Chess variant

Other games in the chess family, such as shogi (Japan), xiangqi (China), and ouk chatran (Cambodian) are also developments from chaturanga made in other regions. These related games are considered chess variants^{[citation needed]}, though the majority of variants are, expressly, modifications of chess. The basic rules of chess were not standardized until the 19th century, and the history of chess before this involves many variants, with the most popular modifications spreading and eventually forming the modern game.

Types of variants

While some regional variants have historical origins comparable to or even older than chess, the majority of variants are express attempts by individuals or small groups to create new games with chess as a starting point. In most cases the creators are attempting to create new games of interest to chess enthusiasts or a wider audience. Variants normally have the same public domain status as chess, though a few (such as Knightmare Chess) are proprietary, and the materials for play are released as commercial products.

The variations from chess may be done to address a perceived issue with the standard game. For example,

Some variations are created for the purpose of composing interesting puzzles, rather than being intended for full games. This field of composition is known as fairy chess.

Fairy chess gave rise to the term "fairy chess piece" which is used more broadly across writings about chess variants to describe chess pieces with movement rules other than those of the standard chess pieces. Forms of standardised notation have been devised to systematically describe the movement of these. A distinguishing feature of several chess variants is the presence of one or more fairy pieces. Physical models of common fairy pieces are sold by major chess set suppliers.^[10]

Notable inventors

Several

Some board game designers, notable for works across a wider range of board games, have created chess variants. These include Robert Abbott (Baroque chess) and Andy Looney (Martian chess).

Play

While chess, shogi, and xiangqi have professional circuits as well as many organised tournaments for amateurs, play of chess variants is predominately on a casual basis.

A few variants have had significant tournaments. Several

Several internet chess servers facilitate live play of popular variants, including Chess.com,^[12] Lichess,^[13] and the Free Internet Chess Server.^[14] The software packages Zillions of Games and Fairy-Max have been programmed to support many chess variants.^[15][16]

Some

Analysis and study

Notation

Play in most chess variants is sufficiently similar to chess that games can be recorded with

Scholarship and cataloguing

Various publications have been written regarding chess variants. Variant Chess magazine was published from 1990 to 2010, being an official publication of the

A leading figure in the field was David Pritchard, who authored several books on the topic. Most significantly, he compiled an encyclopedia of variants which outlined thousands of different games. Following Pritchard's death in 2005, the second edition of the encyclopedia was completed and published by John Beasley under the title The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants.^[19]

A recent overview of historical and some modern variants was published under the title of A World of Chess in 2017.^[20]

The Chess Variant Pages website includes a constantly expanding catalogue of variants.

Computer variant chess

	a	b	c	d	e	f
6							6
5							5
4							4
3							3
2							2
1							1
	a	b	c	d	e	f

Final position in a Los Alamos chess game between MANIAC I (white) and a chess beginner (black). MANIAC I managed to checkmate its inexperienced opponent in the first instance of a computer defeating a human at a chess-like game.

A few chess variants have been the subject of significant computational analysis. Los Alamos chess, a 6×6 variant, was created in 1956 expressly for computers, its simplicity meant that it was possible for the MANIAC I computer to play it, with a victory over a beginner player the first instance of a computer winning a chess-like game against human opposition.^[21] Conversely, Arimaa was developed in 2003 to be deliberately resistant to computer analysis while easy for human players, though computers were able to comprehensively surpass human players by 2015.^[22]

While

Chess variants have been invented in various fiction.[25] In The Chessmen of Mars author Edgar Rice Burroughs describes Jetan which depicts a war between two races of Martian. An appendix fully defines the rules of the game. More commonly specifics of fictional variants are not detailed in the original works, though several have been codified into playable games by fans. An example of this is Tri-Dimensional Chess from Star Trek. On-screen play was not conducted to any specific rules, but a comprehensive rulebook has been since developed.^[2] Another well known example of fictional chess-like game are the Star Wars holochess, or dejarik.^[26]

Fictional chess variants can involve fantastical or dangerous elements that cannot be implemented in real life. The Chessmen of Mars describes a form of Jetan where the pieces are human beings and captures are replaced by fights to the death between them. The Doctor Who episode "The Wedding of River Song" depicts "Live Chess", which introduces potentially lethal electric currents into the game.

See also

• List of chess variants
• Shogi variant
• Xiangqi variant
• Janggi variant

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chess variants.

Bibliography

• Cazaux, Jean-Louis; Knowlton, Rick (2017). A World of Chess: Its Development and Variations Through Centuries and Civilizations. McFarland.
  ISBN 978-0786494279
  .
• Gollon, John (1968). Chess Variations • Ancient, Regional, and Modern.
  LCCN 06811975
  .
• ISBN 978-0-9524142-0-9
  .
• ISBN 978-0-7134-8578-3
  .
• ISBN 978-0-9555168-0-1
  .