The board
- 10 files, labelled A through J, by 8 ranks.
- Light and dark squares alternate as in chess.
- Each side sets up on its own back two ranks.
Rules
Rules of What the Chess?
Standard chess movement on a wider board, plus one piece that makes enemy pieces switch sides.
Summary
These are the rules
The pieces
- King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight and Pawn move and capture exactly as in standard chess.
- Each side additionally has two Jesters.
- A standard back rank is one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and two Jesters.
The Jester
- Moves one square diagonally.
- Converts by jumping an adjacent enemy piece along a diagonal, landing on the empty square immediately beyond it on that same diagonal.
- The jumped piece is not captured or removed. It switches sides and stays exactly where it stands.
- Kings can never be converted.
- If the square directly beyond the target is occupied, the jump is not legal.
- A single turn can convert multiple pieces and change the game dramatically.
Winning
- Checkmate wins, as in chess.
- Because pieces switch sides without being captured, an attack can dissolve in a single move.
In short
One rule changes everything
- Every standard piece keeps its standard chess movement and capture.
- Each side fields two Jesters, placed by the chosen formation or Custom Build.
- The Jester moves and converts diagonally; a converted piece changes allegiance rather than leaving the board.
- Kings cannot be converted, and checkmate still wins the game.