Released on: November 18, 2007, 11:33 pm

Press Release Author: John Sokol

Industry: Entertainment

Press Release Summary: The increased variety of game play has not only attracted
whole new leagues of chess players, but it has also created new chess board designs
far different than the original 8 X 8 chess boards.

Press Release Body: According to an online independent voluntary judiciary
committee, there are approximately 43 recognized chess variants, and the number is
growing. The increased variety of game play has not only attracted whole new
leagues of chess players, but it has also created new chess board designs far
different than the original 8 X 8 chess boards.

This adventurous exploration of the game's various geometrical and multi-plane
possibilities has helped to put forward many new and interesting design concepts.
Most new chess board designs, however, fail the test of time. This is usually due
to the inventor's flawed understanding of entertainment value and the necessary math
that made chess the game that it is in the first place. However, others did, and
do, survive. The following are examples of just some of the successful chess board
designs:

. Changgi - Also know as Korean Chess, it is played on chessboards that are 9 X 10
with the first two ranks on the 10 square side including 2 X 2 centre sections made
up of 8 equilateral triangles. Linear game play on these chessboards takes place on
the lines that make up the grid while diagonal play goes corner to corner. This
modified system, said to be the descendant of the Chinese chess variant, Xiang-Qi,
has maintained a strong following and it, along with its design modification of
chess boards, is here to stay.

. Courier Chess - In the Middle Ages, a German variant came to life and increased
game complexity by turning the playing field into 8X12 chess boards. Each opponent
has 12 pieces to pit against their foe. Some chess pieces move either exactly like
or differ very slightly from the older game of Chaturanga, the progenitor of chess.
Courier chess adds three new chess piece classes, making game play such that
stalemate wasn't an issue. Courier chess boards and the game itself died out for a
long period after the Middle Ages ended, but now the game has experienced an online
revival.

. Dragonchess - Gary Gygax, famed creator of Dungeons & Dragons, turned his eye to
chess and chess board design. What resulted was three 8 X 8 boards stacked one on
top of the other. The upper board is meant to represent the sky, while the middle
level is treated as earth and the lowest board is treated as the underworld. As
with Gary's much-played and much praised RPG gaming invention, Dragonchess has a new
set of chess piece types based on D&D character classes. With such classes as
Griffins, Oliphants, Paladins and Basilisks, players are expected to maneuver their
chess pieces in concert according to a complicated mathematical notation. This game
and its unique use of multiple chess boards survives due to the legions of
cape-wearing, potion-making, spell-casting super-geeks that everyone else cheated
off of in high school. A narrow, but dedicated demographic. Speaking of which.

. Tri-dimensional Chess - Ever since sci-fi fans saw Spock playing the mysterious
alien game of Tri-Dimensional chess, they have been intrigued with attributing a
real and playable set of rules for the fictional game. In the early 90's, a formal
rule set of game play was established. Every Starfleet officer in cyber-distance of
this wonderful breakthrough in chess and chess board design began assembling their
Tri-dimensional chess boards with fevered anticipation. Star Trek 3-Dimensional
Chess, as it is also known, is made up from one 64-space board split into seven
different levels. This configuration consists of three 4 X 4 and four 2X 2 chess
boards arranged both vertically and horizontally. Seems easy, but the trick is that
pieces from different levels interact with each other and pieces can also be
transported from one level to another, not to mention that the players can move the
2 X 2 chess boards to suit their strategic needs. Game complexity here can make
your head spin and may be better left to the slide rule army.

Now that you've had just a taste of what we can come up with when we attempt to
reinvent chess and the design of chess boards, you can appreciate the unending
evolution of the game. However, that doesn't mean you have to play these variants.


Traditional chess boards conforming to those familiar age-old rules can be purchased
in many designs and beautiful materials. There are many online suppliers ready to
cater to your chess board needs. Quality-Chess.net provides a reliable online
service that supplies a wide selection of unique and classical chess boards.

Web Site: www.Quality-Chess.net

Contact Details: john@quality-chess.net