Abstract:
An extended chess game comprising a board divided into a first area, the Spirit World, consisting of all squares on the border forming a square ring and a second area, the Cardinal World, consisting of all the squares enclosed by the Spirit World. The pieces comprise conventional chess pieces, non-conventional chess pieces that are present at the beginning of the game and non-conventional chess pieces that are not present on the board at the beginning of the game. The rules allow the pieces to change color, to move from the Spirit World to the Cardinal World and vice versa, to kill members pieces of their own color, to move in lock step, two at the time, to come back to life after they have been killed by an opponent&#39;s piece, to be cloned, and to acquire abilities of belonging to pieces that have been killed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to board games, more particularly two-player board games such as chess and checkers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The game of chess originated about 1500 years ago in India. Its early form called chaturanga translates as “four divisions of the military”—infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, represented respectively by pawn, knight, bishop, and rook. The game moved to Persia around 600ACE. There its name became shatranj and its rules underwent some changes. Introduced into the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors, it had, by the year 1000, spread throughout Europe where it underwent more modifications. Several major changes implemented around 1475 rendered the game essentially as it is known today. 
         [0003]    Chess represents a simulation of war on a game board between two kingdoms. Each piece is assigned certain role and capabilities. While the modern rules of chess are significantly more complicated than those of checkers or of Go, they are relatively simple in comparison with rules found in some modern computer games. In addition the roles assigned to the chess pieces are relatively boring in comparison with the diversity in the characterizations found in computer game avatars. Several attempts have been made to modify chess. None of them has gone as far as this invention in the richness of characterizing the pieces and of the rules. This game is the answer to a need felt by increasingly sophisticated modern players. 
         [0004]    The growing generation (i.e., teenagers) can easily handle multitasking and far more complex situation than the earlier generations. This generation is usually intimately familiar with the complexity found in computer games such as Dungeon and Dragon™. They can handle more complex rules and would appreciate playing pieces representing the likes of avatars in computer games, and a wide range of strange and powerful personas. 
         [0005]    There is, therefore, a need to extend the game of chess to provide modern players with a more complex and less predictable game populated with strange and unpredictable characters. 
         [0006]    None of the prior art offers the same entertainment value of this invention. Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention over the prior art will be more fully understood when considered with respect to the following detailed description claims and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates the positions of the pieces before the game begins and provides information about special board locations such as the Spirit World, the Cardinal World, the Four Corners, and the Four Central Squares called the Stonehenge. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  provides a legend that enables the reader to associate each piece to its own icon or image. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows the King&#39;s movements as well as possible castling movement and cannibalizing involving the King and the Rook. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  depicts movements of the Queen. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates the movements of the Rook. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows the movements of the Bishop. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  depicts the movements of the knight. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates the movements of the pawns. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  shows the movements of the Princesa. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  depicts the movements of the Prince. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  shows how Merlin moves in the Spirit World and in the Cardinal World. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  illustrates how Lancelot moves. 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  shows Lancelot in lock with the King, and the two of them moving together. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  illustrates the movements of the Mercenary Pawns. 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  depicts the movements of the Guardian Pawns. 
           [0022]      FIG. 16  illustrates how the Princesa is liberated from the Spirit World by the entry of the Black Knight into the Cardinal World. Alternatively, this figure illustrates the creation of a Princesa clone (the Cesa) by the entry of the Black Knight into the Cardinal World. 
           [0023]      FIG. 17  shows how the entry of the Black Knight into the Cardinal World is triggered when a Pawn traverses the board length-wise. 
           [0024]      FIG. 18  illustrates the movements of the Dragon. 
           [0025]      FIG. 19  depicts castling when the King and Lancelot are in Lock. 
           [0026]      FIG. 20  shows how the Horseman of the Apocalypse is raised when the Black Knight kills inside the Spirit World. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    This invention is an extended chess game for two players comprising a playing board consisting of an array of black and white squares alternatively arranged as on a chess board, divided into two areas. The first area referenced to as the Spirit World consists of all said squares on the border of the array. Essentially the Spirit World forms a square ring. The second area referenced to as the Cardinal World consists of all the squares which are enclosed by the spirit World. The game also comprises a set of playing pieces of two different colors to represent said two players. The playing pieces being of three kinds: conventional chess pieces; non-conventional chess pieces that are present at the beginning of the game; and non-conventional chess pieces that are not present on the board at the beginning of the game. The game also comprises a set of rules that allow the pieces to change color; to move from the Spirit World to the Cardinal World and vice versa; to kill members pieces of their own color; to move in lock step, two at the time; to come back to life after they have been killed by an opponent&#39;s piece; to be cloned; to acquire abilities of belonging to pieces that have been killed. 
         [0028]    A preferred embodiment makes use of a playing board formed by a 14 by 14 array. This array consists of horizontal rows and vertical columns that define an orthogonal coordinate system having an X axis along the direction of said rows and a Y axis along the direction of said column. In the preferred embodiment the Cardinal World includes an area within itself referenced to as Stonehenge, consisting of the central 4 squares, and the Spirit World includes within itself four special locations, called the Four Corners which consist of the four corners of the square ring formed by the Spirit World. 
         [0029]    The conventional chess pieces comprise a King, a Queen, two Bishops, two Knights, two Rooks, and seven Pawns. The unconventional chess pieces present at the beginning of the game comprise, one piece named the “Prince,” one named the “Princesa,” one piece named “Merlin,” one piece named “Lancelot,” six pieces named “Mercenary Pawns” and one named the “Black Knight.” The non-conventional pieces not present at the beginning of the game, include at least one named the “Guardian Pawn,” one named the “Bastard Prince,” one named the “Cesa,” one named the “Dragon”; and one named the “Horseman of the Apocalypse”. 
         [0030]    The starting positions include thee first two rows and the last two rows of the Cardinal World. The coordinate system is relative to each player such that for each player the X axis points to the right and the Y axis points towards the opposite player. The set of rules comprise moving rules which define for each piece the set of all its possible movements in relation to the XY coordinate system, according to a tuple notation (x,y) such that x symbolizes the value of the component of the change along the X axis, and y symbolizes the value of the component of the change along the Y axis. The values of x and y are restricted to those which limit the position of a piece within the Cardinal World. The moving rules are applied symmetrically in the four quarters defined by (x&gt;0, y&gt;0), (x&gt;0, y&lt;0), (x&lt;0, y&gt;0), and (x&lt;0, y&lt;0). In the quarter defined by (x&gt;0, y&gt;0), the rules comprise:
       a) allowing the King to move in the Cardinal World according to set ((0,1), (1,0), (1,1);   b) allowing the Queen to move in the Cardinal World according to set ((0,x), (x,0), (x,x));   c) allowing the Bishops to move in the Cardinal World according to set (x,x);   d) allowing the Knights to move in the Cardinal World in L patterns described by the set ((2,3), (3,2), (3,4) and (4,3));   e) allowing the Rooks to move in the Cardinal World according to set ((0,x), (x,0);   f) allowing each one of the Pawns to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((0,1), (0,2);   g) allowing the Prince to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((1,y), (x,1));   h) allowing the Princesa to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((x+1,x−1), (x−1,x+1));   i) allowing Merlin to move in the Cardinal World according to the set (x+1,x), (x,x+1)) and furthermore allowing Merlin to move in the Spirit World in a straight line;   j) allowing Lancelot to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((u,v)) where 0≦u≦5 and 0≦v≦5) and by leaping over other pieces as in checkers;   k) allowing the Mercenary Pawns to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((0,1), (0,2), (0,3), (0,4));   l) allowing the Black Knight to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((0,3), (1,2), (1,4), (2,3), (3,0), (2,1), (4,1), (3,2)) and furthermore, allowing the Black Knight to move in the Spirit World by sliding to a position diametrically opposed to its starting position.   m) allowing the Guardian pawns to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((0,1), (0,2), (0,3), (0,4), (1,1), (2,2), (3,3), (4,4)) as well as to bounce the edges of the Cardinal World;   n) allowing the Bastard Prince to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((1,y), (x,1));   o) allowing the Cesa to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((x+1,x−1), (x−1,x+1));   p) allowing the Dragon to move in the Cardinal World according to the set ((0,x), (x,0); and   q) allowing the Horseman of the Apocalypse to acquire the movement ability of the pieces it has killed;       
 
         [0048]    The set of rules also include killing rules comprising:
       a) allowing the King to kill at the locations it can reach according to set ((0,1), (1,0), (1,1);   b) allowing the Queen to kill at the locations it can reach according to set ((0,x), (x,0), (x,x));   c) allowing the Bishops to kill at the locations is can reach according to set (x,x);   d) allowing the Knights to kill at the locations it can reach according to the set ((2,3), (3,2), (3,4) and (4,3));   e) allowing the Rooks kill at the locations it can reach according to set ((0,x), (x,0);   f) allowing each one of the Pawns to kill according to the set ((1,1), (1,2);   g) allowing the Prince to kill at the locations it can reach according to the set ((1,y), (x,1));   h) allowing the Princesa to kill at the locations it can reach according to the set ((x+1,x−1), (x−1,x+1));   i) allowing Merlin to kill in the Cardinal World at the locations it can reach according to the set (x+1,x), (x,x+1)) and furthermore allowing Merlin to kill in the Spirit World by sliding through opposite pieces;   j) allowing Lancelot to kill in the Cardinal World at the locations it can reach according to the set ((u,v)) where 0≦u≦5 and 0≦v≦5) and by leaping over other pieces as in checkers;   k) allowing the Mercenary Pawns to kill at the locations they can reach according to the set ((0,1), (0,2), (0,3), (0,4));   l) allowing the Black Knight to kill in the Cardinal World at locations it can reach according to the set ((0,3), (1,2), (1,4), (2,3), (3,0), (2,1), (4,1), (3,2)) and allowing the Black Knight to kill in the Spirit World at locations it can reach in the Spirit World;   m) allowing the Guardian pawns to kill in the Cardinal World at the locations they can reach according to the set ((0,1), (0,2), (0,3), (0,4), (1,1), (2,2), (3,3), (4,4)) as well as by bouncing the edges of the Cardinal World;   n) allowing the Bastard Prince to kill in the Cardinal World at the locations it can reach according to the set ((1,y), (x,1));   o) allowing the Cesa to kill in the Cardinal World at the location it can reach according to the set ((x+1,x−1), (x−1,x+1));   p) allowing the Dragon to kill in the Cardinal World at the locations it can kill according to the set ((0,x), (x,0); and   q) allowing the Horseman of the Apocalypse to kill at the location it can reach.       
 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0066]    This invention is an extension of chess that simulates war in the time of ancient Camelot and that portrays the splendor, mystic, magic, and religious fanaticism of that era. The following topics shall be discussed:
       a) The board   b) The pieces   c) The pieces&#39; movements.   d) Addition of two-world play (Spirit and Cardinal) and how the two interact.   e) The goal of the game       
 
         [0072]    The Board 
         [0073]    The game board shown in  FIG. 1  consists of (14×14) 196 squares. The pieces on the board are shown in their starting position. Indices have been placed on the edges of the board to facilitate the description of the players&#39; starting position and their movements. 
         [0074]    The Spirit World 
         [0075]    The outer perimeter of the game board defines the Spirit World  16  (rows  0  and  13  and column X and Y) The Four Corners of the Spirit World is the Spirit Dungeons, Purgatory and Haven for those visiting. They are the only squares that are dedicated as a safe zone; no kills can ever be made there. There is no limit to how many pieces can safely reside in any of the Four Corners of the Spirit World. 
         [0076]    The Cardinal World 
         [0077]    The inner (12 by 12) 144 squares  17  represent the playing field of the real world, which is called the Cardinal World, where the majority of the game is played. Rows  1  and  12  are called the Royal Rows  18 . 
         [0078]    The four central squares  19  marked by a circular symbol of Stonehenge (F6, F7, G6 and G7) are reserved as portal between the Spirit World  16  and the Cardinal World  17 . The Black Knight  7  makes use of this portal when he is incarnated by the promotion of a Pawn  14 . A more detailed description of this topic shall be provided in the section on the Black Knight. 
         [0079]    The Pieces. 
         [0080]    While all the classical chess pieces are retained, the range of their movement has been extended to accommodate the larger board. In addition, the atmosphere of Machiavellian Camelot is created by the introduction of new pieces characteristic of that era. The strategy inherent in the game is the consequence of the starting positions of, and movement allowed for, each piece. The players are assigned a point value. They can be classified into three groups. Group 1 refers to pieces already found in conventional chess. Group 2 are pieces that have been added to impart to the game the atmosphere of Machiavellian Camelot. These pieces are present at start up. Group 3 pieces have also been added to the game but come to life or become active as the game progresses. 
         [0081]    Conventional Chess Pieces. 
         [0082]    These are the classical players found in conventional chess. Because of the larger size of the board, the range of their movement has been extended while the basic theme inherent to the movement has remained the same. As shown in the legend depicted in  FIG. 2 , these players include the following:
       a) The King  1  begins on G1 and G12 on his opposite color. He has a point value of thirteen.   b) The Queen  2  begins on F1 and F12 on her own color. She has a point value of nine.   c) The Rooks  11  begin on each corner A1, L1, A12, and L12. They have a point value of six.   d) The Knights  3  begin on E1 and H1 and on E12 and H12. They have a point value of five.   e) The Bishops  6  begin on C1 and J1 and on C12 and J12. They have a point value of three.   f) The six Pawns  14  are placed on row  2  and row  11  intermixed with Mercenary Pawns  12  (discussed below under Group 2) according to each player&#39;s individual discretion. They have a Point value of one.       
 
         [0089]    Non-Conventional Pieces at Startup. 
         [0090]    These players are present in the game at start up. They include:
       a) The Princesa  9  begins on B1 and B12 on her own color (Meaning, if you are playing white, she is on white and if you are playing black, your Princesa will be on black. Like the queen, she starts on her color.) She sits on the Queen&#39;s side (Point value: seven).   b) The Prince  8  begins on K1 and K12 on his opposite color. He sits on the King&#39;s side and like the King, he can be placed into check. (point value: eleven).   c) Merlin  4  begins on D1 and D12 (Point value: eight).   d) Lancelot  5  or more familiarly “Lance” begins on I1 and I12. He is initially in lock with his King. The Lock state will be discussed below. (point value: ten).   e) The Six Mercenary Pawns  12  are placed on row  2  and row  11  according to each player&#39;s individual discretion. They move like Pawns but move 1-4 spaces on the first move. (point value: one)       
 
         [0096]    Non-Conventional Pieces Evolved During the Game. 
         [0097]    These players are not present or not active at start up. They come to life as the game is played.
       a) The Bastard Prince is a captured Prince  8  that turns against his own color or players. His Point value is eleven. The starting point of the Bastard Prince is the position where he was captured or checkmated (Just as Kings, Princes in this game can be checked and checkmated).   b) The Cesa (pronounced Cheza) is a cloned Princesa  9  that can comes into play only if the original Princesa  9  has not been killed. She is created when the Black Knight  7  enters and leaves the Spirit World  16  and only when the Princesa is still alive. Her point Value is seven, the same as the Princesa  9 .   c) The Guardian Pawns  13  are created when the Rook  11  is cannibalized through castling. The process of cannibalization shall be discussed below in the section on pieces&#39; movements. Their starting points shall also be discussed in that section. Their point value is two.   d) The Black Knight  7  comes into play on one of the four center squares  19  (marked by the circular symbol of Stonehenge) when one of the any three types of Pawns  12  or  13  or  14  becomes the first pawn to cross board. The player is given the choice of which of the four Stonehenge squares  19  becomes the starting point of the Black Knight  7 . The Black Knight&#39;s point value is twelve.   e) The Dragon  15  only comes into play when the cannibalization of a Rook  11  has occurred and a second pawn  12  or  13  or  14  has crossed the board and the owner of that pawn chooses to make it a dragon. It assumes play at the location where the pawn crossed the board. Its point value is six.   f) Additionally, the Pawns&#39; abilities are enhanced with the presence of a Dragon  15 . If a Dragon  15  comes on the board, all pawns  12  or  13  or  14  may kill diagonally on their second step after moving one step directly forward. This enhanced ability only applies after the pawns  12  or  13  or  14  have moved from their starting position. Also, once a Dragon  15  is in play, only a pawn  12  or  13  or  14  can take possession of an opponent&#39;s Dragon rather than killing it.   g) The Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  is created when the Black Knight  7  kills the opponent&#39;s Black Knight  7  in the Cardinal World  17  or Spirit World  16 ; or when the Black Knight  17  or Merlin  4  kills their opponent&#39;s Merlin  4  or Black Knight  7  in the Spirit World  16 . The Horseman  10  enters into play at the killing point. Thus, the starting point of the Horseman  10  is where Merlin  4  or the Black Knight  7  were killed, the transformation point. His point value is 0.       
 
         [0105]    Movements for Conventional Pieces. 
         [0106]    These pieces which include the King, the Queen  2  the Bishops  6 , the Knights  3 , and the Rooks  11  move exactly as they do in conventional chess. The movements of the Pawns  12  and the movements of the Knights  3  have been extended to accommodate the larger board. Castling of the King  1  has been modified as shall be discussed below under the topic Castling. 
         [0107]    The King. 
         [0108]    The movements of the King are illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The King  1  moves in any direction one square at a time except when he castles or when he is in lock with Lance  5 . In addition to conventional chess capabilities, the King  1  may kill any friendly piece when in lock with Lance. The King may also kill his Prince  8  or the Black Knight  7  whether in lock or not. Castling shall be discussed in a separate section as it involves the King  1 , the Rook  11 , and may also involve Lancelot  5  and the Guardian Pawns  13 . 
         [0109]    The Queen. 
         [0110]    The movements of the Queen  2  are illustrated in  FIG. 4 . They have not been altered from conventional chess: she moves horizontally, vertically, and diagonally in any direction: forward, sideways or backwards. 
         [0111]    The Rook. 
         [0112]    The movements of the Rook  11  are illustrated in  FIG. 5 . As in conventional chess he Rook  11  can move horizontally or vertically in any direction. 
         [0113]    The Bishop. 
         [0114]    The movements of the Bishop  6  are depicted in  FIG. 6 . As in conventional chess, the Bishop  6  can move diagonally in any direction always remaining on his original starting color. 
         [0115]    The Knight. 
         [0116]    The movements of the Knight  3  are shown in  FIG. 7 . As in conventional chess he moves in an L-shape in a 1-2 or 2-1 step. In addition, the Knight  3  has the option of moving in a 2-3 or a 3-2 step in order to cover more ground. Also, as in conventional chess, he can hop over his men or that of his opponent&#39;s. 
         [0117]    The Pawns. 
         [0118]    The movements of the Pawns  14  are illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The movements have been extended to accommodate the larger board. Each Pawn  14  on its first move, can travel one square as well as two squares as long as there are no intervening pieces on the first square. In addition, on his first move, a Pawn  14  can kill by moving one step directly forward and one step diagonally. On subsequent moves he is allowed to move up to two squares forward but without a kill. After the first move, he only kills to his immediate diagonal. A Pawn  14  is not allowed to travel backwards. When a player&#39;s first pawn crosses the board into his opponent&#39;s Royal row  18  as shown in  FIG. 17 , the pawn is transformed into a Black Knight  7  and is placed on one of the four center Stonehenge squares  19  of his choosing: F6, F7, G6 or G7. 
         [0119]    Movements for Non-Conventional Players. 
         [0120]    These players include the Princesa  9 , the Prince  8 , Merlin  4 , Lancelot  5 , and the Six Mercenary Pawns  12 . 
         [0121]    The Princesa. 
         [0122]    The Princesa  9  is a non-conventional chess piece. As shown in  FIG. 9  she starts, moves, and stays on her Queen&#39;s primary color. She moves diagonally like a Bishop with the exception of taking one perpendicular step to either side. She can either begin her move with a diagonal slide and ending with the a diagonal side step, or she can do the reverse, begin with one diagonal step and then slide perpendicular (diagonally) as many squares as desired. Her movement looks like a diagonal L or a checkmark. She may only move in a cleared path unable to jump over any man. 
         [0123]    If the Princesa  9  is killed she gets a second chance at life. When her physical body is slain, she is banished to the Spirit Dungeon  20 , which is the square of her color on the opponent&#39;s side of the board. Her reincarnation into the Cardinal World  17  (or her clone as a Cesa if the Princesa is alive) happens when a pawn  12  or  13  or  14  is transformed into a Black Knight  7 , which the Princesa/Cesa can only be effected by the Black Knight  7  when he crosses from the Cardinal World  17  to the Spirit World  16  and exits again. The reincarnated Princesa and the Cesa  9  shall be discussed in greater detail in the Section on the Cesa. 
         [0124]    The Prince  8  is also a non-conventional piece. As shown in  FIG. 10  his movement is L shaped: He can slides horizontally or vertically like a Rook  11  along an arbitrary number of squares and then takes a single step perpendicular to the slide direction. He can also do the reverse: take a single horizontal or vertical step and then slide in a direction perpendicular to the step. He may only move in a cleared path unable to jump over men. 
         [0125]    The Prince. 
         [0126]    The Prince  8  is susceptible to check or checkmate. If this occurs, the player must make a selection from one of the following moves:
       a) Move the Prince  8 ;   b) Block the check with another man;   c) Kill the checking piece;   d) Turn the Prince  8  over to his opponent. The Prince  8  then becomes a Turncoat Bastard Prince playing for the opponent;   e) Kill the Prince  8 . This game is different from conventional chess in this instance since a player can kill the men playing on his side.       
 
         [0132]    A special case occurs if the Duel or check is performed by the opponent&#39;s Prince. In this case the player must make a selection from one of the following moves:
       a) Move the Prince  8 ;   b) Accept to Duel, which means either kill the dueling/checking Prince  8 , or ignore him, which leaves the checked Prince  8  susceptible to being killed by opponents Prince but is still not captured.   c) Enter into a Royal Standoff by placing a game piece to guard the current square that the player&#39;s Prince occupies. The Royal Standoff process shall be discussed below.       
 
         [0136]    Guiding rules of the Prince  8  are listed below:
       a) A Prince  8  cannot purposely place himself into check unless it is Chivalrous: done to check an opponent&#39;s King  1  or to protect his own King  1  (see Royal Duels &amp; Acts of Chivalry); however, without protection, he is at the mercy of the opponent.   b) A Prince  8  is allowed to check an opponent Prince, only if he is protected by one of his own players or elects to duel.   c) A Prince  8  is allowed to kill an opponent Prince in a Duel (See Royal Standoff &amp; Duel).   d) A Duel/kill may occur if the Princes are in a Royal Standoff (See Royal Standoff &amp; Duel).   e) A Prince  8  may be sacrificed to protect his King. (See Royal Duel &amp; Acts of Chivalry).   f) A King  1  can kill his own Prince  8  without the assistance of Lance  5 .   g) In the event that the Prince  8  is placed in checkmate, he becomes a turncoat, and is now playing for the opponent&#39;s side and is referred to as the Bastard Prince.   h) If a player&#39;s Prince  8  is checkmated, the player must abandon him, forfeiting him to his opponent. The player must still move, since the betrayal becomes complete at the end of the checkmated player&#39;s move: the Prince becomes the opponent&#39;s piece and is referred to as the Bastard Prince.   i) If a Prince  8  and King  1  are checked in one move, both must be freed in one move. If this not possible, the checked King  1  takes precedence over a Prince, the King  1  must be saved, even if the Prince  8  cannot, then the Prince  8  becomes a Bastard playing for the other side.   j) A Bastard Prince can be recaptured by being checkmated.   k) If a Prince  8  is in a Duel and checkmated, the piece that was guarding the Prince  8  may be used to kill him.   l) A checked King  1  or Prince  8  takes precedence over all other moves because they must be liberated; for the Prince  8 , see exceptions in the sections on duels, standoff, abandonment/checkmate, and chivalry.   m) A Prince  8  can only capture the Black Knight  7  if the supposed move used to capture him does not violate the rules of a Prince  8  which forbids him to place himself in jeopardy without chivalry or a duel.       
 
         [0150]    Confrontations or duels between two Princes  8  or between a Prince  8  and a King  1  are of three kinds. 1) Royal Standoffs, 2) Royal Duels and 3) Acts of Chivalry.
       a) A Royal Standoff occurs when a protected Prince  8  checks a Prince who is also protected or who acquires protection on the next move.   b) A Royal Duel between two Princes occurs when a protected Prince  8  in a Royal Standoff kills the opposing Prince but in so doing, places himself in checkmate. The surviving Prince  8  is now at the mercy of the opponent and may either be killed by the opponent, or converted into a Bastard Prince working for the other side.   c) An Act of Chivalry is a Royal Standoff between a Prince  8  and an opposing King  1 . It occurs when a player purposely places his unprotected Prince  8  in harm&#39;s way to defend his King  1  against a check, or to place the opposing King  1  in check. An Act of Chivalry sets the stage for a Royal Duel between a King  1  and a Prince  8 . While an Act of Chivalry allows the Prince to defend his King  1 , it exposes him to being killed. The Act of Chivalry must be announced to qualify as such and overrides the rule prohibiting a player from purposely placing his Prince  8  into check. It can only be performed by the Prince  8  to defend his King  1  or to check the opponent&#39;s King  1  leaving the Prince susceptible to being killed like any piece. It is not to be confused with abandonment, which forfeits him to work for the other side.       
 
         [0154]    Announcing and stating the Prince&#39;s act, as an Act of Chivalry, gives the opponent the opportunity to:
       a) Kill the Prince  1 .   b) Confirm the Chivalry, but elects to ignore the Prince, as his death might not be profitable. If this is the case, this enables the chivalrous Prince to be freed on the succeeding turn by moving the Prince out of harm&#39;s way.   c) The opponent may try to capture the Prince  8  by accepting the Act of Chivalry call, and applying a counter move that will raise the ante and peril to the Prince  8 . The opponent may take the following actions:
           i. Back-off from attacking the King  1 . In other words removing the direct threat to the King  1 . This action demands the player to remove the Prince  8  from harm&#39;s way.   ii. Place the King  1  in check. Since the Prince  8  is already in check, the player now faces the task on the subsequent move, of lifting the check from both the King  1  and the Prince  8 , and if not, the Prince  8  runs the risk of being checkmated.   
               
 
         [0160]    As a continuation of the play described above, if the Prince  8  is not killed or captured, the player performing the Act of Chivalry, now has these following options:
       a) Perform another Act of Chivalry if he decides to place his Prince  8  again in check. The Act of Chivalry would have to be announced again;   b) The player may be able to free his Prince out of harm&#39;s way;   c) Accept the loss of the Prince  8 ;   d) Kill his Prince  8  with any piece if he can rather than forfeit it as a Bastard.       
 
         [0165]    If two players are in question as to whether a move is an Act of Chivalry or going against the rule of placing a Prince  8  in check, it is the responsibility of the player declaring the chivalrous act to prove it is chivalry rather than plain abandonment. 
         [0166]    Merlin 
         [0167]    Merlin  4 , the magician, occupies the initial position D1 and D12. He can travel in both the outer board known as the Spirit World  16  and the inner board known as the Cardinal World  17 . The movements of Merlin are illustrated in  FIG. 11  They are different depending on whether he is in the Cardinal World  17  or in the Spirit World  16 . His movements in the Cardinal World  17  can be described as an L shape or “generalized type of Knight&#39;s movements.” ( i.e.: 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, etc. or 2-1, 3-2, 4-3, etc.) He always ends his move on the opposite color of his starting point. He can jumps any amount of squares as desired as long as they are empty squares or those occupied by his men. He can never jump over an opponent&#39;s man. 
         [0168]    Merlin  4  uses his “L” shape movement to enter the Spirit World  16 . He does not have to stay on the square he landed on but may slide linearly to any of the appropriate colored squares of the Four Corners  20 . Once inside the Spirit World  16 , Merlin  4  either moves in his typical way back into the Cardinal World  17 , or slides like a Rook  11  in one straight line per turn ending on the opposite colored square from which he started. See  FIG. 11 . It is important to note, upon entering the Spirit World  16 , if Merlin  4  does not end his move by sliding over to the appropriate colored Corner/Haven for sanctuary, he is susceptible of being killed by the opponent&#39;s Black Knight  7  or Merlin  4 . 
         [0169]    Merlin  4  can reenter the Cardinal World  17  by executing an L movement from the Spirit World  16  landing on any opposite colored square from the one he started on in the Spirit World. 
         [0170]    Merlin  4  killing capabilities are explained below.
       a) He kills by sliding through his opponent in the Spirit World  16  or by landing on them in either realm (Spirit World  16  or Cardinal World  17 ).   b) He may not kill in the Cardinal World  17  if he initiates his move from the Spirit World&#39;s Haven/Four Corners  20 .   c) He may enter the Cardinal World  17  from the Spirit World Haven  20  without a kill and take possession of a square that checks or checkmates a Prince  8  or King  1 , or that captures the Black Knight  7 .   d) From the Spirit World&#39;s Haven/Four Corners  20  he can kill those in the Spirit World  16 , if they are not residing on one of the Four Corners.   e) If Merlin  4  is in the Spirit World  16 , but not on one of the Four Corners  20 , he may check or mate anyone in the Cardinal World  17 , or kill on re-entry from the Spirit World  16 .   f) He may kill anyone in the Spirit World  16  including an opponent&#39;s Merlin  4  or Black Knight  7  as long as they do not reside in the Four Corners  20 . If Merlin  4  kills an opponent in the Spirit World  16 , he is transformed into The Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 ; see  FIG. 11 .   g) If a Merlin  4  kills an opposing Merlin or Black Knight  7  in the Cardinal World  17 , it does not constitute the raising of a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 ; the killing must occur in the Spirit World  16  to raise a Horseman  10 .   h) When Merlin  4  enters the Spirit World  16 , he must slide to the appropriate colored Corner  20  to avoid being killed. If Merlin  4  does not choose to rest in the Spirit Sanctuary (one of the four corners)  20 , he is susceptible of being killed by the opponent&#39;s piece that can travel in the Spirit World  16 : Black Knight  7 , Horseman  10  or Merlin  4 .   i) If killed, Merlin  4  still has another chance at life through the promotion of a Pawn  12  or  13  or  14 .   j) Any piece can capture an incarnated Black Knight  7 , but only Merlin  4 , the Prince  8 , the King  1 , Queen  2 , Lance  5  while in lock, and the Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  can kill it.       
 
         [0181]    Lancelot 
         [0182]    Lancelot  10  or more familiarly, “Lance” is a loyal and valuable subject with great flexibility in movement. As shown in  FIG. 12 , Lance  5  has two options for movement: he may leap/hop vertically/horizontally or diagonally over other men only killing a piece if he lands on them, or he may move in any horizontal, vertical or zigzag direction up to three squares (unless he makes a kill). Lance  5  may kill his own men. 
         [0183]    Locking and Unlocking 
         [0184]    While in lock, both pieces, Lance  5  and the King  1  move as one as shown in  FIG. 13 , with the King  1  assuming the motion of Lance  5 . The same rules of movement for Lancelot  5  apply to the locked pair. Since Lance  5  has a greater mobility than the King  1 , locking allows the King  5  to assume Lancelot&#39;s movements and killing abilities. The idea behind lock is to allow Lance  5  to escort the King  1  and act as the King&#39;s bodyguard. The lock also empowers and increases the pair&#39;s ability to kill other pieces and enhances the capability of the King  1  to flee from danger. If Lance  5  elects not to kill, then he and the King  1  may move up to three squares in any direction: diagonal, vertical, horizontal or any combination of the three 
         [0185]    Once the move is initiated, with the King  1  and Lance  5  in lock, neither player can unlock and move solo. However, Lance  5  may start his move solo and then position himself to create a lock and drag the King  1  with him for the rest of his turn (resulting in a maximum movement of three squares from start to finish). Either man may move to initiate a lock at any time but only Lance  5  may break a lock. If Lance  5  is locked to the King  1 , and the King  1  moves, Lancelot  5  moves with him. The movement of both pieces are hampered when either Lance  5  or the King  1  makes contact, resulting in kill with another man. 
         [0186]    A lock between Lancelot  5  and the King  1  occurs when Lancelot  5  and his King  1  are separated by one square between the two pieces, diagonally, vertically, or horizontally. The game starts with Lance  5  positioned in lock with the King  1 . Lancelot  5  is located to the right of the King  1  on I1 or I12 with the King  1  on G1 and G12. Lance  5  may initiate a move while not in lock; move into lock, and then drag the newly locked King  1  with him to complete his move. If the King  1  is checked and is in lock, Lance  1  may break the lock only if his movement kills the pieces that placed the King  1  in check; if that is not possible, nor removing the threat with another piece, then they both move to secure the King  1 . 
         [0187]    While the King  1  is not in lock, he takes only one step per turn. The King  1  may only kill his own men when he is in lock with Lance with the exception of the Black Knight  7  and the Prince  8 . 
         [0188]    Lancelot killing capabilities when not in Lock. 
         [0189]    When Lance  5  is not in lock and moves without hopping, he may kill up to two men, whether it is a friend or foe for the sake of the King  1  or Kingdom. Lance  5  may only kill on his first or second step, but not his third. If he makes a kill on his first step, then he may only take a second step if it results in a kill. If there are no men in range to kill on his second step, then his move is over. Another manner of movement for Lance is hopping. As shown in  FIG. 12 , Lance  5  may leap over any player pieces vertically, horizontally or diagonally. He may land on an empty square or land on a piece to make a kill resulting in the end of his turn. He may only make one kill per leap and is not entitled to a second move or kill after a leap. Lance  5  is never allowed to hop and then move, or move and then hop; he must do one or the other per turn. 
         [0190]    Killing capabilities of Lancelot and the King when in Lock. 
         [0191]    Lance  5  may kill up to two men while dragging the King  1  with him in lock and the King  1  kills those who are in his path. If Lance  5  moves three squares, no kills may occur by either he or the King  1 . While in lock, a total of four kills may occur: two for Lancelot  5  and two for the King  1 . However, if either man makes a kill on the first step, then there can only be a second step if there is a man in Lance&#39;s range regardless if there is a kill for the King  1 . In other words, Lancelot&#39;s movement, and not the King&#39;s, rules the movement of the two while in lock. If a kill is in range after the first kill, Lance  5  does not need to make a second kill; the player may elect to end the move after the first step/kill by either man. For example, the following may occur:
       a) Lance  5  kills a man on his first move and then kills again by moving to a second square. Lance moves/kills while in Lock taking the King  1  along, and if the locked King  1  moves into an occupied square (friend or foe) the King  1  kills those pieces. The maximum number of kills in this situation is four: Lance  5  makes his two kills, and the King  1  may make one or two kills while moving in unison with Lance  5 .   b) The King  1  kills whoever is in his path when led by Lance  5 . Their movement must stop after the first step/Kill unless Lance  5  can make a kill on their second step. In other words, if either man makes a kill on their first move, a second move is not allowed unless Lance  5  can kill on his second and final step.   c) While in lock, a total of three steps in any direction may occur if no kills are made.       
 
         [0195]    A checked King while in Lock with Lance. 
         [0196]    If the King  1  is placed in check while locked with Lance  5 , the following options exist:
       a) They both move or kill to a safe position.   b) Lance  5  breaks the lock to slay or block the checking opponent.   c) Lance  5  initiates the move by unlocking, and finishes the move by locking again and dragging the King  1  to safety with the steps remaining in his move.   d) If possible, the King  1  may castle.   e) Kill or block the checking piece with any other disposable piece.       
 
         [0202]    Mercenary Pawns. 
         [0203]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a total of twenty-four pawns are placed on the board to start the game; each player places twelve pawns (six Mercenary Pawns  12  and six regular Pawns  14 ), in front of their Royal Row  18  with each player setting-up the starting positions of the two different kinds of pawns according to their own individual discretion. As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , on their first move, each Mercenary Pawn  12  has one of the following three options:
       a) Kill a foe on the first forward square on the diagonal.   b) March directly forward one to four squares.   c) Move three steps forward and then diagonally to kill, covering four squares.       
 
         [0207]    After their first move, the Mercenaries  12  move like regular Pawns  14 , killing at their immediate forward diagonal, or marching forward one or two squares. At no point are the Mercenaries  12  allowed to travel backwards. Like any of the pawns, when a Mercenary Pawn  12  crosses the board he is promoted/transformed to a higher rank. 
         [0208]    Bastard Prince. 
         [0209]    A Bastard Prince may originate either as a checkmated Prince  8  becoming a turncoat playing for the other side, or as a promoted Pawn  12  or  13  or  14  who has crossed the length of the board, and as long it is not the player&#39;s first Pawn to cross the board; the first Pawn across is reserved to transform into a Black Knight  7 . The promotion of a Pawn  12  or  13  or  14  to a Bastard Prince is considered a birth, with the player either electing to place the Bastard Prince were the Pawn crossed, or placing it on the original starting place of the opponent&#39;s Prince (K1 or K12) regardless of safety. A Bastard Prince is susceptible at birth to check, checkmate, or being killed, and like a Prince, must follow the rules of a Prince  8 . 
         [0210]    Cesa and Reincarnated Princesa. 
         [0211]    When the first Pawn crosses the board, the Black Knight  7  comes to life in one of the Stonehenge  19  four central squares as shown in  FIG. 17 . From the Cardinal World  17 , he must enter and then exit the Spirit World  16  to release the killed Princesa  9  as depicted in  FIG. 16 . If the Princesa  9  is not dead, then a clone of the Princesa  9  can be created. This clone is called the Cesa. A player can have more than one Cesa. If the player&#39;s Princesa  9  has been killed, the player resurrects the original Princesa  9 . The Princesa  9  or the Cesa enters play from either one of the two Spirit World&#39;s Four Corner Square, with the Cesa entering play from the opposite color of the original Princesa  9 . Like Bishops  6 , the colored squares they occupy remain the same, always moving on the same colored diagonal squares. 
         [0212]    If the Princesa  9  is dead she is banished to her color in the Spirit Dungeon  20  on either side of the Spirit World&#39;s  4  Corners  20  awaiting resurrection. When the Black Knight  7  ends its move by entering into the Cardinal World  17  the Princesa  9  is re-incarnated: the player turn is not over, they have a second move by releasing the Princesa/Cesa from the Spirit Dungeon  20 ; she travels down the center diagonal from her Spirit Dungeon  20  square then hooking left or right. 
         [0213]    Whether the Princesa  9  is re-incarnated or cloned as a Cesa, the properties of the resulting piece and the events leading to its creation are the same. A Princesa  9  comes out on her color (the color square on which she stated the game, B1 or B12), a Cesa on the opposite color from the original Princesa  9 ; they come into play from one of the Four Corners  20  of the Spirit World as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
         [0214]    The Cesa moves like the Princesa  9  in a diagonal L or checkmark. Her movements are exactly like the Princesa  9  illustrated in  FIG. 9 , but playing on the opposite color. Every time a player gains control of a Black Knight  7 , the player can resurrect his Princesa  9  or if he has a Princesa  9  then create a Cesa (See the section on the Black Knight  7 ). 
         [0215]    The Guardian Pawns 
         [0216]    Six Guardian Pawns  13  are created from either of the original Rooks  11  as a result of the King  1  castling and cannibalizing his Rook  11  in same movement. When cannibalization occurs, the Rook  11  is replaced by six Guardians  13 . One Guardian  13  replaces the position of the cannibalized Rook  11  on the Royal Row  18  while the remaining five Guardians  13  are placed on the regular Pawn row, if there are more than five empty squares on the Pawn&#39;s row, they are placed according to the player&#39;s discretion. If there are five empty squares then the Guardians  13  must occupy each empty square, and if the Pawn row does not have enough empty squares, then the Guards  13  are kept in limbo (held off the playing board) until an available square appears being placed at the beginning of each successive turn. 
         [0217]    The movements of the Guardians  13  are shown in  FIG. 15 . They can move like Pawns  14  or they can move forward diagonally. This provides the Guardians  13  an improved chance of guarding the King  1  or crossing and invading his enemy&#39;s Court for promotion. They can alter their diagonal direction in a perpendicular zigzag if they ricochet. A ricochet only occurs if they bump into one of the board&#39;s sides and bounce off in the opposite direction rather than penetrate the Spirit World  16 . They cannot ricochet off a man. They cannot zigzag if there is no ricochet. Their typical move is either all diagonal or all forward. After their initial movement, they kill like regular pawns. The Guardians  13  can never travel backwards. Like any Pawn, if a Guardian Pawn  13  crosses the board to his opponent&#39;s Royal Row  18 , he is promoted to a higher rank. The player&#39;s first Pawn always transforms into a Black Knight  7 ; succeeding pawns transform into whatever piece the player chooses (except another King  1 , another Black Knight  7 , or a Horseman  10 . A player may promote a Guardian Pawn  13  to a Prince  8 , Cesa, Princesa  9 , Bishop  6 , Rook  11 , Queen  2 , Knight  3 , Merlin  4 , Lance  5 , or a Dragon. Any succeeding Pawn across may be promoted to a Dragon  15  only if either player has cannibalized a Rook  11 . 
         [0218]    On their first move, the Guardians  13  move and kill like Mercenary Pawns  12  with the options of a diagonal movement of 1 to 4 spaces. They may:
       a) Kill a foe to their immediate forward diagonal.   b) March directly forward or diagonally one-four squares.   c) Move three steps straight forward and then diagonally to kill, covering a total of four squares on one move.   d) After their initial movement, they are limited to one or two steps directly forward, or at a diagonal, but killing only to their immediate diagonal.   e) They cannot move in one direction then change to another direction within the same turn, unless it is a ricochet.       
 
         [0224]    The Black Knight 
         [0225]    This piece resides in the Spirit World  16  until he is incarnated to wreak mayhem and havoc on the Cardinal World. His movement is governed by the rules of the world he is in. 
         [0226]    Black Knight Movements in the Spirit World. 
         [0227]    As illustrated in  FIG. 20 , in the Spirit World  16 , the Black Knight  7  can travel in a straight line or around the corners  20  of the Spirit World  16 . He can move one square or reach up to half the circumference of the board in one single move, reaching a position diametrically opposite to his starting position. As shown in  FIG. 20 , if he starts in one corner he can end in the diametrically opposed corner. When making a kill in the Spirit World  16 , he finishes his movement as a Horseman by landing on or sliding through his kill stopping on an opposite colored square from which he originated or on a Corner Square  20 . 
         [0228]    Black Knight Killing in the Spirit World. 
         [0229]    If the Black Knight  7  kills in the Spirit World  16 , he immediately becomes the Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 . Additionally, he may initiate his move and/or kill in the Spirit World  16  and terminate his move by killing or occupying a space in the Cardinal World  17  as long as he follows the Black Knight  7  regular movement or by assuming the movement of the chess piece he has just killed. See rules for movement as shown in  FIG. 20 . When two Black Knights  7  battle in any realm, only one survives creating a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 . If Merlin  4  is in the Spirit World  16 , but not in the sanctuary in one of its Four Corners  20 , the Black Knight  7  may kill him and thus become a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 20 . 
         [0230]    Black Knight Movements in the Cardinal World. 
         [0231]    In the Cardinal World, the Black Knight  7  moves, as shown in  FIG. 16 , in an L-shape, in a diagonal 1-2 or 2-1 step, followed by the single step either forward or backwards or to his left or right. He leaps over men so he can&#39;t be blocked and lands on the opposite color of his origin. 
         [0232]    Entry of the Black Knight into the Cardinal World 
         [0233]    As shown in  FIG. 17 , the first time a pawn  12 ,  13  or  14  crosses the board to their opponent&#39;s Royal Row  18 , this pawn must be promoted/transformed to a Black Knight  7 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , once incarnated, the Black Knight  7  enters the Cardinal World  17  through one of Stonehenge&#39;s  19  four center squares (F6, F7, G6 &amp; G7) of his choosing, and the Black Knight  7  may kill any player occupying the square in which he lands (this is the only time he may kill a King  1 , thus ending the game). 
         [0234]    Once in play in the Cardinal World  17 , the Black Knight may release the Princesa  9  or a Cesa by entering and then exiting the Spirit World  16  on any subsequent turn; see illustration  FIG. 16  Upon reentering the Cardinal World  17 , the Princesa  9  or Cesa immediately enters diagonally from one of the Four Corners  20  as long as her diagonal is not blocked (see Princesa) killing whomever. 
         [0235]    Abandoning and claiming a Black Knight 
         [0236]    If at any time, while the Black Knight  7  is in the Cardinal World  17 , he is checked and the owner fails to move him out of harm&#39;s way, then control of the Black Knight  7  can be seized by the opponent. The player seizing control of the Black Knight  7  does not have to inform the owner that the Black Knight  7  is in check. All he needs to do is claim control of the Black Knight  7  when it is his turn to play, by showing how the Black Knight  7  was abandoned. 
         [0237]    Abandonment of the Black Knight  7  is subject to the following additional rules:
       a) If a player checks a Black Knight  7  and your opponent responds by checking your King  1  or Prince  8 , then the Black Knight  7  is not considered abandoned because the first priority for a player is to remove the King  1  or Prince  8  from check. However if the Black Knight  7  can be used to kill or block the checker, then the player can point out the abandonment, claim and use him. If a player&#39;s King  1  is placed in check by an opponent who leaves his Black Knight  7  in jeopardy, then the Black Knight  7  is not considered abandoned because the first priority for a player is to remove the King  1  or Prince  8  from check. However, if the King  1  or Prince  8  is freed on Lance&#39;s first step, and the Black Knight  5  is in Lance&#39;s second kill zone step, then Lance  5  may either kill the Black Knight  7  or claim him, that is assume his immediate control for is considered abandoned.   b) If a player abandons his Black Knight  7  whether intentionally or not, then their opponent must point out that the Black Knight  7  is in jeopardy by one of his men in order to claim him. If the opponent fails to do so during his turn, then the Black Knight  7  still belongs to the original player who should have moved him from jeopardy. To avoid risking abandonment, the player who owns the Black Knight  7  should move him or secure him.   c) Note, a player is considered to have abandoned their Black Knight  7  only if their opponent notices it, points it out, and claims him.       
 
         [0241]    More Special Rules regarding the Black Knight:
       a) The Black Knight  7  is not bound by the 144 squares of the Cardinal World  17 . He may move in and out of the Spirit World  16  and Cardinal World  17  using all 196 squares when he is incarnated. Until incarnation occurs, he must remain in the Spirit World  16 .   b) When the Black Knight  7  ends his turn by entering the Spirit World  16  and landing on a Spirit World square, he may travel/slide horizontally or vertically as many squares to the appropriate colored square, or corner square being the opposite color from which he initiated his move. If he stays in the Spirit World  16 , then original Spirit World  16  rules apply.   c) If he elects to enter and exit the Spirit World  16  on the same turn, he must travel in the 1-2, or 2-1 vertical “L” shape followed by his sidestep landing on the opposite colored square that he initiated his move. If a player leaves his Black Knight  7  in jeopardy intentionally or not, the Black Knight  7  is abandoned when the opponent notices it on their turn and claims control of the Black Knight  7  by announcing the abandonment; the power of the Black Knight  7  is immediately transferred.   d) The Black Knight  7  is able to enter the Spirit World  16  and exit it in one move. This allows him to move quickly and stealthily, as well as free a Princesa  9  or Cesa held captive in the Spirit Dungeon  20 .   e) The Black Knight  7  may resurrect his Princesa  9  or Cesa only once each time the Black Knight  7  is under a player&#39;s control. (If a payer looses control and then reacquires control of the Black Knight  7  then the Black Knight  7  gets another chance at freeing the Princesa  9  or Cesa.   f) If a Black Knight  7  is claimed by the opponent, they only receive control of the Black Knight  7  and not Princesa  9  or Cesa.   g) The Black Knight  7  may check and checkmate a Prince  8  only when the Black Knight  7  is in the Cardinal World  17 ; he may not check or mate from the Spirit World Haven (any one of the Four Corners  20 ) even if incarnated, but he may from any other square of the Spirit World  16 .   h) The Black Knight  7  cannot kill, check or checkmate a King  1 . But the Black Knight  7  may kill the King  1  on his incarnation to the Cardinal World  17 .   i) The King  1 , Queen  2 , Prince  8 , Lance  5  in lock, Dragon  15  and Merlin  4 , are the only pieces that can kill an opponent&#39;s Black Knight  7  in the Cardinal World  17 , or they may seize control of him.   j) Alone, Lance  5  may not kill the Black Knight  7 ; he may only claim a Black Knight  7 .   k) If a Black Knight  7  is killed, he does not go back to the Spirit World  16 , but is permanently removed from the game, and nor can the player&#39;s second or succeeding pawns across the board restore or become a Black Knight  7 .   l) If the Black Knight  7  kills Merlin  4  in the Spirit World  16  he becomes a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 .   m) If a Black Knight  7  kills a Black Knight in the Cardinal World  17  the killing Black Knight  7  is transformed into a Horseman  10 .   n) If the Black Knight  7  kills Merlin  4  in the Cardinal World  17 , no Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  is created.   o) If the Black Knight  7  kills the other opposing Black Knight or an opposing Merlin  4  in the Spirit World  16 , then he becomes a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 .   p) Any piece can claim an abandoned Black Knight  7  during their turn.       
 
         [0258]    Dragon 
         [0259]    A Dragon  15  can be created when either player has cannibalized a Rook  11 , and as soon as a 2nd pawn crosses the board. The first pawn crossing the board will always release the Black Knight  7 . Promoting the second Pawn to a Dragon  15  is not automatic or mandatory but an option.  FIG. 18  illustrates its movement and the following are special rules regarding the Dragon  15 :
       a) A Dragon  15  moves like a Rook  11  in a vertical or horizontal line in the Cardinal World  17  (an advanced Rook  11 ). It has the additional ability to fly over its own men, but not over opposing men. It kills by traveling in a straight line and by landing and acquiring the square of it opponent.   b) Once Dragon  15  is on the board, all Pawns (Mercenaries  12 , Pawns  14  and Guards  13 ) on either side increase in strength, they may take a forward vertical step and then kill diagonally, like the regular Pawn&#39;s initial movement.   c) All Pawns  12  or  13  or  14  are the only pieces which have the option rather than killing the Dragon to take possession of the Dragon  15  by becoming a Dragon-back rider. All other pieces can only kill the Dragon  15 .   d) Dragons  15  can castle with a King  1  like the Rook  11  he was created from, but the Dragon  15  cannot cannibalize.       
 
         [0264]    The Horsemen of the Apocalypse. 
         [0265]    Killing an opposing Black Knight with a Black Knight  7  on any realm (Cardinal World  17  or Spirit World  16 ) constitutes the raising of the Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 . A Horseman  10  is also created when either an opposing Merlin  4  or an opposing Black Knight  7  is killed in the Spirit World  16 . Merlin  4  or the Black Knight  7  kill by either landing or sliding through a piece in the Spirit World  16 , thus possessing the other&#39;s soul becoming an entity for evil: a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10 ; (see Merlin  FIG. 11  &amp; Horseman  FIG. 20 ). The following are rules regarding the Horseman  10 :
       a) A Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  does not check anyone; he has no need to announce his checks or mates, he only kills them. He is capable of killing the King  1 , Prince  8 , Black Knight  7  or any player. Without the need to announce intent. The Horseman  10  just kills the King  1  and the game is over, with the killer of the King  1  as the victor.   b) Killing the Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  with any piece (King  1 , Black Knight  7 , Merlin  4 , Pawn  12 ,  13  or  14 , etc.) ends the game in a stalemate with the game reset. See stalemate.   c) The Horseman&#39;s method of movement mimics any of the chessmen he has killed acquiring the gifts and movement of all those he consumes becoming stronger with each kill.   d) Horseman  10  can jump over opposing men.   e) If one Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  kills another Horseman, total destruction of both worlds occurs, ending the game in a stalemate, which signals a restart of the game. (See Stalemate)   f) A Horseman  10  can kill anyone from anywhere except in the Four Corners  20  which is always considered a Sanctuary or Haven.       
 
         [0272]    Tandem Pieces 
         [0273]    The association or combinations of chess pieces that move conjointly in one move or on one turn are known as “Tandem Pieces”. The following are examples of Tandem pieces:
       a) Lance  5  and the King  1  in lock.   b) Lance  5  moving into position to lock with the King  1  and then finishing his move with the King  1  in lock.   c) The Princesa  9  reincarnated when the Black Knight  7  enters and leaves the Spirit World  16 .   d) The King  1  castling with or without Lance  5 .   e) The King  1  castling (with or without Lance  5 ) and cannibalizing the Rook  11  creating the Guardian Pawns  13 .   f) A Pawn&#39;s  12 ,  13 , or  14  promotion.   g) The creation of the Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  via the death of Merlin  4  or the Black Knight  7 .       
 
         [0281]    Castling. 
         [0282]    The option to castle occurs between the King  1  and the Rook  11  on the Royal Row  18  (Row  1  and  12 ). If the King  1  or Rook  11  has moved away from their original starting position, the King  1  must return to any square on the Royal Row  18  and the Rook  11  must return to either of the two original starting positions for the Rooks  11  (A1, A12, K1, or K12). 
         [0283]    As shown in  FIG. 19 , it is possible for the King  1  to be away from the Royal Row  18 , return to it, and then step horizontally to castle when in lock with Lance  5 . Additionally, castling may only occur if there are no pieces standing between the King  1  and the Rook  11  being castled, with the exception of a locked Lance  5 . Several types of castling may occur:
       a) A traditional castle in which the King  1  moves toward and occupies the Rook&#39;s position, and the Rook  11  jumps over the King taking the space directly next to him.   b) The King  1  or Lance  5  move as far as possible to the left or right while in lock and the Rook  11  jumps over the King  1  occupying the square next to the King  1 .   c) Castle and cannibalize.       
 
         [0287]    Cannibalism Castling. 
         [0288]    As depicted in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 19 , the King  1  castles with or without Lance and then may elect to cannibalize his Rook  11  as seen in  FIG. 3 . When this happens, the Rook  11  transforms into the King&#39;s Guard  13  or Guardian Pawn. Five additional Guardian Pawns  13  are added to the board as already explained in the paragraphs describing the Guardian Pawns  13 . 
         [0289]    Castling without Lance. 
         [0290]    Castling without Lance  5  is shown in  FIG. 3 . If the King  1  is not in lock with Lance  1 , he moves/slides and occupies the position of the Rook  11  and the Rook  11  moves to the opposite side of the King  1 , and comes to rest as either a Rook  11  or a guardian pawn. (Note that castling is different here from conventional chess because of the larger board). If cannibalization occurs, the Rook  11  is replaced by a Guardian Pawn  13 , and five other Guardian Pawns  13  are placed on the board on the Pawn Row as already explained on the section about Guardian Pawns  13 . 
         [0291]    Castling with Lance 
         [0292]    Castling with Lance is shown in  FIG. 19 . If the King  1  is in lock with Lance  5 , the King  1  moves toward his Rook  11  occupying his Rook&#39;s position or a far as possible with Lance in Lock. The only thing that should impede the movement of the two in lock from sliding any further must be the wall/column A or L. The Rook  11  always moves to the opposite side and directly next to the King  1 . 
         [0293]    Additional thoughts on Castling
       a) As shown in  FIG. 19  the King  1  may kill and then Castle if in Lock with Lance. He may do this to get out of check or checkmate (castling is seen as the King  1  using a secret passages in his castle), and it is their second horizontal step and Lance  5  has a kill in his range. Therefore, it is possible to move, kill, castle and cannibalize all in one move.   b) The King  1  may move up to three steps to castle while in lock with Lance  5  if no kills have been made. If this occurs, the third step must be from the Royal Row  18  in a horizontal move/slide in the direction of the Rook  11  that is going to be castled.   c) The King  1  may castle as many times as desired, but may only cannibalize the original Rooks  11  (not promoted ones from Pawns).   d) The King  1  may not castle into check/checkmate, but may check or mate his opponent by castling or cannibalization.   e) Unlike Chess, the King  1  may castle out of and through a checked square, as long as his escape route and final resting place is non-threatening.       
 
         [0299]    En Passant 
         [0300]    With the enhanced movements of the Pawns  12 ,  13  or  14 , the chess movement of a Pawn known as, En Passant is not used. It no longer applies, since the two square movements is part of the Pawn&#39;s natural movements. 
         [0301]    Review of the Spirit World 
         [0302]    The outer perimeter of the game board defines the Spirit World  16  (rows  0  and  13  and columns X and Y). 
         [0303]    Spirit Dungeon 
         [0304]    The Four Corners  20  of the Spirit World is the Spirit Dungeons, Purgatory and Haven. It is a Sanctuary for those visiting and a Haven to the Princesa  9  or Cesa held captive. The Four Corners  20  of the Spirit World are the only squares that are dedicated as a safe zone; it is the sanctuary from where no kills can ever be made. It is also where the Horsemen of the Apocalypse  10  stand guard, waiting to be released. There is no limit to how many pieces can safely reside in any of the Four Corners  20  of the Spirit World  16 . 
         [0305]    Warriors of the Spirit World 
         [0306]    Warriors capable of attacking in the Spirit World  16  from the Spirit World  16  Haven are the Black Knights  7 , the Horseman  10  if raised, and the wizard Merlin  4 . Attacking from the Spirit World Haven/Four Corners  20  into the Cardinal World  17  are the Black Knight  7 , Princesa  9  and Cesa who are allowed to kill any chessmen including the King  1 , Prince  8 , Horseman  10 , and kill or claim a Black Knight  7  when they are first released from the Four Corners  20  of the Spirit World. When a Horseman  10  enters play, any of the three Spirit World warriors (Merlin, Horseman Black Knight) may kill anyone from anywhere. They may launch their attack from the Spirit World Haven/Four Corners  20 , but they cannot kill anyone in those Four Corners  20 . The Horseman does not need to announce his intentions when he places royalty in check. He does not check or checkmate a King  1  or Prince  8 . His sole job is to kill. If he kills the King  1 , the game is over. 
         [0307]    Color and Space 
         [0308]    In the Spirit World  16 , spaces merge, with the Four Corners  20  acting as sanctuary. When entering into the Spirit World  16  without a kill, a piece may occupy the square it land on, or linearly slide to the appropriate colored square or Corner Square  20 . A piece that is governed by landing and killing on the opposite color of his origin need only land or slide through his foe to make a kill, thus he may slide through in a single linear direction killing a piece and then occupy the nearest appropriate colored square after a kill. 
         [0309]    The game begins with the spirits of the Black Knight  7  and an un-raised Horseman  10  residing on one of the Four Corners  20  of the Spirit World  16 . When the Black Knights  7  (incarnated or not) are not residing on one of the Four Corners  20 , they can kill or be killed. Nothing can be killed while residing in a Spirit World&#39;s Four Corners  20  (X13, Y13, X0, and Y0) but a kill can occur only in the Spirit World  16  (rows  13  and  0  and column X &amp; Y excluding the Four Corners). More than one warrior may occupy one of the Four Corner squares  20 . When a Princesa  9  is killed, her dungeon is one of the Four Corner squares  20  serving as her purgatory awaiting resurrection from where she will launch her attack. 
         [0310]    Battling in the Spirit World 
         [0311]    There are only three players that can kill in the Spirit World  16 : Merlin  4 , the Horseman  10  and Black Knights  7 . They kill by occupying or moving through their opponent&#39;s square. 
         [0312]    Movement in the Spirit World.
       a) Merlin  4  moves like a rook or his original “L” movement.   b) The Black Knight  7  moves in an equilateral “L” moving horizontally then vertically, or vice versa. Like Merlin  4 , while the Black Knight  7  resides or travels in the Spirit World  16 , he may elect to move in a singular strait line, rather than a full “L” movement. He is capable of covering ½ the board only if he starts his move from one of the Four Corners.   c) The Horseman  10  assumes the movement of those he vanquished.       
 
         [0316]    Kills or Checks from the Spirit World Haven/Four Corners
       a) When the Cesa enters, or Princesa  9  reenters, she may, kill, catch, check/mate anyone when entering the Cardinal World.   b) Her entrance can be blocked by placing a man on the appropriate color and original starting place of the Rook  11 .   c) When Black Knight  7  is initially released into the four Stonehenge center squares, he may kill anyone, or check or mate a Prince  8  or King  1  from his landing spot.   d) When residing, traveling or reentering into the Spirit World Four Corners  20 , the Black Knight  7  or Merlin  4  cannot kill, catch, check or checkmate in the Cardinal World  17 . The only exception is when the Horseman  10  is in play: then the Black Knight  7 , Merlin  4  and the Horseman  10  can attack anyone from the Spirit World Four Corners  20 .       
 
         [0321]    Goal and ending the game. 
         [0322]    The goal of the game is:
       a) Checkmate: Checkmating an opponent&#39;s King  1 .
           i. Check is a warning of attack by placing an opponent&#39;s piece in imminent danger, where the checked piece is susceptible of being killed by an opponent&#39;s next move. The checked piece must move to safety, kill the piece that places it in check, or block that piece. No other option or movements may be performed if it is a Prince  8  or King  1 . The checked royal pieces must be protected from death.   ii. Checkmate is checking a piece where no possible movements of escape exist, and neither can it remain on the space on which it resides.   
           b) Resign: Either player may resign at any time.   c) Kill the King  1 .       
 
         [0328]    Stalemate or Tie.
       a) If a stalemate occurs, the game resets with both Black Knights  7  in full play. Each player has the option of substituting one Rook  11  for a Dragon  15 . The Black Knights  7  are placed on their half of the board on one the four center squares  19  where the Stonehenge emblem resides (F6 or G6, and F7 or G7) The players will move one to two players at a time. The players are allowed to move two identical pieces at once. Thus rules define identical pieces as pieces capable of the same motion and allow such identical pieces, in case of stalemate or tie, to move at each turn as for example, the Knights  3 , Pawns (regardless of kind)  12 ,  13  or  14 , Bishops  6 , Rooks  11 , or any other that has duplicate: Princesa  9  and Cesa, a Prince  8  and a Bastard, or if both Black Knight  7  are in a person&#39;s control.   b) A stalemate occurs when a player&#39;s only move is to place his own unchecked King  1  into check. As long as a player can move another piece or the King  1  can move to an open square, there is no stalemate.   c) Stalemate results when no checkmate/death of the King  1  is possible with the current pieces on the board.   d) Killing a Horseman of the Apocalypse  10  with another Horseman or killing a Horseman  10  with any other piece ends the game in a stalemate.       
 
         [0333]    While the above description contains many specificities, the reader should not construe these as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations within its scope. Accordingly, the reader is requested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples which have been given.