Andernach chess is a
chess variant
A chess variant is a game related to, derived from, or inspired by chess. Such variants can differ from chess in many different ways.
"International" or "Western" chess itself is one of a family of games which have related origins and could be co ...
in which a piece making a capture (except
kings) changes colour. For instance, if a white
bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
on a2 were to capture a black
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.
The concept of a knighthood ...
on g8, the result would be a black bishop on g8. Non-capturing moves are played as in orthodox
chess
Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
. If a
pawn
Pawn most often refers to:
* Pawn (chess), the weakest and most numerous chess piece in the game
* Pawnbroker or pawnshop, a business that provides loans by taking personal property as collateral
Pawn or The Pawn may also refer to:
Places
* Pa ...
captures on eighth rank, it is promoted first and then changes colour.
The game was named after the German town of
Andernach
Andernach () is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the ''Neuwied basin'' on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village ...
, which is the site of annual meetings of
fairy chess
Fairy chess is the area of chess composition in which there are some changes to the rules of chess. It may involve changes to the board, pieces, or rules to express an idea or theme impossible in orthodox chess. An altered piece used in fairy ...
enthusiasts. It was during the 1993 meeting there that Andernach chess was introduced with a
chess problem
A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle created by the composer using chess pieces on a chessboard, which presents the solver with a particular task. For instance, a position may be given with the instruction that White is t ...
composing tournament for Andernach problems. It has since become a popular variant in problem composition, though it has not yet become popular as a game-playing variant.
Example problem
An example Andernach chess problem is shown in the diagram. The task is to find a proof game, which would last three moves and lead to the position shown. The solution is:
:1. Nf3 Nc6 2. Ne5 Nxe5(=wN)
The black knight turns into a white knight after capture on e5. White can now move this knight.
:3. Nxd7(=bN)
This time a white knight turns into a black knight.
:3... Nb8 (see diagram)
Variations
The precursor of Andernach chess was Tibetan chess, in which the black units (called ''
lama
Lama () is a title bestowed to a realized practitioner of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism. Not all monks are lamas, while nuns and female practitioners can be recognized and entitled as lamas. The Tibetan word ''la-ma'' means "high mother", ...
s'') change colour and piece type when capturing white pieces of a different type. As in Andernach chess, the king is not affected by capture. For example, if a black pawn on d7 captures a white
queen
Queen most commonly refers to:
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen (band), a British rock band
Queen or QUEEN may also refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Q ...
on c6, it becomes a white queen and can be moved by White on the next move. This game is not related to
Chandraki, a chess variant that may have been played in
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
.
Chandraki, the Tibetan Chess
by Jean-Louis Cazaux.
A variant on Andernach chess is anti-Andernach, in which pieces except kings change colour after non-captures, but stay the same colour after a capture. There is also super-Andernach in which all pieces except kings change colour after every move, whether a capture or not. Super-Andernach was introduced by John Rice in ''The Problemist Supplement'' in March 2006.
See also
* Martian chess
References
*
External links
Andernach Chess
by Stefanos Pantazis and Hans Bodlaender, ''The Chess Variant Pages
''The Chess Variant Pages'' is a non-commercial website devoted to chess variants. It was created by Hans Bodlaender in 1995. The site is "run by hobbyists for hobbyists" and is "the most wide-ranging and authoritative web site on chess variants". ...
''
{{Chess variants, state=collapsed
Chess variants
Fairy chess
1993 in chess
Board games introduced in 1993