Checkless chess explained

Checkless chess, also known as prohibition chess, is a chess variant where neither player may give check unless it is checkmate. All other rules are as in regular chess. The origin of the game is unknown, dating from the mid-19th century.^{[1] [2]} The variant is a popular problem theme,^[3] usually requiring a fairy mate.^[4]

Observations

The single rule change has a profound impact on gameplay. Since the king is immune to most attacks as long as it avoids being checkmated, checks cannot be used to gain time or chase the king to an unsafe position. Also, mating patterns are generally significantly more difficult to execute.^[5]

Another effect of this rule is that the king, immune from attack, is now a powerful force. The king can defend pieces by placing itself such that their capture would place the king in check. The king can advance into the enemy position, creating havoc in the enemy camp as enemy pieces need to avoid moving to squares from which they would give check.^[6]

Variations

Some rules variations exist:

• If on their turn a player is not in check and no move is possible without delivering check without being checkmate, the player might be considered either to be stalemated or to lose.
• A checking move might be considered either to be legal only if it would be a checkmate in orthodox chess or to deliver checkmate if any response would be a cross-check. The latter is an example of a fairy mate.^[7]
• Absolute Checkless Chess is a variant by Dr. Roger Powell in 1975, whereby pieces may not cross any square from which they would give check.
• Some authorities have suggested a variation where checks are permitted if they are part of a series of checks resulting in .

Problem

References

Bibliography

• Book: Hooper . David . David Vincent Hooper . Whyld . Kenneth . Kenneth Whyld . . . 1996 . 2nd . First pub. 1992 . checkless chess . 74–75 . 0-19-280049-3 .
• Keller . Michael . A Panorama of Chess Variants . Michael Keller . World Game Review . June 1991 . 10 . 65 . 1041-0546 .
• Book: Pritchard , D. B. . David Pritchard (chess player)

. David Pritchard (chess player) . The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants . Games & Puzzles Publications . 1994 . Checkless Chess . 49–50 . 0-9524142-0-1.

• Book: Pritchard , D. B. . David Pritchard (chess player)

. David Pritchard (chess player) . Beasley . John . The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants . John Beasley . 2007 . Checkless Chess . 46 . 978-0-9555168-0-1.

• Book: Schmittberger , R. Wayne . New Rules for Classic Games . John Wiley & Sons Inc . 1992 . Checkless Chess . 189–190 . 978-0471536215 .

External links

• Checkless chess by Hans Bodlaender, The Chess Variant Pages

Notes and References

1. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 74.
2. Pritchard (2007), p. 46: "the eariest definite reference I [Beasley] have seen is a quotation from Max Lange's 1857 book Sammlung neuer Schachpartien in Nouveaux Jeux d'Echecs Non-orthodoxes."
3. Pritchard (1994), p. 50.
4. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 75.
5. Pritchard (1992), p. 50: "To effect mate, a markedly superior force is usually necessary."
6. Schmittberger (1992), p. 190: "If you move your king out into the center of the board, the opponent's pieces must avoid squares that would check the king and can become cramped. Thus, the king in this game becomes a formidable offensive weapon."
7. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 131. fairy mate.