Knight relay chess

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8
d8 black king
b7 white knight
c7 black cross
d7 black circle
e7 black cross
f7 black circle
g7 black cross
e6 white pawn
a5 black pawn
c5 black cross
g5 black cross
d4 white knight
f4 black cross
a3 white queen
c3 black knight
c2 black knight
e1 white king
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
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Knight Relay chess. The white knight on d4 "relays" knight power to the white pawn on e6. Possible moves of the pawn are indicated.

Knight Relay chess (also called N-Relay chess) is a chess variant invented by Mannis Charosh in 1972. In this game knights "relay" their power to friendly pieces.


Game rules

Any piece defended by a friendly knight gains the power of a knight (except the king). The piece loses the additional power as soon as a friendly knight no longer defends it. Knights are immune from capture, cannot capture enemy pieces and (so) cannot give check.[1] Pawns may not move to the first or last rank by a relayed knight move. If a pawn is relayed to its initial rank, it regains the option to make a double-step move. There is no en passant in Knight Relay chess. Pawns can promote to knights and promoted knights also have relay power.

Example moves

The diagram shows possible moves of the white pawn on e6. As a normal pawn it can move to e7 or capture on d7 or f7. In addition, since it is defended by a friendly knight on d4, it can move like a knight to c7, c5, f4, g5 or g7. It cannot relay as a knight to the last rank, and the black king on d8 is not in check. The white knight on b7 does not check the king either, and is not able to capture the pawn on a5. The white queen cannot take the black knight on c3.

White can deliver checkmate in this position by playing Qd6#. The black king cannot escape to c8 or e8, since those squares are attacked by the queen on d6 (the queen getting knight power from the knight on b7).

References

  1. ↑ Pritchard (2000), p. 94

Bibliography

  • Pritchard, D. B. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants. Games & Puzzles Publications. pp. 160–62. ISBN 0-9524142-0-1.
  • Pritchard, D. B. (2000). "§15 Knight Relay Chess". Popular Chess Variants. B.T. Batsford Ltd. ISBN 0-7134-8578-7.
  • Pritchard, D. B. (2007). Beasley, John, ed. The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants. John Beasley. pp. 169–70. ISBN 978-0-9555168-0-1.

External links