Complex sentence: The size of the board and the number of pieces varied from place to place, but all games involved a distinctive 2:1 ratio of pieces, with the lesser side having a king-piece that started in the centre.
Split into simpler sentences: The size of the board and the number of pieces varied from place to place. All games involve a distinctive 2:1 ratio of pieces, with one side having a king-piece that starts in the centre.