Home The ArenA Grand Chess Grand Chess Rules
Grand Chess Rules
Initial positionTo play Grand Chess it will be sufficient to point out the differences with Chess. The first is the presence of the Marshall, combining the powers of Rook and Knight, and the Cardinal, combining the powers of Bishop and Knight.

Keymove: Ci6Here's a nice introduction:
white checkmates in two.

The second difference is the absence of a castling rule: there's no need for it.

The third difference concerns pawns and promotion. Pawns basically behave like Chess pawns: they have the option to move two squares initially and en passant capture applies as usual.
There are two differences however, concerning promotion:
  • Pawn promotion is optional on moving to the 8th or 9th rank, compulsory on moving to the 10th.
  • A pawn can only promote to a piece lost by its side.

There's one detail demanding attention: a pawn on the 9th rank, no piece being lost by its side - a legal possibility - cannot move. However, if it attacks the opponent's King, it nevertheless gives check.
(Note: this is similar to a pinned piece that nevertheless gives check).

Keymove: i8I can't think of a better way to show that an option to promote is better than an obligation, than P. H. van den Muijzenberg's 'checkmate in 2'.
 
MindSports, powered by Joomla! and designed by SiteGround web hosting