Chessplus

Chessplus
The cover art of Chessplus.
Chessplus cover art, featuring the knawn, a combination of the knight and pawn, as well as both taglines.
PublishersChessplus Team
Years activec. 21st century to present
GenresBoard game
Abstract strategy game
Mind sport
Chess variant
Players2
Playing time5–55 minutes[citation needed]
ChanceNone
SkillsStrategy, tactics

Chessplus is a chess variant developed by the Australian family business Chessplus Team.[1]

Appearance

Chessplus, as a physical variant, can come in 1 of 3 packages.[2]

  1. A bag, containing all the pieces.
  2. A box featuring a pawn and knight combining into a knawn.
  3. A pseudo-box with a wrap-around board and pieces.

As for the pieces, they are designed so players can merge them.[3]

Gameplay

Chessplus gameplay is similar to that of regular chess, but pieces can merge. The only piece that can't be merged with is the king.[4] Pieces can only merge with other pieces of their own color. Only 2 pieces can be merged at a time. Pieces may split, in which they use their original move to get away from the merged piece, separating them.

Names of Piece Combinations[5]
First Piece Second Piece Combination Name
Queen Queen DQueen
Queen Bishop Quishop
Queen Knight Quight
Queen Rook Quook
Queen Pawn Quawn
Bishop Knight Bight
Bishop Bishop DBishop
Bishop Rook Biook
Bishop Pawn Biawn
Knight Knight DKnight
Knight Rook Knook
Knight Pawn Knawn
Pawn Pawn DPawn

Castling

Castling may be done with a combined rook. Just like in regular chess, the rook must not have previously moved. In other words, if a knight moved to combine with a rook, castling is possible, but if that rook moved to combine with the knight, then castling is no longer allowed for that rook.

En passant

Similar to the castling rules, en passant can only be used on a combination of 2 pawns.[5] If the combination is, say, a biawn, the combination of a bishop and a pawn, then en passant is not allowed.

Inspiration

It was inspired by an illegal move made by Aimee,[who?] who, at age 8, during a chess match with her father, decided to move a rook to a pawn's square, then promoted the piece to a queen.[6]

Reception

Chessplus received generally positive reviews.[4][7][8]

References

  1. ^ Noone, Richard (18 May 2017). "Coastie conjures new form of the ancient game of chess". Daily Telegraph (Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate). Retrieved 18 Aug 2023.
  2. ^ "The Chessplus Range". Chessplus. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  3. ^ The board game itself
  4. ^ a b "The Meeple Guild - ChessPlus fun twist to classic favourite". SaskToday.ca. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  5. ^ a b "How to Play". Chessplus.
  6. ^ "Our Story - Chessplus". During a game of Chess with her dad the young Aimee (aged 8) did something not so legal. With a cheeky smile Aimee moved her rook onto the square of a pawn. Her dad looked on puzzled and made a traditional Chess move. With her next move Aimee took both the rook and the pawn to the far side of the board and proudly announced 'I get a queen, I'm going to beat you!' Her dad laughed, then he reflected on her actions and Chessplus was born.
  7. ^ "Chessplus | Jim Gamer". What Board Game. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  8. ^ "Chessplus: Combine & Conquer". Board's Eye View. 2022-11-19. Retrieved 2024-03-18.

Further reading