Chessplus
 | |
| Publishers | Chessplus Team |
|---|---|
| Years active | c. 21st century to present |
| Genres | Board game Abstract strategy game Mind sport Chess variant |
| Players | 2 |
| Playing time | 5–55 minutes[citation needed] |
| Chance | None |
| Skills | Strategy, tactics |
Chessplus is a chess variant developed by the Australia-based family business Chessplus Team.[1]
Appearance[edit]
Chessplus, as a physical variant, can come in 1 of 3 packages.[2]
- A bag, containing all the pieces.
- A box featuring a pawn and knight combining into a knawn.
- A pseudo-box with a wrap-around board and pieces.
As for the pieces, they are designed so players can merge them.[3]
Gameplay[edit]
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 un-merge.
| 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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
It was inspired by an illegal move made by the leader's daughter, Aimee, 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[edit]
Chessplus received generally positive reviews.[4][7][8]
References[edit]
- ^ 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.
- ^ "The Chessplus Range". Chessplus. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ The board game itself
- ^ a b "The Meeple Guild - ChessPlus fun twist to classic favourite". SaskToday.ca. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ^ a b "How to Play". Chessplus.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Chessplus | Jim Gamer". What Board Game. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ "Chessplus: Combine & Conquer". Board's Eye View. 2022-11-19. Retrieved 2024-03-18.