You can find the most recent versions of these rules here: http://www.chessvariants.org/index/msdisplay.php?itemid=MSnearchess
The rules below are show to lay out how Near Chess differs from normal
chess. In the zrf file are other variants, whose rules are not listed.
Consult each game in the zrf to see how exactly they pl
INTRODUCTION
Near Chess is based off the variant, Skirmish Chess, by Tony Paletta:
http://www.chessvariants.org/index/msdisplay.php?itemid=MSskirmishchess
Skirmish Chess is a modest variant of regular chess, that follows nearly
all the rules of regular chess, but is meant to engage the players faster,
by moving the pieces closer. This variant uses the same set up, and while
it also engages players faster into capturing, its intention is different.
The purpose of Near Chess is to be one of the fastest ways to introduce
people to chess, and the world of chess variants, without being trivial to
those who play it still. Near Chess expands upon the pawn simplification
of Skirmish Chess, and removes rules from regular chess that aren't needed
and also makes it harder for new players to learn. The end result is a
game that can be taught quickly to newbies, and get them playing faster.
SETUP
It is the same as in Skirmish Chess:
White's back rank is empty and White's chessmen are moved up to the third
rank (pawns) and the second rank (non-pawns); Black's chessmen are
similarly arrayed, with pawns on the sixth rank and non-pawns on the
seventh rank. Pawns do not have a double-step option on their first move.
RULES
Same as in standard FIDE Chess, except for the set-up and these rules which
have been removed or changed:
- Pawns only move one space forward and capture one space diagonally.
There is also no En Passant. This is because pawns start forward.
- There is no castling.
- Game is won by capturing the opponent's king, rather than checkmating
it. This eliminates stalemate.
- Pieces only promote to those pieces that have been captured, except a
pawn. In other words, the player is limited to only one queen, two rooks,
two knights, etc... A pawn is not permitted to move into the back row,
unless it is able to be promoted to some other pieces, besides another
pawn.
NOTES
When all the pieces got shifted forward one space, it became apparent that
had chess taken this route in its development after the Mad Queen was
introduced, all the more complicated rules introduced to make chess work
would likely of never came into being. These change, while simplifying
chess, hardly makes it more trivial. As players play this, they will find
that they do more positioning behind their pawns, rather than in front of
them. Also pawn exchanges will be more common, but also more tricky to
determine whether or not they should be taken. It would be common to see
in a Near Chess game to have several pawn captures that can be taken, but
passed on, because the players decide to pursue other lines of play.
Near Chess remains true to the spirit of regular chess, but has its own twists. It has also useful for introducing more pieces into play. The back rank gives players extra spaces to put down variant pieces. Near Chess should not be seen as a replacement for regular chess, but as a
complimentary game, both to introduce people to world of chess faster, and also for another game to based variants off of, instead of regular chess.
The name "Near Chess" has a double meaning. Near refers to both how close the pieces are one another (they are Nearer than normal, thus near), and also the rules are not quite those of regular chess, but "near" to them. |
