Chapter 37, Games for Three
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Chapter 37 Games for three [Three-player chess has a long history. Marinelli’s game of 1722 was seminal, and other early examples cited in the first edition were a triangular game (Regensburg 1765), Lallemont’s game of 1802, and Wildt’s Burgspiel of 1803. Thereafter three-player games appear fairly frequently, those below being amongst the best known or having enjoyed some favour. Nevertheless, they are arguably the most unsatisfactory of all multi-player chess games, because the disparity when two gang up against one is greatest. If three would-be players are present and it is not practicable for each in turn to look after the refreshments or to act as an umpire for Kriegspiel, the best fun may be had by trying one of the variants in this chapter and the next where the players have different roles.] 37.1 Rotationally symmetric boards based on triangles Noris Schach (Proprietary game, Treugut - as for Noris Schach but formed from a Bottcher; H. Koller and D. Stegmann, 1974). hexagon with alternate sides of lengths 7 and 4 Three-player chess on a 106-triangle board by removing the middle nine triangles from formed by taking a hexagon with alternate each long side. The sides of length 4 again act sides of lengths 5 and 4, drawing a triangular as bases. Each side has 18 men (no queen but mesh on it, and removing the middle five Chancellor (R+N) and Cardinal (B+N) triangles (three up meshed with two down) respectively on left and right of king, 9 from each of the long sides. The sides of pawns). If a pawn reaches the edge before length 4 now act as bases for the players, each attaining a back rank, it may move diagonally. player having 18 triangles for his array (four A king in checkmate or stalemate is removed up meshed with five down forming the first from the board and the remaining pieces are rank, five up meshed with four down forming added to the army of the player delivering the the second). Each player has 18 men; 9 pawns, coup-de-grâce (pawns do not change direction the usual 8 pieces and a Cardinal. The cardinal in consequence). (Inventor’s rules sheets) (between KB and N in the array) moves as a queen but cannot capture. It can only be Triangular Chess [Seaby and Lee] captured if attacked by pieces of both (Proprietary game, D. A. Seaby and J. P. Lee, opponents simultaneously when the capturing 1993). Three-player game on triangular piece (not a king) is also removed from the chequerboard divided into 64 regular triangles board. The rook and bishop each have six lines plus three abutting ‘home’ areas of 8x2 of travel, the queen 12. The king moves to any triangles, one on each side of the main board. adjacent triangle which, away from the board Usual chessmen in contrasting colours set up edge, number 12. Castling, pawn promotion as in home areas in orthochess array. Movement orthochess. First checkmate wins game. If a regular when moving into, out of or within player is stalemated, the game is drawn; home areas but some differences when similarly by agreement of all three players. moving wholly within the main board. A Noris Schach was widely played, particularly captured K can be ransomed and there is a rule in Germany, for several years. (Proprietor’s intended to discourage two players combining rules booklet and publicity material) against the third. Surviving player wins, or a time limit can be set when a scoring system Tri-Chess [Dekle, three-player game] based on men captured is used to determine (George Dekle Sr, 1986). 150-triangle board, the winner. (Proprietor’s rule sheet) 334 Every man for himself 37.2 Rotationally symmetric boards based on hexagons Three-Handed Hexagonal Chess [Wellisch] against-all. The pieces physically resemble (Sigmund Wellisch, 1912). Wellisch believed, those of shogi and many move in ways similar with reason, that his three-handed game to those of the parent game. Promotion and offered a considerable improvement over drops also closely parallel those of shogi. A those of his predecessors, in particular in that solo player able to move his king safely into the board and array ensure that no side is the pleasure garden wins. (Shogi 35) disadvantaged. Apart however from the weaknesses inherent in all three-player games, Three-Handed Hexagonal Chess [Baxter] Wellisch dodges the problem of the extra (Joe H. Baxter, 1964). Hexagonal board of bishop, necessary for complete coverage of the 217 regular hexagons (nine along each side) in board, by doing without bishops altogether on three colours. Each player has a total of 19 the grounds that there are no diagonals. Pieces men, the usual 16 plus an extra B and two and board cells are coloured yellow, red and extra Ps. The three sides are regularly spaced black. Each player has an extra knight. 91-cell round the board, the array being identical in hexagonal board as for Glinski’s game, but the each case: 1st rank RNBKBQBNR, 2nd rank men are placed along the sides instead of 10xP. When one player is mated he being grouped around opposite corners; array withdraws, his pieces remaining unmoved for (centred on three ranks) NRQKRN, PPPNPPP, the rest of the game but subject to capture by PP (Qs always to left of Ks). R moves as in either of the remaining players. The K moves Glinski’s game. K moves to any adjacent hex, to any adjacent hex (maximum 6) but captures changes place with R when castling. N moves as in Glinski; castling possible. The P moves in any direction to nearest cell of the same one cell at a time, with option of two on first colour. Q = R+N; P moves one cell forward move, in either of the two forward directions. (two directions), captures in same manner (no The P captures forward one cell as a B (three pawn-two or e.p.), and promotes on end row to options, with exception of perimeter pawns). piece previously lost. A checkmated player Other pieces move as Glinski. (Photocopy of may be released from checkmate or his king inventor’s rules pamphlet, possibly produced captured. The player capturing the king, who as a patent application) may or may not be the player who delivered checkmate, takes over the remaining pieces of Hyperchess [Groman] (William Groman, the mated player. Pawns taken over keep their early 1970s), three-player version. 97-cell direction of movement. The object of the board, obtained by taking a hexagonal board game is to defeat both opponents. (Wiener with alternate sides 8 and 5 and removing the Schachzeitung 1912) middle two hexes from each of the long sides and the middle hex from the next row in. The Modern Chess [Perry] (Proprietary game, 5-cell sides now form the bases for the Elizabeth Perry, 1918). Board of 64 hexagons players, with array BQBKB, R-NN-R, 7xP. In in three colours arranged in a triangle. Set-up this game, the men of a mated or stalemated not known. (Collection of game rules under player are frozen but can be captured. Unique ‘CUP 700.g.1’, presumed to be a British to a multi-player game (at least at the time) is Library shelfmark) the ‘recovery move’: the player delivering the coup-de-grace has the privilege of making Kokusai Sannin Shogi (Tanigasaki Jisuke, c. another move immediately, effectively having 1930, revived by Maruo Manabu). Three- two successive moves. handed shogi. The board is hexagonal in shape and is made up of 127 cells (seven a side). The Hexachess [Moeser] (David Moeser, 1971), central hexagon, marked, is the Pleasure three-player version. 153-cell board obtained Garden. Each player has 18 pieces by taking a triangle of side 18 and removing a symbolizing political elements. Two players 6-cell triangle from each vertex, giving a four- may form an alliance, for which there are cell baseline; each player’s initial position as elaborate rules, or the game may be all- for the two-player game. The forces of a Games for three 335 player who is mated or stalemated are frozen, pieces in the same line in the one move. The but can be captured by the other players. [Text winner is the State (player) whose capital (K) revised. The array for the two-player has K remains uncaptured. Promotion for a worker, facing K; I presume that the positions for the employee or intelligence is on any one of the three-player game repeat by rotation, but the three central hexes when he or she becomes rules do not explicitly say so.] Culture (K). Disarmament and revolution can both occur during play but without doing Hexchess [Hexchess Inc] (Proprietary game, much for the game. (Manuscript notes Hexchess Inc, 1975). Two or three players. presumably deriving from a set in David’s 127-cell hexagonal board, normal men, game collection) corner-based array K, NQB, RBPNR, PPPPPPP rotating round. Moves as in Glinski En Garde (Proprietary game, Mynd Games; except that the K’s move is confined to Herb Maretz, 1988). 165-cell tricorn board in adjacent hexes. Pawns promote on reaching an three colours; each player has an extra bishop. end hex; no e.p. or castling. In the three-player Array RNBKBQBNR with 8 pawns in front. version, three objectives are offered: (1) (Proprietor’s publicity material) winner is player who Irst checkmates an opponent, third player earns draw; (2) pieces Astral Battle (Proprietary game, Michel of Irst player to be mated are frozen but can Boutin, 1989).