From: jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca (D. Joseph Creighton)
Subject: Hyper-Chess (was Re: Star Trek Chess)
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 09:21:45 GMT

After seeing this thread return and linger so long, I thought someone
might be interested in this old variation a friend and I came up with.

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NOTE:  This variation of chess was tested through actual play.  However,
inconsistencies may still be apparent, since the testers included only
two people.  If you have any questions, or comments to improve the rules
for this variation, please feel free to contact me with your ideas.  Also,
this game requires that you have some trust between you and your opponent,
especially in the marking of moves on paper.  Please take this game as it
is meant - for enjoyment of another variation on the old classic.  It is,
after all, only a game.  :)

You can reach me at jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca.  Thanks, and enjoy!

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

Hyper-Chess - by D.J. Creighton and D.K. McNeill
~~~~~~~~~~~       <jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca>

Object:  You can win this game in the same way traditional chess is
won - through checkmate of your opponent's king.

Equipment:  Standard chessboard and playing pieces, two pens, and two
sheets of paper.

Set Up:  The chessboard should be set up in the manner standard to
regular game playing.  Each player has a sheet of paper and a pen.
Select a player to be white.

Game Play:  The actual movements of the pieces is no different than
that of standard chess play.  The factor which makes this game unique
is the element of involving hyperspace - that dimension outside of
our own - as a move option.

  Each player, before game play begins, chooses anywhere from 1 to 15
pieces for hypertravel.  Any combination of different pieces may be
used with the exception of the king, which must remain on the board
at all times.  For our example, there will be 6 pieces chosen for
hypertravel:  King's Bishop Pawn, King's Knight Pawn, King's Bishop,
Queen's Rook Pawn, Queen's Rook, and Queen's Knight.

  The next step in the hypertravel selection, is choosing *when* each
piece will leave the board and when each piece will return.  Since
game moves are recorded sequentially, that is with one player's
movement recorded by even numbers and the other's by odd, hypertravel
selection is chosen by odd or even numbers.  In our example, we will
be moving first and thus the moves will be recorded with odd numbers.

  If we look at the first piece       ___________________________
chosen, the King's Bishop Pawn       |                           |
will leave the board on the game's   |   5 - KBP -  KB4  - 47    |
5th move and return to game play     |                           |
on the 47th move.                    |   11 - KKnP -     - 43    |
  When a piece move's off the        |                           |
board, it will be leaving at a       |   15 - KB -       - 39    |
certain position on the board.       |                           |
For this reason, the piece's         |   19 - QRP -      - 33    |
position at the time of hyper-       |                           |
travel must be recorded to ensure    |   25 - QR -       - 53    |
that it returns to the exact         |                           |
location at which it left.  Thus,    |   29 - QKn -      - 59    |
a space must be left on the paper    |    ^    ^      ^     ^    |
to record this.  When a piece is     |____|____|______|_____|____|
moving off the board, it's last           |    |      |     |
position is then filled in, in            |    |      |     |
this case, King's Bishop 4.               |    |      |     |
                                          |    |      |     |
                      Move at which each  /    |      | Each piece's
                      piece hypertravels /     |      |   returning
                      *OFF* the board.         |      |     move.
                                               |      |
                                               |  Space to record
                           Your pieces. -------+   last position.

  Now that the basics of play recording have been covered, there are
are some other points which must be addressed.

  Each move on or off the board (into or out of hyperspace) counts as
a legal move (this may have already been apparent).

  Each move from hyperspace will return that piece to the position it
previously left the board from - *NO* interdimensional moves are allowed!

  In the situation where check is called against you immediately
before a piece is to go into hyperspace, that move must be forfeited
in order to prevent checkmate.

  Similarly, if a piece is about to return from hyperspace and
check is called, then that piece must also be forfeited in order to
prevent checkmate, except for two instances:
  1)  the piece which is returning will block the threating piece, or
  2)  the piece which is returning will capture the threating piece.
In both instances, the moves can only be made if no other threats
against the king remain.

  If a piece moving into hyperspace would reveal a check *against*
yourself, that move into hyperspace must also be forfeit.

  If a returning piece is to move out of hyperspace onto a square that
is occupied by an opposing piece, that piece is taken as a normal
capture.

  If a returning piece is to move out of hyperspace onto a square that
is occupied by your own piece, the piece in hyperspace is forfeit.

  If a piece to move on the board is lost due to forfeit, no points
are claimed by the opposing player.

  All hypertravel moves are optional.  The final decision to make the
move is up to the player.  If a better move presents itself when
another piece is to move on or off the board, it is the player's
discretion.  However, if the player decides to make the move into or
out of hyperspace, it must be done at the times preselected on the
record sheet, and at no other time.  Consider the sheet of moves
your "window" into and out of hyperspace.

  A piece which does not move off the board due to forfeit or player
decision, is played as a normal piece for the rest of the game.

  With all rules regarding hypertravel covered, here are a few
suggestions to help you get started:

  More pieces does not necessarily mean better.  A series of test
games found that 3 or 4 pieces were a comfortable number to handle.

  Space your moves on and off the board.  After all, you have other
pieces to consider.  5 or more turns between any piece moving on or
off the board should be considered.

  Be near the center of the board, or - if possible - behind 'enemy
lines' when you travel into hyperspace for longer periods of time.
That piece's value later in the game can be enormous.

  Be ready for returning pieces.  Set up to either attack with or
protect the returning piece.

  All of these suggestions are guidelines.  With only two people
involved in the creation of this game, varying chess abilities was
not something that factored into the equation during test games.
Most players will develop a set of strategies which work best for
them, depending on their playing ability.

  Also, it is not stated in the rules how many times a *single*
piece can move into hyperspace.  We leave this up to you.

---
     "Slow down faster!" - my wife, Laurie, about my driving habits.
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D. Joseph Creighton  <jcoper@ccu.umanitoba.ca> - U of M Computer Services