Chessplus

PublishersChessplus TeamYears activec. 21st century to presentGenresBoard gameAbstract strategy gameMind sportChess variantPlayers2Playing time5–55 minutes[citation needed]ChanceNoneSkillsStrategy, tactics
Chessplus is a chess variant made by the Australian family company Chessplus Team.

 Looks 
Chessplus can come in 1 of 3 packages.

 A bag of  pieces.
 A box featuring a pawn and knight merging.
 A box with a board that goes around it and the pieces.

As for the pieces, they are designed so players can merge them.

 Gameplay 
Chessplus is played similarly to basic chess, but pieces can merge. The only piece that can not merge is the king. Pieces can only merge with other pieces of their own color. Only 2 pieces can be merged at a time. Pieces may split, in which they use their original move.
+Names of Piece CombinationsFirst PieceSecond PieceCombination NameQueenQueenDQueenQueenBishopQuishopQueenKnightQuightQueenRookQuookQueenPawnQuawnBishopKnightBightBishopBishopDBishopBishopRookBiookBishopPawnBiawnKnightKnightDKnightKnightRookKnookKnightPawnKnawnPawnPawnDPawn

 Castling 
Castling may be done with a piece merged with a rook. Just like in regular chess, the rook can not have moved. For example, if a knight moved to combine with a rook, castling is possible, but if that rook moved to combine with the knight, then that rook can no longer castle.

 En passant 
Similar to the castling rules, en passant can only be used on a combination of 2 pawns. If the combination were to be a pawn and another piece, en passant is not allowed.

 Inspiration 
It was inspired by an illegal move the leader's daughter, Aimee, who, at age 8, made during a chess match with her father.

 Reception 
Chessplus received mostly good reviews.

 References 

 Further reading 
 https://www.csse.canterbury.ac.nz/research/reports/HonsReps/2020/hons_2002.pdf
 ChessPlus - A great Christmas gift

Category:Chess variants