Fischerandom Chess - rules |
Fisherandom Chess is a new version of Classical chess according to Bobby Fischer. Although the following rules may seem at first a bit complicated, they are actually quite simple and the play has an advantage over traditional chess because you do not need to analyze or memorize any book openings. Therefore, your play becomes truly creative and real.
Fisherandom Chess uses algebraic notation exclusively.
At the start of every game , both players’ Pawns are set up exactly as they are at the start of every game of Classical Chess.
In Fisherandom Chess before the start of every game positions of pieces are shuffled through a computer or a dice. Pieces of both players are facing each other directly (symmetrically), white and black have identical positions. One Rook has to be to the left and the other Rook has to be to the right of the King, one Bishop has to be on a light-coloured square and the other Bishop has to be on a dark-coloured square. For example, if the shuffler places White’s back row pieces in the following position: Ra1, Bb1, Kc1, Nd1, Be1, Nf1, Rg1, Qh1, it will place Black’s back row pieces as follows: Ra8, Bb8, Kc8, Nd8, Be8, Nf8, Rg8, Qh8.
In Fisherandom Chess there are 960 possible starting positions – that is the Classical Chess starting position and + other 959 starting positions.
In Fisherandom Chess the castling rule is somewhat modified and broadened to allow for the possibility of each player castling either on or into his or her left side or on or into his or her right side of the board from all these 960 starting positions.
Please, note the following points:
a) In Fisherandom Chess, depending on the pre-castling position of the King and the Rook, the castling maneuver is performed by one of these four methods:
1. By making one move with the King and making one move with the Rook ("double-move" castling)
2. By transposing the position of the King and the Rook ("transposition" castling)
3. By making only one move with the King ("King-move-only" castling)
4. By making only one move with the Rook ("Rook-move-only" castling)
b) If the King is standing on the square the Rook will occupy after castling, you must move the King first and then the Rook; if the Rook is standing on the square the King will occupy after castling, you must move the Rook first and then the King; otherwise whether you move the King first and then the Rook or the other way round is strictly your choice.
c) When "double move" castling either the King jumps over the Rook or else the Rook jumps over the King
d) When "King-move-only" castling the King always jumps over the Rook
e) When "Rook-move-only" castling the Rook always jumps over the King
f) "a"-side castling (0-0-0) in Fisherandom Chess is equivalent of Queen-side or long castling (0-0-0) in Classical Chess and "h"-side castling (0-0) is equivalent of King-side or short castling (0-0) in Classical Chess
g)
1. White’s "a"-side castling (0-0-0) is performed with the hitherto unmoved White King and the hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its left. After White’s "a"-side castling (0-0-0) the
White King stands on c1 and the aforementioned Rook stands on d1.
Black’s "a"-side castling (... 0-0-0) is performed with the hitherto unmoved Black King and the hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its right. After White’s "a"-side castling (0-0-0) the Black King stands on c8 and the aforementioned Rook stands on d8.
2. White’s "h"-side castling (0-0) is performed with the hitherto unmoved White King and the hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its right. After White’s "h"-side castling (0-0) the White King stands on g1 and the aforementioned Rook stands on f1.
Black’s "h"-side castling (... 0-0) is performed with the hitherto unmoved Black King and the hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its left. After Black’s "h"-side castling (… 0-0) the Black King stands on g8 and the aforementioned Rook stands on f8.
h) When castling, no other pieces, yours or your opponent’s, are allowed to be standing between the castling King and Rook.
i) When in check, you are not allowed to castle.
j) You are not allowed to castle into check.
k) When castling, your King is not allowed to move through any checked square, nor is your King allowed to jump over your own Rook if Rook is standing on a "checked" square. (A "checked" square is a square that is attacked by one or more of your opponent’s pieces)
l) After completing your first move of "double-move" castling it is quite possible (and not at all illegal) for your opponent to be in a position where, were it your opponent’s move, your opponent would be in stalemate, check, or checkmate. Should after completing your first move of "double-move" castling one of these three aforementioned situations exist you are to ignore it and make your prescribed second move of "double-move" castling.
m) Once a player has moved the King or the corresponding Rook, he is not allowed to castle for the rest of the game.
n) In Fischerandom Chess, depending upon the starting position, and how the game develops, it may happen that in the positions produced immediately after "a"-side castling (0-0-0), one, two, or all three of the squares for White a1, b1, and e1 (for Black a8, b8, and e8), and after "h"-side castling (0-0), one or both of the squares for White e1 and h1 (for Black e8 and h8) are not vacant, as is the case with Classical Chess.
All the other rules are the same as in Classical Chess!
When in doubt about castling in Fischerandom Chess, consult the following tables, showing all (84) possibilities of castling, (42) for White, and (42) for Black:
All twenty-one White "Before" and the one "After" position of "a"-side castling (0-0-0):
Before: Kg1; Rf1, e1, d1, c1, b1 or a1. After: Kc1; Rd1.
Before: Kf1; Re1, d1, c1, b1 or a1. After: Kc1; Rd1.
Before: Ke1; Rd1, c1, b1 or a1. After: Kc1; Rd1.
Before: Kd1; Rc1, b1 or a1. After: Kc1; Rd1.
Before: Kc1; Rb1 or a1. After: Kc1; Rd1.
Before: Kb1; Ra1. After: Kc1; Rd1.
All twenty-one White "Before" and the one "After" position of "h"-side castling (0-0):
Before: Kb1; Rc1, d1, e1, f1, g1 or h1. After: Kg1; Rf1.
Before: Kc1; Rd1, e1, f1, g1 or h1. After: Kg1; Rf1.
Before: Kd1; Re1, f1, g1 or h1. After: Kg1; Rf1.
Before: Ke1; Rf1, g1 or h1. After: Kg1; Rf1.
Before: Kf1; Rg1 or h1. After: Kg1; Rf1.
Before: Kg1; Rh1. After: Kg1; Rf1.
All twenty-one Black "Before" and the one "After" position of "a"-side castling (… 0-0-0):
Before: Kg8; Rf8, e8, d8, c8, b8 or a8. After: Kc8; Rd8.
Before: Kf8; Re8, d8, c8, b8 or a8. After: Kc8; Rd8.
Before: Ke8; Rd8, c8, b8 or a8. After: Kc8; Rd8.
Before: Kd8; Rc8, b8 or a8. After: Kc8; Rd8.
Before: Kc8; Rb8 or a8. After: Kc8; Rd8.
Before: Kb8; Ra8. After: Kc8; Rd8.
All twenty-one Black "Before" and the one "After" position of "h"-side castling (… 0-0):
Before: Kb8; Rc8, d8, e8, f8, g8 or h8. After: Kg8; Rf8.
Before: Kc8; Rd8, e8, f8, g8 or h8. After: Kg8; Rf8.
Before: Kd8; Re8, f8, g8 or h8. After: Kg8; Rf8.
Before: Ke8; Rf8, g8 or h8. After: Kg8; Rf8.
Before: Kf8; Rg8 or h8. After: Kg8; Rf8.
Before: Kg8; Rh8. After: Kg8; Rf8.