Medieval chess

Abstract

A modified chess game for play by two players comprising a game board ten squares wide and ten squares deep, and utilizing an expanded set of chess pieces including a full set of traditional chess pieces plus three (3) new pieces to be known as “medieval chess pieces”. Each player has a set of chess pieces consisting of one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, two Trebuchets, two Carriages, eight Guards, and ten Pawns. The pieces are positioned in three rows per side, wherein the back row has a Trebuchet, Rook, Knight, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Trebuchet; the second row has four Guards, two Carriages positioned in front of the King and Queen, and four Guards; and the third row has ten Pawns. Traditional chess pieces are moved pursuant to conventional movements and rules of capture in traditional chess, and the new chess pieces are moved pursuant to moves and rules of capture described herein for the game of Medieval Chess. The game ends in accordance with traditional rules of chess.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not applicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not applicableREFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX[0003]Not applicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The present invention pertains to board games and more particularly to improvements in chess games, and applies to all forms of chess games, including electronic, online, physical, and any other form present or future.[0005]In traditional chess, two opposing armies face each other across a playing board of 64 equal squares, eight squares across and eight squares deep. The armies consist of eight Pawns, two Rooks (castles), two Knights, two Bishops, a Queen and a King. These pieces can be referred to as traditional chess pieces.[0006]The game ends immediately when one player captures the opposing King or when the game is played to stalemate. As a result, the duration of the game is often short, typicall...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]Accordingly, it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a modified chess game which provides three new chess pieces and their moves and captures, thereby increasing the strategic considerations and scope of the game.

[0019]Another objective of this invention is to provide a chess game that is played on a ten-by-ten checkered board, referred to as a “medieval checkerboard”, to increase the historical relevance and general interest in medieval times, and to provide a larger playing area for the increased number of game pieces to maneuver in.

[0020]Another object of this invention is to provide a chess game that incorporates aspects of medieval warfare, in particular siege weapons and skilled infantry. The new pieces are to provide both the advantages and disadvantages that their actual counterparts incurred in medieval times. So, the Trebuchet is a slow-moving, long-range weapon used to break down defenses over enemy lines, but is subject to easy capture. The Carriage is a fast-moving, agile piece that is hard to predict in strategic planning, but its value as a means of escape for the King or Queen present strategic incentives for conservative usage. The Guards operate as skilled infantry of medieval times, with greater mobility and capability than Pawns, serving as defensive pieces to the royalty pieces of the back row, while being susceptible to long-range attack.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the duration of the game is often short, typically around 20 minutes according to many game sites.

Moreover, the popularity of chess notwithstanding, traditional chess has become overly familiar as many game sequences have been defined and even labeled.

These games have not appeared to capture the public's imagination.

Like medieval trebuchets, the Trebuchet lacks agility and can be swarmed and captured by pieces that manage to get in under its range of attack.

Once captured, the Trebuchet cannot be retrieved by promotion, that is, it cannot be restored to play if a Pawn is promoted, just like a damaged trebuchet in medieval times took time to build and could not be easily replaced.

What is most challenging is that the Carriage does not, and in fact may not, move in a straight line.

This mobility makes Medieval Chess much more exciting than traditional chess, and more challenging when planning one's moves.

Because of the power of carriaging, Carriages, like Trebuchets, cannot be retrieved by promotion once taken out of play or captured.

Although there are many chess sets that feature pieces that look like medieval characters, suggesting substantial interest in the concept of medieval times and chess, there are no games as yet on the market that seek to replicate the unique features of that era of warfare in chess.

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