Winner New Game Design Competition Chess and Mathematics Conference, London Olympia, Dec 6/7 2014 Football Chess Tatiana Ogneva ([email protected]) www.virtualchess.ru Director, Chess School“Etud”, Moscow, Russia 1. Introduction This game combines elements of chess and football. The sports theme makes it attractive to a wider range of children. The objective is easier to understand than in chess. Playing the game requires learning how each piece moves. The game has been successfully tested on primary school children. 2. Set up Start as in a normal chess game but remove the Pawns and Kings leaving seven pieces each. The goal area for the white team is on squares e1 and d1 and for the black team is on e8 and d8. The ball (e.g. a marker) is located on one of the centre (e4, d4, e5, d5) squares. Each time the game is played the ball must be placed on a different centre square. The starting position with the ball on e4. 3. Pieces and Moves The pieces move as in chess. In the Arrangement stage, starting with White, the players take turns to move until seven moves have been completed - one move by each piece. Capturing is forbidden at this stage. Pieces can move to any unoccupied square on their own side of the board together with the centre squares. The players seek to set up their pieces in preparation for the subsequent football game. After the Arrangement Stage, capturing capability is restored. To move the ball, it is necessary to occupy the same square as the ball (“control the ball”). The ball stays with any piece that controls the ball. To obtain the ball, the opponent must capture the controlling piece which is then removed from the board. Scoring a goal is achieved by moving the ball into the goal area. It does not matter if the opponent’s pieces are occupying the goal area – they are captured. 4. Objective The first person to score a goal wins the game. It is a “golden goal”. The defence seeks to intercept the attacking piece before it reaches the goal area. 5. Examples The playing Arrangment after each player has made their moves. The ball is at e4. 1.Nc3 Nf6 2.Bd3 Bf5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Qe2 Bd6 5.Bf4 Qe7 6.Rhe1 Rhe8 7.Rad1 Ra7 The game of football commences after the arrangement stage. We see a fight for possession of the ball. 8. Ng5 BXf4 9.Nce4* NXe4* 10.BXe4* BXe4* 11. NXe4* Qxe4* 12.Qxe4* Rxe4* 13. Rxe4* Be5 * the piece controls the ball The Rook on e4 controls the ball. The Bishop on e5 prevents the shot on goal. 14. Rd6 Re7 15. RXc6 Bd6 White scores first and 16. Rd4* Bc7 17. RXc7 RXc7 wins the game. 18. Rd8* goal 1-0 Competition organised by Chess in Schools and Communities. www.chessinschools.co.uk Controller: John Foley. Judges: Jérôme Maufras (France, Chairman), Alan Parr (England), Rita Atkins (Hungary/UK) .