Finally, a Chess variant board has been

developed that accommodates three players, without compromising ÷

of the rules, strategies, or competitive challenges that make Chess the
best board game in the world. The only changes from conventional chess
are some protocol issues that must be followed to maintain order where
the teams border each other, which is simple and necessary. Also, please
notice that the trajectory lines orienting from the outer rank, are simply
visual aids to help guide diagonal moves passing through the center. If
the path is clear, a diagonal move starting from the outer rank can pass
through the center and sweep back around to where it originated. The
complexities of the third player are infinite. Your threatened piece may
be allowed to maintain occupancy as your position is beneficial to the
threatening player. But how long can it last? This scenario may exist all
over the board. There are multiple trust and doubt situations between all
players. An unexpected move might well result in a cascading massacre.
Defense is crucial since a diagonal move through the center, or a
horizontal move around the center can sneak up behind you. A player
can be checkmated by a combination of both other players or ultimately
one player can checkmate both other players at the same time.

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The game is patented (Des. 376,824). J
  is played "in the round," that is, the field of
play is circular. The game board consists of 6 concentric ranks of 24 squares each. Three
conventional teams of 16 pieces border each other adjacently on the outer 2 ranks; the teams are
separated and protected from each other by impassable "moats." A circular void occupies the
center of the board, through which moves may pass, but not rest. Vertical moves pass across the
center to the opposite "spoke," while horizontal moves orbit around the circular ranks. The
diagonal sweeps are interesting and dangerous, taking on a spiral quality. A diagonal move
starting from the outer rank can swing through the center and return to its origin. These
"teardrop" trajectory lines are colored into the board, as visual aids only. (Rotation through the
outer rank is not allowed continuously in the same move.) After just a couple of turns around the
board, strategy becomes intensely complex and fascinating.

 i 
The board's true wood rendered image is laminated to a 191/4 inch diameter, 1/8 inch
thick round sheet of tan KomatexΠ(PVC). It has been cut to fold into thirds. A newer style
board that some stores already carry is 19inch diameter. The image is silkscreened to 2mm
thick SintraΠ(that is 1mm thinner than the Komatex, but a higher density PVC).

  

The pieces are black, gray, and ivory in color. Each set of game pieces, consists of 48 pieces
comprising 3 teams of 16 pieces each. All pieces are solid plastic with felt bottoms. Kings are
2.625 inches tall, with a 1-inch diameter base.

  
The gameboard, pieces, and rules are now being shipped in the new retail box.

   

     !" # $%&"% . There was NEVER any intention of
trying to make the game "better" because that can't be done. However, being able to play with
three minds interacting creates situations that never arise in conventional Chess.

There is a rule sheet (next page), but you can start playing without it and refer to it as needed.
Basically, three sets of pieces (the same sets as in conventional Chess) border each other on the
outer two ranks of the round board. Since the "rows" are now concentric circles, a Rook may
rotate around the entire board or move straight across the board passing through the center.
There is no space to occupy in the center, you simply pass through it. By the nature of the board,
diagonal moves "bend" toward and may rotate through the center. The "trajectory" lines on the
board are only visual aids to help you see and plan possible diagonal moves. Diagonal moves
such as a Bishop, may rotate through the center but cannot rotate through (or bounce off) the
outer rank in one move. There are "Moats" between each team on the outer rank. They are
necessary to keep Rooks from capturing each other on the first move. These Moats may become
bridged if the outer rank between two teams becomes vacant. Also, there are Creeks that run two
ranks toward the center off each Moat. The Creeks only purpose is that a Pawn cannot
diagonally capture across the Creek (it must first be past the Creek).

That's basically it. The Rules of the Game (next page) explain in more detail Moat bridging,
Checking through Moats, and Checkmate.

Clicking here will take you to a website that will explain a system of notation for 3 Man Chess.
c c c c
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  &'
 game of chess played between three or more players has quite a different quality to it
compared to orthodox, two-player chess. The addition of a third person adds a dimension of
political intrigue and Ú
  to the game. Instead of relying on oneself, one must build (and
break) alliances. Whereas the motives of your opponent are well known in orthodox chess, in
three player chess one is at times unsure of what a player's intentions might be (other than to win
the game of course).

J
 
    is a new 3 player chess game, that takes two old ideas (chess
on a circular board and 3 player chess), and elegantly combines them into one game. The game
comes with a nice, laminated circular board, a large felt carrying case (which may be use with a
coat hanger to hang the game in a closet for convenient storage), three sets of nice quality, plastic
chess pieces (also with their own felt carrying bag), and instructions. In addition to being an
enjoyable game, this set makes a nice display for those interested in a conversation piece, or
something to highlite a room or a piece of furniture.

The rules are very straightforward and easy to understand. There are some rare conditions
regarding checkmate, and the possible capturing of an opponent's King, that were not covered in
the rules, but these have since been added and are now covered adequately.

The three players all start out next to one another, so that on the opposite side of the circle is half
of one player's army, and half of the other player's. Pieces are prevented from immediately
capturing their neighbors by the introduction of a moat, separating the armies for the first two
"rows". This moat is usually uncrossable, but may be crossed under certain conditions (which
usually occur later in the game). Horizontal moves are circular as they trace the circumference of
the various concentric circles. But diagonal moves also turn out to be circular in many cases
because diagonal connector lines through the center of the board.

This game manages to keep fairly close to orthodox chess, while ingeniously using a circular
board to allow three player symmetry. The game works well and is fun to play. This game would
be appropriate not only for those interested in chess variants and novelties, but for any chess
player interested the more social and politically intriguing three player experience.

Date of review: ($ )***

Reviewer: i& %'

note: The construction of the game has changed since this review was published. Please see the
"Description of Game Board & Pieces" for the improved revisions.

Proposed 3 Man Chess

Notations
 written 2003/03/27

c Once in a while I had given thought as to how one might record games of
3 Man Chess. At first the problem seemed a little unusual, given that the 3
Man Chess board is circular, as pictured below.
c

c
I printed out a piece of polar coordinate graph paper (printed with an
older, freeware version of the now shareware Graph Paper Printer) and filled
in the black squares in pencil to make a rough representation of the board.
Now that I had something I could look at and mark on if necessary, I got
inspired...
 I realized that a modified version of good ol' algebraic notation could be
used if one thought of the circular board as merely a distortion of a
rectangular board, as pictured above.

(%% +%, -.($ %""% ,%( ! '"  



Clockwise from white (or left from white if you're using the rectangular
board depiction to visualise), the three colours are set thusly: white, gray, and
black. For the purposes of notation, the board is divided into three zones, one
for each colour. Each zone starts at the outer rank (where the major pieces of
each colour are set up) and extend to the void (the unoccupiable center space
in 3 Man Chess), as well as extending to either moat bordering the pieces.
These zones should be designated a letter or group of letters, such as WH
(white) GR (gray) or BL (black). The files start from the king's rook at "a",
and go on to "h" at the queen's rook. The ranks begin at the outer rank with
"1" and end at the inner rank just before the void at "6". A single piece move
is expressed first by zone, then file, then rank. Moves are noted in order,
from white, gray, and then black. Using this proposed modification of
algebraic notation, it should be possible to keep track of 3 Man Chess games.

Example: WHe4 (pawn to e4 in the White zone), BLBa2 (bishop to a2 in the

Black zone), GRRcxBLf3 (rook on the c file of the Gray zone takes f3 in the
Black zone), etc...

(%%    +%,

%(" %""%

The rules of regular Forsyth notation apply with the following exceptions:

Mc ccc""c!#c1c cc
Mc wcc"("c!#cc1cc2c  c'c
(# c"c%c ! cc
Mc %c ccccc3cc cc
Mc 0cc"ccc"cc! c(# cc c

45cc

Black 8/8/8/8/BpBpBpBpBpBpBpBp/BrBnBbBkBqBbBnBr
Gray 8/8/8/8/GpGpGpGpGpGpGpGp/GrGnGbGkGqGbGnGr
White 8/8/8/8/WpWpWpWpWpWpWpWp/WrWnWbWkWqWbWnR

Now I'll be able to post some 3 Man game notations on my site for anyone
else with a 3 Man set to read, and no doubt criticize. Ye gods, I'm a nerd!
c

c c c c c c