From: fsmgs@camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu (Michael Schmahl [Black-Robe Mage])
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: 3D chess (Star Trek) rules
Date: 18 Dec 92 00:02:08 GMT
Article-I.D.: raven.1992Dec18.000208.28935
Organization: University of Alaska Computer Network


 From: wgarmil@hawk.ulowell.edu (WildCard)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek
Subject: 3-D Chess Rules


I took this off the net last year, and unfortunately removed the lines
that said who posted this originally.  To that person, thanks.

I hope you enjoy the chess!

-------------------------------

         The following Tri-Dimensional Chess game may be from THE STAR 
    TREK POSTER BOOK, circa 1977.  I know there is also a small game book 
    on it which is available through SF merchandise companies like the
    Interstellar Trading Company and Star Tech.

    TRI-DIMENSIONAL CHESS
    =====================

    Chess board:
    ------------

    top board 4 x 4 squares.
    middle board 4 x 4 squares.
    bottom board 4 x 4 squares.
    4 additional attack boards, each 2 x 2 squares; 2 for black, 2 for white.

    The main boards:
    The 2 last rows of the bottom board overlap the first 2 of the middle
    board, the last 2 rows of the middle board overlap the first 2 of the
    top board. Side view:    '.---.' represents a square.

                                .---.---.---.---.  top level

                        .---.---.---.---.       middle level

                .---.---.---.---.               bottom level

    The attack boards:

    The center of a little attack board is any of the 4 corners of a
board. It can be placed: 

    1. over the corner of a board.
    2. under the corner of a board.

    All the corners of the top, middle and bottom board have pin
positions to place your attack boards. At the beginning of the game, 2
attack boards for white are positioned under the front corners of the
middle board and 2 attack boards for black are positioned over the
back corners of the middle board. The attack boards are not removed
from the game, only re-positioned. 

    A side view of the whole chess board with attack boards over the
back, and under the front corner(s) of the middle board (start position). 

                                 ------------
                                         \
                                    _____ \
                                      |    \
                         |------------|     \
                         |       \          /
                       -----      \        /
                                   \      /
                   ------------     \    /
                         \           \  /
                          \           \/
                           \          /
                            \________/
                               |
                     -----------------------

    Rules:
    ------

    Black always starts on the top board. Movement is identical to
conventional chess with the added dimension being used in like manner.
A black pawn can only move forward and down, a white pawn can only
move forward and up. A move between 2 levels is counted as 1 square
(up) with the exception of an attack board being positioned between 2
squares of different levels. In such a case a move (up) is 2 moves. 

    I.e an attack board is situated between level-1 and level-2.
Center of attack board is at x. A move for level-1 'A' to level-2 'A'
= 1 move. A move from level-1 'B' to level-2 'B' = 2 moves. 

    Front view:
                         A   B
                 --.---.---.---.        level-2

                               x
                           .---|---.    attack board
                               |
                         A   B |
                ---.---.---.---|        level-1

    An attack board has a total of 24 possible positions. An attack
board can be moved either up, down, left or right to adjacent pin
positions only. A move of an attack board can only be done when the
board is empty or contains the players' pawn (but only 1 pawn).
Inverting an attack board can only be done when a board is empty.
Inverting means, for instance: over the corner of the bottom board,
to, under the corner of the middle board. 

         .---.---.             |
             |         to..    |
             |             .___.___.

    Moving an attack board constitutes a move. Diagonal moves of an
attack board are not allowed. 

    Points:
    -------
    King   = 0  (K)
    Queen  = 9  (Q)
    Castle = 5  (C)
    Knight = 3  (KN)
    Pawn   = 1  (P)
    Bishop = 3  (B)

    Starting positions:
    -------------------

    '*' indicates black field.

                |---|---|---|---|
                |KN |*B*| B |*KN|
                |---|---|---|---|
                |*P*| P |*P*| P |
    top level   |---|---|---|---|
                |   |***|   |***|
                |---|---|---|---|
                |***|   |***|   |
                |---|---|---|---|                  BLACK

      |---|---|                   |---|---|
      | C |*Q*|                   | K |*C*|
      |---|---| |---|---|---|---| |---|---|   attack board(s)
      |*P*| P | |   |***|   |***| |*P*| P |
      |---|---| |---|---|---|---| |---|---|
                |***|   |***|   |
   middle level |---|---|---|---|
                |   |***|   |***|
      |---|---| |---|---|---|---| |---|---|
      | P |*P*| |***|   |***|   | | P |*P*|
      |---|---|-|---|---|---|---| |---|---|
      |*C*| Q |                   |*K*| C |
      |---|---|                   |---|---|

                |---|---|---|---|                  WHITE
                |   |***|   |***|
                |---|---|---|---|
                |***|   |***|   |
   bottom level |---|---|---|---|
                | P |*P*| P |*P*|
                |---|---|---|---|
                |KN*| B |*B*| KN|
                |---|---|---|---|

    Well, that's it. Good luck !

    Addendum:  Maybe you saw the note on the special move of a Queen.
As far as I can see, you can diagonaly move your queen and take the
pawn straight across your opponents' King and get a check, but not a
check-mate. By the way, you've then lost your queen. 


   _     __  _      __                     How can we dance
  ' )   /   //   / /  )            /          when our earth is turning?
   / / / o // __/ /    __.  __  __/        How can we sleep
  (_(_/ <_</_(_/ (__/ (_/|_/ (_(_/_           while our beds are burning?
     (wgarmil@hawk.ulowell.edu)                  -Midnight Oil


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