Cavalier Chess

Variations

Here are some variations I've made of the game. Some might be as playable as Cavalier Chess, and some might not be so playable. There are reasons why I didn't choose any of these as the official version of Cavalier Chess, but they still remain fairly interesting. You may play most of these with the ZRF file I wrote for Zillions of Games.

Free Promotion

In this variation, Cavaliers promote with the same freedom as Pawns do in Chess. A Cavalier promotes to any superior piece of the player's choosing except the Knight King. Gameplay is probably comparable to official Cavalier Chess.

Knight Promote

In this variation, Cavaliers promote to Knights. This will probably hurt gameplay in the endgame, because it will make it harder to make checkmate.

Lighthorses

This variation replaces Nightriders with Lighthorses. Lighthorses move as Queens or Knights but may capture only as Knights. They are approximately equal in value to Nightriders.

Lightriders

This variation replaces Paladins with Lightriders. Lightriders move as Queens or Nightriders but may capture only as Nightriders. they are approximately equal in value to Paladins.

Knight Queen

In this variation, the Queen adds the moves of a Knight to her usual power of movement, moving like a Rook, Bishop, or Knight. I believe this makes the Queen too powerful and hurts gameplay.

Knights Chess

In this variation, Cavaliers are replaced with Knights. Knights promote as Cavaliers do, and all other rules of Cavalier Chess apply. I believe this hurts gameplay, because Knights cannot block each other.

Promotion only to Captured Pieces

In this variation, a Cavalier promotes to any of the player's superior pieces that has already been captured. In the unlikely event that none have been captured, it promotes to a Knight or waits to promote. I have not implemented this variation, because Zillions does not yet seem to have the capability to allow promotion like this.

Hybrids with Chess

I have implemented some hybrids with Chess. Most of these are lopsided games, where one side is more likely to win than the other. I have implemented them more for curiosity than because I think they are great games. It is interesting to find out what effects these combinations of Chess and Cavalier Chess have on gameplay.

Infantry vs. Cavalry

In this variation, a set of Cavalier Chess pieces is pitted against a set of Chess pieces. The Chess side abides by the rules of Chess, and the Cavalier side abides by the rules of Cavalier Chess. The object is to checkmate your opponent's King or Knight King, depending upon which side you play. I have implemented two versions of this, so that Red and White can each be played with either set of pieces. With adequate play, the Cavalier side should win.

Infantry and Cavalry I & II

These are two hybrids designed around the same theme. In Infantry & Cavalry I, each side begins with Cavalier Chess pieces on the first rank and Pawns on the second rank. In Infantry and Cavalry II, each side begins with Chess pieces on the first rank and Cavaliers on the second rank. In both variations that I've implemented, Pawns and Cavaliers both promote to Cavalier Chess pieces.

Mixed Infantry and Cavalry

This is a lopsided hybrid of Infantry and Cavalry I & II. It pits the forces from one of these games against the forces from the other. One side gets Chess pieces and Cavaliers, and the other side gets Cavalier pieces and Pawns. I believe the Cavalier side with Pawns is stronger than the Chess side with Cavaliers, because its third rank is doubly protected, whereas the other side's third rank is unprotected. I have implemented two versions of this, so that Red and White can play with each set of pieces.


This page was made and written by Fergus Duniho, creator of Cavalier Chess.