Confused about the rules of Chess But Better? Not to worry! This guide is your compass, designed to steer you through the uncharted territories of this intriguing chess variant. Whether you're a seasoned chess enthusiast or a newcomer eager to explore new horizons, we've got you covered.
- No Checkmate: Chess But Better replaces checkmate with the objective of killing the opponent's king in the designated "hell" region.
- Multiple Boards: Chess But Better unfolds on three distinct boards - Overworld, Hell, and Heaven — each with its own set of strategic considerations.
- Victory in Hell: Players aim to secure victory by eliminating the enemy king in the Hell board.
- Gold and XP: Each player manages gold and experience points, introducing resource management and strategic depth.
- New Pieces: Unique pieces with special abilities are introduced, altering traditional chess dynamics.
- Items: The game features items that can be acquired and strategically deployed on the board.
- Secret Rules: In Chess But Better, certain rules remain undisclosed until a player triggers them through specific in-game actions, introducing a dynamic and discovery-driven element to the gameplay.
Price (XP): -
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: -
- Pawns move forward one square.
- On their first move, pawns have the option to move forward two squares.
- Pawns capture diagonally.
- En Passant: If a pawn moves forward two squares from its starting position and lands beside an opponent's pawn, the opponent has the option to capture the moving pawn "en passant" on the very next move.
- Promotion: When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, it can be promoted to any other piece, commonly a queen.
Price (XP): -
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: Jesters
- Knights move in an "L" shape: two squares in one direction (either horizontally or vertically) and then one square perpendicular to the initial direction.
- Knights can jump over other pieces on the board.
Price (XP): -
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: -
- Bishops move diagonally across the board.
- They can move any number of squares diagonally.
Price (XP): -
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: Golems
- Rooks move horizontally or vertically across the board.
- They can move any number of squares in the chosen direction.
Price (XP): -
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: Double Queens
- Queens combine the movements of rooks and bishops.
- They can move horizontally, vertically, or diagonally across the board.
Price (XP): -
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: -
- Kings move one square in any direction: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
- Kings are crucial to protect, and if a king is under direct threat of capture (check), the player must make a move to eliminate the threat.
- Castling: Under specific conditions, kings can perform a castling move with rooks, providing a unique defensive maneuver.
- Doomed: When a King dies, it automatically spawns in the Hell board and can never spawn in Heaven.
Price (XP): 4
Health Points: 3
Upgrades: -
- Golems move horizontally or vertically across the board but are limited to a distance of two squares.
Price (XP): 8
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: -
- Double Queens combine the movements of rooks and bishops.
- They can move horizontally, vertically, or diagonally across the board.
- Double Trouble: Double Queens can take two actions in a single turn.
Price (XP): TBD
Health Points: 1
Upgrades: -
- TBD
Price (Gold): 4
- You can place the trap on any non-occupied square on any revealed board.
- A piece that moves on the trap (whether directly or indirectly) will lose a single health point.
Price (Gold): 4
- You can place the shield on any of your pieces.
- The shield gives the target piece an extra health point.
The first to kill gets an extra XP.
Players gain XP on a kill.
Friendly Fire! Players can attack their own pieces (for a price).
When a player has a negative amount of gold, they are in debt. They lose XP for not being prudent.
If a player is in debt for five turns in a row, some of their pieces might desert to the enemy side.
If a piece kills three other pieces and lives to tell the tale, it receives a bounty on its head. The first to kill that piece gains five gold coins.
Pieces can fall off the board.
If a game continues for over fifty rounds, each player gains a bonus of XP to represent the wisdom they gained in life.