Chickens and Dragons

In Chickens and Dragons, a piece's possible moves depend on what is on its neighbour squares.

This idea led to a game with both complexity and simplicity at the same time. Maybe not as complex as Chess, but with lots of surprising and fun turns. So I decided to try to publish it here.

Play Chickens and Dragons on Game Courier

Setup

Pieces

Chicken

For each of the eight directions, a Chicken may move according to the following table, based on what is at the Chicken's opposing neighbour square, i.e. the neighbour square at the opposite side to the direction considered.

So the Chicken needs to have something behind it in order to be able to move in a direction -- either another piece, or the outer wall of the board.

Dragon

On the eighth rank, Chicken promote to Dragons. A Dragon has the same moves as a Chicken, but may also leap like a Chess Knight, independent of neighbour square context.

Rules

White starts the game.

Players take turns making moves, trying to capture each other's pieces (by moving onto them just like in chess).

The objective of the game is ending up with more Dragons than the opponent. When a player has more Dragons than the opponent has remaining pieces, then that player has won. Another way of winning is when the other player has no move options.

Three times board position repetition is considered a draw. Also, the players can propose a draw if the endgame seems generally unwinnable.

Notes

Strategy: Don't let your pieces become isolated. Advance along the edge when possible. Identify where the opponent is getting thin. Corner squares are powerful.

Play the Game Courier version of Chickens and Dragons! It enforces the rules and displays legal moves.

Last revised by Martin Nilsson.