Royal Guard is Chess played on a board that is divided in four sub-grids of sixteen squares each, with a touch of King's Colour

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Material
A Chess set and a Chess board with a division into four sub-grids, as displayed.

Rules The rules are those of Chess, with the proviso that all pieces that find themselves on the same sub-grid as their King, the so called "royal guard pieces", have additional powers. If a Rook, Bishop or Knight finds itself on the same sub-grid as its own King, it has the additional power of moving and capturing using the king's move. If a pawn finds itself on the same sub-grid as its own King, it has the additional power of one square straight forwards capture. Note that a pawn on its original square may not capture two squares straight forward in such a situation. If a 'royal' piece moves to a different sub-grid, it loses its RG powers. If a King moves to a different sub-grid, then all RG pieces become regular, and all pieces that are now on the king's sub-grid become 'royal'.

Note that in castling the King does not change sub-grids, that a pawn making an initial double step with the King on its original square, cannot become 'royal', meaning that openings are not completely alien, and that en passant is not affected.



How we invented ... Royal Guard


Royal Guard © Chris Huntoon and MindSports