Bajoran Rules
Presently the only rules used by the Cosmic Chess game
These rules are easy to learn and can be used by beginners
What is Cosmic Chess (C2)
C2 is an extension of the ancient game of chess. In much
the same way as our present mode of transportation (space) is an extension
of an ancient mode (automobiles). Those who are familiar with chess will
be able to understand the basic movements of C2 with less effort.
But this will not guarantee complete understanding of the C2 moves.
To totally understand the fundamentals of C2 the players will
need to also understand the implications of the spatial concepts of the
C2 board. Don’t make the same mistake Khan made in STAR
TREK II: The Wrath of Khan: where he fought against the U.S.S.
Enterprise in the Mutara nebula, and he was only thinking in two dimensions.
Admiral Kirk used a tri-dimensional strategy to defeat him. Beginners are
able to do very well in C2. All of the old strategies and variations
are all useless in a C2 game. This is due to two main reasons;
first - the old variations never included the tri-dimensional factor, secondly
- the C2 board is laid out with four files (columns), not eight
as in traditional chess, severely restricting two dimensional strategies.
So chess masters beware, beginners can beat you by seeing a tri-dimensional
move that you have missed. Remember the Mutara nebula.
General movement
A piece needs to travel from an open square to another open square,
either on its level or move up or down to an empty square before it can
continue on its move.
Attack board movement
- To move an attack board it needs to be empty or with at most only
one pawn.
- An attack board may move to any adjacent corner of a main board,
including crossing to the other side.
- A movement or inversion of an attack board is considered a complete
move, both may be combined in one move.
- An attack board can be captured by capturing the last piece on it
and maintaining a piece on it.
- If an attack board is vacant it reverts to its original owner.
Bishop movement
- The bishop always moves along the diagonals of the chess field,
with the added flexibility of vertical freedom.
- A bishop may capture a piece directly above or below it.
King movement
- The king may move only one space in any direction, in addition
to its tri-dimensional freedom. In considering the kings tri-dimensional
freedom, it may move through more than one level when moving up or down.
The king can therefore move forward and down off the attack board on its
first move.
- The king may capture a piece directly above or below it.
- A king and a rook may also castle
if neither piece has moved previously.
Knight movement
- The traditional move for a knight is a combination of a two space
and a one space move at right angles to each other, along the files and
ranks and not the diagonals of the board. To this we now allow tri-dimensional
freedom anytime during the move. This freedom gives the knight some very
interesting moves.
- The knight’s ability to jump over pieces makes it very valuable
in the narrow field of play of the C2 board.
- The knight may NOT capture a piece directly above or below it.
Pawn movement
- Pawns normally move one space forward per turn, but in an environment
that enables all pieces to posses tri-dimensional freedom, a pawn may move
forward one and move up or down to an available space. The actual forward
movement would only be one space.
- Pawns may move two spaces forward only on their first move.
Therefore a pawn on an attack board may, on its first move (if the spaces
are empty), come down, move forward two spaces and, then move either up
or down.
- Pawns may only capture on a forward diagonal move of one
space, including a vertical move if possible.
- A pawn may not capture a piece directly above or below its
position. Therefore a pawn above or below the opponent’s pawn can block
its movement in some situations.
- A pawn reaching the far end of the C2 board may become
a Rook, Bishop, Knight or Queen. Note: A pawn on an attack board
must travel the last two spaces on the Main board.
Queen movement
- The queen’s move is a combination of the rook's and bishop’s moves.
She may move along the files and ranks or along the diagonals, with the
added freedom of moving vertically anytime.
- The queen may capture a piece directly above or below it.
Rook movement
- The rook travels along the files and ranks of the C2 board,
with the added freedom of moving vertically anytime.
- The rook may capture a piece directly above or below it.
- A rook and king may also castle if neither piece has moved previously.
Castling
- A rook and king may castle anytime during the game if neither piece
has moved previously. Castling puts the rook in a much better position
to play from, and at the same time increases the protection of the king.
- The king can castle with the rook next to him on the first move
of the game.
- The king may only castle with the queen’s rook if the queen has
moved and her space is empty.
Copyright © 1997, 2006
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