Preamble
A game of chess which is played by standard rules may normally be sufficiently interesting, fun and complicated, without any particular need for a change of rules.
However, in this document, certain adjustments to the rules of chess are proposed, for a variant called ChessReformed. The variant may hold value in some situations, but more about that below. First, what is ChessReformed?
ChessReformed
ChessReformed is played in accordance with the official rules of standard chess («FIDE LAWS of CHESS»), except for two distinctive reforms:
Reform 1
When a player/ colour does not have a Queen on the chessboard, the remaining pieces of the same colour may move over other pieces of the same colour in accordance with standard chess rules else stated for moving the pieces.
This means that Rook and Bishop acquire such a new feature. Pawn also acquire such a feature, relevant for its first move. Knight already has this feature in accordance with standard chess rules. Further, this means that Rook and Bishop may attack over pieces of the same colour, also over one’s own King.
For King, this feature is irrelevant with regards to its own moving; standard rules for castling are unchanged. Note, however, that castling may be blocked by such a feature of the opponent’s pieces.
If a player gain a new Queen on the chessboard (by promotion of Pawn), then this new feature will vanish for relevant pieces, until the player again does not have a Queen on the chessboard, possibly. If a player has (had) more than one Queen on the chessboard, all these must be gone from the chessboard for this new, added feature to (again) appear for relevant pieces.
Note that a Queen of the opponent can not be captured if this immediately would entail that one’s own King is attacked/ in check, in accordance with standard rules of chess.
Reform 2
A piece which captures a Pawn positioned on the rank before a promotion square, in other words on seventh rank for white Pawn and second rank for black Pawn, will itself be captured and removed from the chessboard. The exception is for King which can capture such a positioned Pawn, and King will continue in the game.
Naming
A game of chess played in accordance with the official rules of standard chess, and including both reforms as described above, may be called ChessReformed.
A game of chess played by the rules of standard chess, and including reform 1 described above, but without reform 2, may be called ChessReformed Strict.
A game of chess played by the rules of standard chess, and including reform 2 described above, but without reform 1, may be called ChessReformed Lite.
Motivation and background for ChessReformed
ChessReformed may be played simply for fun, variation and recreation purposes, without any need for further reasoning.
Also, ChessReformed may be played in tournaments, on top level included. One motivation is, among other things, the increased strength of computers used in modern chess, which in various ways puts pressure on the chess player, both the professional and amateur. Furthermore, standard chess is being challenged by the fact that players memorises «best move sequences» ever more ahead from given positions. ChessReformed introduces some complicating elements that may counteract this development, in similar ways as the development of FischerRandom/ Chess960 aimed to do. (By the way, will there also be a similar Chess960Reformed?)
A game of ChessReformed will from the opening appear more like a standard game of chess, but with the possible introduction of certain complicating factors along the way during the game. Still, revised considerations of strategy could be relevant and pressing already from the earliest moment.
May your games of ChessReformed bring you joy in abundance!
2025–03-20
Øyvind Trond Eliassen
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