MEDIEVAL CHESS

Abstract

A modified chess game for play by two players comprising a game board ten squares wide and ten squares deep, and utilizing an expanded set of chess pieces including a full set of traditional chess pieces plus three (3) new pieces to be known as “medieval chess pieces”. Each player has a set of chess pieces consisting of one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, two Trebuchets, two Carriages, eight Guards, and ten Pawns. The pieces are positioned in three rows per side, wherein the back row has a Trebuchet, Rook, Knight, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Trebuchet; the second row has four Guards, two Carriages positioned in front of the King and Queen, and four Guards; and the third row has ten Pawns. Traditional chess pieces are moved pursuant to conventional movements and rules of capture in traditional chess, and the new chess pieces are moved pursuant to moves and rules of capture described herein for the game of Medieval Chess. The game ends in accordance with traditional rules of chess.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to board games and more particularly to improvements in chess games, and applies to all forms of chess games, including electronic, online, physical, and any other form present or future.

In traditional chess, two opposing armies face each other across a playing board of 64 equal squares, eight squares across and eight squares deep. The armies consist of eight Pawns, two Rooks (castles), two Knights, two Bishops, a Queen and a King. These pieces can be referred to as traditional chess pieces.

The game ends immediately when one player captures the opposing King or when the game is played to stalemate. As a result, the duration of the game is often short, typically around 20 minutes according to many game sites. Moreover, the popularity of chess notwithstanding, traditional chess has become overly familiar as many game sequences have been defined and even labeled. Advanced chess players, planning ahead several moves as part of the strategic component of chess, can often recognize the patterns of movements being employed by their opponents.

To overcome these disadvantages, several variations to the game of chess have been suggested. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,626 to Nolte discloses a chess-like game wherein the size of the playing area and the number of chess figures is increased. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,789 to Carlson discloses a chess set comprising a game board fifteen squares wide and twelve squares deep for play by two teams of two players each. These games have not appeared to capture the public's imagination.

Other variations of chess utilize a ten by ten checkered board, such as Magi Chess, Mastodon Chess, and Grand Chess. Mastodon Chess introduces a new chess piece as well, but retains the same traditional chess pieces and arranges them more spaciously on the larger board. These new chess games do not appear to be patented as yet, but there is an application pending for Magi Chess. Leo Chess (U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,261), Civil War Chess (U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,017), and NuChess also utilize larger game boards. There appears to be, however, a real need for an easy-to-learn, challenging form of chess that appeals to the popular interest in medieval times.

This invention seeks to create a chess game that incorporates aspects of medieval warfare, including siege weapons and skilled infantry, with the objective of adding interest, strategy, and complexity to the traditional game of chess.

To accommodate the larger set of game pieces, the board has been enlarged to that of an actual medieval checker board: ten (10) squares by ten (10) squares. It is interesting to note that the board on which chess is traditionally played, a “checkerboard”, in fact dates from medieval times when the use of Roman numerals made it difficult to calculate math sums, particularly among an illiterate population. A ten-by-ten checkered board was devised to help calculate math and business transactions publically, in other words, to “check” the math by laying coins on a “checker board”. The ten-by-ten game board used in this invention will be referred to as a “medieval checkerboard”.

Traditional rules of chess with regard to traditional pieces (King, Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns) are in effect to ensure continuity and facilitate ease of learning the new game. The new chess pieces add substantial complexity and strategy to the game of chess, providing a greater challenge for experienced players while adding more fun and novelty for less-experienced players.

Medieval Chess adds a siege weapon that was popular in medieval times, the Trebuchet, to function as a slow-moving long-range assault weapon. In Medieval Chess, the Trebuchet moves slowly, only one square at a time, and only forward, backward, and side to side. Like medieval trebuchets, the Trebuchet lacks agility and can be swarmed and captured by pieces that manage to get in under its range of attack. Once captured, the Trebuchet cannot be retrieved by promotion, that is, it cannot be restored to play if a Pawn is promoted, just like a damaged trebuchet in medieval times took time to build and could not be easily replaced. The Trebuchet cannot capture by rolling over other players, that is, by moving to a space occupied by another game piece. The advantage of the Trebuchet is its long-range attack. The Trebuchet can capture three (3) squares horizontally and vertically, and two (2) squares diagonally, over other pieces, effectively removing Pawns and Guards from play, and reaching over the front lines to capture royalty pieces: Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and the Queen and King. The Trebuchet provides numerous new strategies for playing the game of chess.

Medieval Chess also adds skilled infantry to the game, in the form of Guards. Also known as Huskarls or just Karls, the Guard is modeled after skilled body guards, or “house guards”, that were employed in medieval times. The Guards have more mobility than Pawns and a wider range of capture, as they can move and capture both forward and backward, and therefore have the ability to move out to meet an opponent and move back to protect the King and Queen.

The most dynamic and powerful new piece to be added to Medieval Chess is called a Carriage. The Carriage operates similarly to a Roman chariot. It is a fast moving and agile piece that can sally into combat like a Knight, with up to 44 different squares upon which it can affect a capture. Unlike a Knight, the Carriage cannot jump over pieces, but it can move around them, moving up to three squares on a single move. What is most challenging is that the Carriage does not, and in fact may not, move in a straight line. It cannot move two squares in the same direction consecutively. For example, it can move diagonally one square, then horizontally one square, then diagonally one square again. This mobility makes Medieval Chess much more exciting than traditional chess, and more challenging when planning one's moves.

The Carriage is also a strategic piece, because it can be used to rescue the King or Queen if they are in danger of capture. A new move in Medieval Chess called “carriaging” permits a player to move their King or Queen to the square occupied by one of their Carriages and take the Carriage out of play. Carriaging can prolong the game of Medieval Chess by averting a checkmate. Because of the power of carriaging, Carriages, like Trebuchets, cannot be retrieved by promotion once taken out of play or captured.

The three new pieces of Medieval Chess and the new move of carriaging make the game significantly more engaging than traditional chess. Because Medieval Chess builds upon traditional chess, it is easy to learn while delivering more variety of moves and methods of capture. Medieval Chess more closely resembles traditional medieval warfare with the addition of siege weapons and skilled infantry and cavalry, providing enthusiasts of that era a fun, easy-to-learn game that recreates the challenges and strategic considerations of medieval warfare. Although there are many chess sets that feature pieces that look like medieval characters, suggesting substantial interest in the concept of medieval times and chess, there are no games as yet on the market that seek to replicate the unique features of that era of warfare in chess. Medieval Chess is unique in this regard.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that a need still exists for a modified chess game that increases the challenge and length of play of the traditional chess game and that incorporates aspects of medieval warfare.

Accordingly, it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a modified chess game which provides three new chess pieces and their moves and captures, thereby increasing the strategic considerations and scope of the game.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a chess game that is played on a ten-by-ten checkered board, referred to as a “medieval checkerboard”, to increase the historical relevance and general interest in medieval times, and to provide a larger playing area for the increased number of game pieces to maneuver in.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chess game that incorporates aspects of medieval warfare, in particular siege weapons and skilled infantry. The new pieces are to provide both the advantages and disadvantages that their actual counterparts incurred in medieval times. So, the Trebuchet is a slow-moving, long-range weapon used to break down defenses over enemy lines, but is subject to easy capture. The Carriage is a fast-moving, agile piece that is hard to predict in strategic planning, but its value as a means of escape for the King or Queen present strategic incentives for conservative usage. The Guards operate as skilled infantry of medieval times, with greater mobility and capability than Pawns, serving as defensive pieces to the royalty pieces of the back row, while being susceptible to long-range attack.

These and other objectives and advantages are accomplished by providing a modified chess game having a playing surface of ten rows of ten squares each, referred to as a “medieval checkerboard”. A set of traditional chess pieces plus three new pieces: the Trebuchet, Carriage, and Guard (also known as a Huskerl), is provided to each player. Additional rules of play as described herein regarding the new Medieval Chess pieces are in play.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a perspective view of present invention as it is arranged at the beginning of game play.

Game set comprises a modified chess game having an enlarged playing surface and one set of thirty chess pieces for each player. The game board is ten squares wide and ten squares deep. As with a conventional chess or checkers board, alternating squares are distinguished by contrasting colors. The game board is referred to as a “medieval checkerboard” to distinguish it from a traditional chess or checkers board.

The rules of the present invention are described as follows: conventional chess pieces are moved pursuant to conventional movements and rules of capture, and medieval chess pieces—the Trebuchet, Carriage, and Guard—are moved according to their movements and rules of capture defined herein, with the sequence of moving playing pieces alternating between the two players. The game is ended when a player captures the opponent's King or the game is played to a stalemate, in accordance with the traditional rules of chess.

Each player is provided with a set of thirty playing pieces, visibly distinguishable from the other players pieces by color or other means. A set of pieces comprise ten Pawns, eight Guards, two Carriages, two Trebuchets, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, one Queen, and one King. The pieces are positioned at the start of play as in conventional chess, with the following modifications: the Trebuchets are placed in the back row at each corner (columns A and J on a numbered medieval checkerboard), the Guards are placed in the second row in columns A-D and G-J, and the Carriages are placed in the second row in columns E and F in front of the King and Queen. The Pawns form the third row. This initial set up of the game is described in claim 1 and illustrated in FIG. 1.

The Trebuchet is modeled after medieval siege engines: it moves slowly and captures at a distance over the field of pieces. A Trebuchet can either move OR capture on a player's turn, but not both. The Trebuchet can move one square forward, backward, or sideways, but it cannot move to an occupied square. It captures by taking an opponent's piece that is exactly three squares directly forward, backward, or sideways, or exactly two squares diagonally in any direction, and can capture over intervening pieces. As shown in FIG. 2, this results in a circular range of capture. To capture with the Trebuchet, the player announces the capture and removes the opponent's piece; the Trebuchet does not move when it captures an opposing piece. Trebuchets cannot be retrieved by promotion. Once captured, they are permanently removed from play. The Trebuchet's moves and rules of capture are described in claim 3 and illustrated in FIG. 2.

The Carriage can move up to three squares in any direction, but it cannot move two consecutive squares in the same direction. The Carriage cannot move onto an occupied square while traveling or jump over other pieces. It can capture the opponent's pieces on the last square of its move. It can be used as a means of escape for the King and Queen. This is a new move that is part of this invention, to be called “carriaging”. The King or Queen moves to the square currently occupied by a Carriage, and the Carriage is captured instead. Carriages cannot be retrieved by promotion. For this reason, it is best to reserve carriaging for when the King or Queen is at risk of being captured. The Carriage's moves and rules of capture are described in claim 4 and illustrated in FIG. 3.

Note that in FIG. 3, it is not possible to indicate all possible moves that the Carriage can make because a Carriage has the potential to land on any of 44 different squares on a single turn. FIG. 3 presents examples of how the Carriage can move up to three squares in any direction, without moving more than two consecutive squares in the same direction.

The Guard is modeled after royal bodyguards, such as the huskarls, who formed a skilled infantry in medieval times. Guards can move forward or backward one square. On its first move, a Guard can move two squares. Like a Pawn, it can capture only on a diagonal move, however unlike a Pawn, it can capture in any direction. Unlike a Pawn, the Guard cannot be promoted. The Guard's moves and rules of capture are described in claim 6 and illustrated in FIG. 4.

Pieces are assigned points as follows:

• Pawn (1)
• Huskarl/Guard (2)
• Knight (3)
• Bishop (4)
• Rook/Castle (5)
• Trebuchet (6)
• Carriage (7)
• Queen (8)
• King (10/game)

A specific design for the new chess pieces is not claimed because there are any number of styles of chess pieces, including medieval figurines, copyrighted characters, abstract designs, and historical replicas; however, the general design for the new pieces are to be as follows:

• • a. The Trebuchet is to be, in the standard Staunton and Russian styles, of a conical or triangular shape, resembling the general shape of a trebuchet;
  • b. The Carriage is to be similar to that of a traditional Knight, in the standard Staunton and Russian styles, in the form of two horse heads facing forward side-by-side;
  • c. The Guard is to be similar to that of a traditional Pawn, in the standard Staunton and Russian styles, with the addition of a second, wider collar beneath the Pawn's collar, and is to be slightly taller than the Pawn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the initial set up of the game. On the back row is the new Trebuchet piece, traditional Rook, Knight, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, and Rook, and the other new Trebuchet piece.

The second row shows the new Guard pieces (4), the new Carriage pieces (2) and four more of the new Guard pieces.

The third row shows ten Pawns, rather than the traditional 8.

FIG. 2 shows the potential moves and captures of the Trebuchet. The diagram shows that the Trebuchet piece can move forward, backward, and sideways one square. It cannot move to an occupied square.

The Trebuchet captures pieces not by moving, but by announcing the capture of a piece either 3 squares forward, backward, or sideways, or two squares diagonally. Captures can be made over intervening pieces.

FIG. 3 shows some of the potential moves for the new Carriage piece. These are not all the possibilities that the Carriage can move. It can effectively land on any square in a 7×7 square surrounding the piece, except for the four corner pieces, resulting in 44 possible moves.

Carriages can move 1, 2, or 3 squares in any direction, but they cannot move in the same direction two squares consecutively.

Carriages also cannot jump over pieces. If one of the three squares is occupied, the Carriage must go around, or capture the piece on that square, ending the move.

Carriages can capture a piece at the end of its move, in the same way that traditional chess pieces capture a piece at the end of their moves.

FIG. 4 shows the Guard moves and captures. A Guard can move forward two squares on the first move, and can move forward or backward one square on subsequent moves.

A Guard can capture on the four squares adjacent diagonally.

Claims

1. A modified chess game as described herein comprising:

a) A square shaped game board having ten rows and ten columns of checkered alternating colored squares;

b) Two sets of game pieces, differentiated by color or some other means;

c) A novel and unique game piece, “A”, to be called a Trebuchet, comprising a set of movements and capabilities described herein;

d) A novel and unique game piece, “B”, to be called a Carriage, comprising a set of movements and capabilities described herein;

e) A novel and unique game piece, “C”, to be called a Guard or Huskarl, comprising a set of movements and capabilities described herein;

f) Each set of game pieces comprising a subset of traditional chess pieces consisting of one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, and ten Pawns, and a subset of novel and unique game pieces consisting of two game pieces of type “A”, two game pieces of type “B”, and eight game pieces of type “C”;

g) A unique initial setup of game pieces as described herein wherein the game board is set in the following order: i) Row 1: One “A”, Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook, one “A”; ii) Row 2: Four Cs, two Bs, four Cs; iii) Row 3: Ten Pawns; iv) Row 8: Ten Pawns; v) Row 9: Four Cs, two Bs, four Cs; and vi) Row 10: One “A”, Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook, one “A”; and

h) A method of play comprising the methods and objective of traditional chess.

2. The modified chess game of claim 1, wherein the traditional pieces of chess—King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Pawn—retain their conventional movement patterns and capabilities, and the new chess pieces—“A”, “B”, and “C”—comprise the unique movement patterns and capabilities as described herein.

3. The modified chess game of claim 2, wherein the movement patterns and capabilities of the novel and unique piece “A”, to be known by the name “Trebuchet”, comprises the prescribed ability to move horizontally or vertically by one space to an unoccupied space, OR to capture in a radius from its present location at exactly either three (3) spaces horizontally or vertically OR at two (2) spaces diagonally without moving from its present location by means of announcing the capture, and the ability to capture over other pieces when capturing pieces. Trebuchets cannot be retrieved by promotion.

4. The modified chess game of claim 3, wherein the movement patterns and capabilities of the novel and unique piece “B”, to be known by the name “Carriage”, comprises the prescribed ability to move in any direction up to three (3) squares, and to optionally capture an opposing piece on the last square of a move, and also to be prohibited from moving any two squares in the same direction concurrently on the same move, and to be prohibited from moving to a square occupied by another game piece except when capturing a piece, nor can the Carriage jump over other pieces but it can move around other pieces.

5. The modified chess game of claim 4, wherein the new and unique piece “B”, also known as a Carriage, comprises a new and unique movement to be called “carriaging” that consists of a King or Queen being moved to the square occupied by one's own Carriage and the Carriage being taken out of play. Carriages cannot be retrieved by promotion.

6. The modified chess game of claim 5, wherein the movement patterns and capabilities of the novel and unique piece “C”, to be known by the name “Guard”, “Huskarl”, or “Karl”, comprises the prescribed ability to move vertically forward or backward by one square or, if on the first move of that piece, up to two squares forward, and to move diagonally in any direction up to one square to capture an opposing piece. Unlike a Pawn, the Guard cannot be promoted.

7. The modified chess game of claim 6 wherein the game can end in checkmate or stalemate according to the conventional rules of chess.

8. The modified chess game of claim 7, comprising all forms of the game and its pieces, under any name, in any media currently in existence or in any future format, including but not limited to physical board games in any material, electronic games and game play, online games and game play, phone applications, tournaments, representations of the game, and its unique pieces and their movements and capabilities.