Patent ID: 6902165

Claim:
A method for four players to play a modified game of chess, comprising: (1) providing a playing area, said playing area having 144 playing stations arranged in a 12 by 12 matrix, said playing stations being of two alternating types, said playing are a having four sides, each said side having (1) 12 said playing stations eight of which are middle playing stations wherein two said playing stations are disposed on either side of said eight middle playing stations, and (2) eight inner playing stations disposed in inward abutting relationship with said eight middle playing stations; (2) providing four sets of chess pieces; (3) placing one said set of chess piece in conventional starting arrangement upon said eight middle playing stations and said eight inner playing stations of each said side of said playing area; (4) one said player disposed adjacent to each said side of said playing area, wherein said set of chess pieces disposed on a particular side of said playing area belong to said player who is also disposed on said particular side; (5) providing rules of play, said rule of play including: conventional rules of chess play; additional rules of play which modify said conventional rules of chess play, said additional rules of play including: said four players sequentially taking turns moving their said chess pieces; (6) said four players playing a modified game of chess in accordance with said rules of play; in step (1), said playing area having four corner groups of said playing stations, each said corner group having four said playing stations arranged in a square configuration; in step (5), said additional rules of play including one of: (a) during play said chess pieces not allowed to occupy said playing stations of said four corner groups; and, (b) during play said chess pieces initially not allowed to occupy said playing stations of said four corner groups, but upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, said chess pieces being allowed to occupy said playing stations of said four corner groups.