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.
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