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Valhalla Chess
A chess variant based on Viking warrior traditions and Norse mythology. | |
Valhalla Chess is a new and interesting chess variant based on the
Old Norse concept of the afterlife.
At the outset, Valhalla Chess is played as a normal game of chess.
The board is set using the standard layout, and the common rules
for
piece movement and taking are followed. But once a
piece is
taken,
the rules vary dramatically.
Pieces can go to either of two places after they are taken. If a
piece
had taken another before its own demise, then it is a "warrior" and
goes to Valhalla, a cache of pieces off to one side of the board.
Pieces that are captured before they can take another piece are
"peaceful", and go to Hel, a cache of pieces off to the other side
of
the board. Other then this, the game is again played normally
until
checkmate.
After checkmate, all of the pieces in Hel are discarded from the
game. However, all the warriors in Valhalla are placed on the
board
again, along with the kings, in their traditional positions. These
pieces will all fight in the final battle of Ragnarok-- in effect, a
second round is played, but only with the "warrior" pieces from the
first round. Therefore, the player with more warriors immediately
has an advantage over the other player during the Ragnarok
round.
Strategically, this game would be a "kill-then-be-killed" affair, in
which the players would have to try to take as many enemy pieces
as
possible before the end of the first round. You might hesitate at
taking one of the more powerful pieces such as the Queen; if they
survived to the end, they would not be able to participate in
Ragnarok. Even if you are checkmated in the first round, you can
win
Ragnarok if you took more pieces during play. Thus, the only way
to
win Valhalla Chess is to win both the first and second rounds of
chess. There may be a draw if each player wins one.
Ragnarok
http://www.abandoni...nd+of+Ragnarok.html
Old computer game based on the Scandinavian Tafl board games [Jinbish, Feb 25 2010]
Tafl Games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tafl_games
There were a few different types of this "Chess" like game. [Jinbish, Feb 25 2010]
hmmm, I thought that the knights horses would have eight legs.
http://www.viking-s...om/vikinggames.html
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 25 2010]
[link]
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Does this mean that you just attack your opponents non-warrior pieces at every opportunity? Does this mean checkmate in the first game is not important? |
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Both games are equally important. The only way to gain
victory is to win both. Being bloodthirsty would probably be a
winning strategy, though. |
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Right. So Bobby Fischer had the right idea then: "Sac, Sac, Sac!" |
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I like the concept but I'm not so keen on the application. I think it would be an interesting method of deciding drawn games but, to save it being a long drawn out affair I would do away with the kings in the 'Valhalla' game and just make it a last man standing sort of affair. |
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Remember to tell your opponent about this before the game is over or else be thought a sore loser. |
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This would be about on the same level as Homer Simpson declaring he had not lost the competition because, "I believe there is still a little something called "The Swimsuit Competition". |
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I got really into playing Tafl Games (a la Jinbish's link). The only problem is that the odds are heavily stacked in favour of the defenders. Really heavily. |
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This game is now baked. I played it with a friend of mine.
The first round ended with a threefold repetition, and
Ragnarok seemed like it was going to be a shutout for him
but I forced a stalemate. So: tie. |
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Would it be possible to have a third or even subsequent rounds? |
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[+] the pieces need to be marked when they become eligible though. |
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