Pokémon Battle Chess

Pokémon Battle Chess (Japanese: ポケモンバトルチェス Pokémon Battle Chess) is a series of board games published by The Pokémon Company in Japan, based on the game of , with some aspects of , in which the traditional chess pieces are replaced with Pokémon.
The first version of the game, Pokémon Battle Chess BW Version (Japanese: ポケモンバトルチェス ＢＷバージョン), was released on December 26, 2011,Products - Pokémon Battle Chess - Pokémon Battle Chess (Japanese) (archived from the original August 28, 2020; retrieved March 3, 2021) and prior to this a demo was made available for players online as Pokémon Battle Chess WEB (Japanese: ポケモンバトルチェス WEB). A second version, simply named Pokémon Battle Chess, was released on May 18, 2012Popular! A new version of “Pokémon Battle Chess” appears in May! - The Pokémon Company (Japanese) (archived from the original March 20, 2012; retrieved April 14, 2020) and a final version named Pokémon Battle Chess W (Japanese: ポケモンバトルチェスＷ) was released on December 28, 2012.
==Gameplay==
===Pokémon Battle Chess BW Version===
Each player starts with two , two , one , one , one , and one containing . Each player also has and , so-called "Legend Pieces", that take up a 2×2 grid on the board and that can only be placed in certain circumstances. The aim of the game is to beat the opponent's .
Pieces are only allowed to move and attack in certain directions. Unlike chess, there is a concept of power: if the attacker has more power than the defender, then it attacks instantly. If it has less or equal, it draws a Plus Power card, boosting the power +0, +20, +30, +40 or +70 (note that +0 is in the deck twice). If a +70 is drawn or if the deck runs out, all the cards get shuffled back into the deck immediately. If the attacking Pokémon has more power after the Plus Power, the defender is damaged; if the defender has more, the attacker is damaged. If they have the same power after the Plus Power, no one is damaged. 
Legend Pieces can only be placed on the board when the player loses a specific amount of non-Legend Pieces - three for Zekrom, four for Reshiram. A Legend Piece can be placed anywhere on the board, presuming there is room, but being placed on the board resets the count for a Legend Piece to be placed and ends the turn. Legend Pieces can attack two adjacent pieces at the same time.
When pieces are damaged for the first time, they are turned over and the second time they are damaged, they are removed. Victini and its egg are an exception. The egg can be damaged three times, each time a part going out of play, then the Victini hatches and behaves like a normal piece. The egg pieces do count towards summoning Legend Pieces. Usually power is lowered after damage but Emboar and Victini's power is raised.
;Initial layout
	 	Patrat 	Emboar	Patrat 	 	
	Zoroark	Samurott	Egg 	Serperior	Zoroark	
;Game pieces
Pokémon	Power 	Power 	Movement 	Movement
Pokémon	Initial	Damaged	Initial 	Damaged
 	60 	50 	One square orthogonally 	One square orthogonally
 	70 	50 	Up to two squares directly forward, one square diagonally forward, or one square directly backward	Up to two squares directly forward, one square diagonally forward, or one square directly backward
 	90 	60 	Any number of free squares orthogonally 	Up to two squares orthogonally
 	90 	60 	Any number of free squares diagonally or one square directly forward 	Up to two squares diagonally or one square directly forward
 	70 	100 	One square diagonally forward or directly backward 	One square diagonally forward, directly backward, or horizontally
Egg 1 	N/A 	N/A 	Cannot move 	N/A
Egg 2 	N/A 	N/A 	One square horizontally 	N/A
Egg 3 	N/A 	N/A 	One square orthogonally 	N/A
 	40 	80 	One square orthogonally or diagonally 	Up to two squares diagonally forward or directly backward or one square directly forward, horizontally or diagonally backward
 	120 	100 	One square orthogonally 	One square orthogonally
 	110 	100 	Up to two squares vertically or one square horizontally 	One square orthogonally
===Pokémon Battle Chess===
Gameplay for Pokémon Battle Chess and Pokémon Battle Chess BW Version is nearly identical; however, different Pokémon are used. Each player starts with two , two , one , one , one and one Egg containing . The Legend Pieces are and . Uniquely, when Magikarp is damaged and flipped over, it reveals its evolution on the other side of the piece.
;Initial layout
	 	Magikarp 	Pikachu	Magikarp	 	
	Meowth	Charizard	Egg 	Venusaur	Meowth	
;Game pieces
Pokémon	Power 	Power 	Movement 	Movement
Pokémon	Initial	Damaged	Initial 	Damaged
 	40 	90 	Magikarp One square directly forward or diagonally backward 	Gyarados Up to two squares directly forward, up to two squares diagonally backward or one square horizontally
 	70 	60 	Up to two squares directly forward, one square diagonally forward, or one square directly backward	One square vertically or one square diagonally forward
 	100 	70 	Any number of free squares orthogonally 	Up to two squares orthogonally
 	100 	70 	Any number of free squares diagonally or one square directly backward 	Up to two squares diagonally or one square directly backward
 	80 	60 	One square diagonally forward or orthogonally 	One square diagonally forward or orthogonally
Egg 1 	N/A 	N/A 	Cannot move 	N/A
Egg 2 	N/A 	N/A 	One square horizontally 	N/A
Egg 3 	N/A 	N/A 	One square orthogonally 	N/A
 	40 	70 	One square orthogonally or diagonally 	Up to two squares orthogonally or one square diagonally
 	90 	120 	One square orthogonally 	One square orthogonally
 	120 	100 	One square vertically or diagonally 	One square vertically or diagonally
To use Ho-Oh, the player must have lost three pieces. To use Lugia, the player must have lost four pieces. The count is reset when either is used. Ho-Oh and Lugia are not considered lost pieces for this count.
===Pokémon Battle Chess W===
Pokémon Battle Chess W (Pokémon Battle Chess Double) is a combined set of the two previous versions. In addition to all of the Pokémon pieces from both sets, the Plus Power cards, and a 6r×7c black-and-white game board compatible with the eight-on-eight setups from the previous versions, it adds:
- Two new game boards: a blue 4r×3c board for three-on-three battles, and a red 5×5 board for five-on-five. (Printed together on the reverse of the large board.)
- Plus Power dice, to replace the Plus Power cards in battle resolution.
The recommended game setup for 3-on-3 tense, close-quarters combat is Pikachu, Togepi (already hatched), and Magikarp. Resolve battles with Plus Power dice. Win by defeating the opponent's Togepi.
The recommended game setup for 5-on-5 strategic gameplay is Zoroark, Samurott, Victini (in its egg), Serperior, and a second Zoroark, with Zekrom in reserve. Resolve battles with Plus Power dice. Win by defeating the opponent's Victini or when there opponent cannot make a move.
An example game setup for playing the two versions against each other uses the 6r×7c board, the Plus Power dice, and an array of:
- Front row: Magikarp, Pikachu, Magikarp, Pikachu, Magikarp
- Back row: Meowth, Venusaur, Charizard, Togepi (in its egg), Charizard, Venusaur, Meowth
- Reserve: Lugia, Ho-Oh, Lugia
Against:
- Front row: Patrat, Emboar, Patrat, Emboar, Patrat
- Back row: Zoroark, Serperior, Samurott, Victini (in its egg), Samurott, Serperior, Zoroark
- Reserve: Reshiram, Zekrom, Reshiram
When you're comfortable with these example setups, you can try making up your own, by substituting different pieces, or substituting the Plus Power cards for dice.
==Pokémon Battle Chess WEB==
The Pokémon Battle Chess website includes a free single player demo version of the game, called Pokémon Battle Chess WEB (Japanese: ポケモンバトルチェス WEB). The game is based on Pokémon Battle Chess BW, using the same pieces and rules, and allows you to play against the computer. There are two modes; one is a step by step instructional mode, and the other is a regular game.
==External links==
*Official website (archived)
**Pokémon Battle Chess BW Version English instruction manual (archived - )
**Pokémon Battle Chess English instruction manual (broken link - )
*Pokémon Battle Chess WEB (archived - requires )
*Pokémon Battle Chess WEB on MobyGames
==References==
Category:Board games
Category:Games
fr:Pokémon Battle Chess BW Version
zh:宝可梦对战棋ＢＷ版