chess.

Wolfgang has also introduced the Power 6 and Super 12 Pawns which he has found

to be a superior balance with the power pieces than the Classic 3 pawns.

The Flatow game focuses essentially the same chess piece powers on a hexagonal

chess board that has 71.43% of the hexagons of the Glinski game.

As you do not need to consider the strategic impact of 26 hexagons the Flatow game

is easier to play. But it may surprise you just how much easier!


Flatow Total Flatow % Glinski Total Glinski %

Hexagons 65 71.43% 91 140.00%

Connections 612 68.00% 900 147.06%

King Permutations 1.47013E+28 0.03% 5.05212E+31 343650%

Each additional hexagon dramatically increases the permutations! We have

calculated the increase in permutations of the Kings moves (above) for both chess

boards and the Flatow Board game is 0.03% as complex when compared to the

Glinski board.

This is good thing as the increase in Hexagonal Chess Piece Power over the square

board already raises complexity greatly - we estimate 60 fold.

We propose that the Flatow game is neater, more compact, much easier and much

more fun to play.

You be the judge.


The Hexagonal Hub of Canberra

We cannot leave out one other synchronicity, that of Wolfgang's invention of the

Flatow Hexagonal Chess game having being made in Canberra.

Go to Google Earth, type in "Canberra" and click Search, and there it is, the

Hexagonal Hub of Australia's Capital City.

The hexagonal theme is scattered throughout the city in pavements and sculptures.

Wolfgang has pondered how Canberra's hexagons may have influenced the games

invention.

Now consider this, Canberra - Hexagon City - has an adjacent city, just outside the

Australian Capital Territory but virtually merged today, called Queanbeyan.

Which is pronounced "Queen-Bee-Ann"!

Considering Bees and hexagons are synonymous AND that like the Queen Bee the

new Hexagonal Queen Chess Piece truly rules with 12 directions of travel, this is a

highly amusing geographical, architectural and geometric synchronicity.


xChess Copyright © 1974 - 2016

Wolfgang Flatow©

All Rights Reserved

The 65 Hexagon Flatow Chess Board is

Copyright © 1973 Wolfgang Flatow

Print to Play Permission:

You may print one copy of this xChess Rules book

and the xChess Board for personal use and play.

A Chess Club may print one copy of this xChess Rules book

and the xChess Board for each of its members.

Original pdfs are only published at xchess.org.

All printouts must include this page in full.

Red Ankh Publications Ltd

xchess rulesxchess.org/pdf/xchessrulesprinttoplay.pdf · 2016-04-21 · this is the chess...

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