Valiant Chess

In Valiant Chess (also V-chess) the knight pawn, having advanced to the fifth rank, can jump like a knight to an empty square, east-north-east or west-north-west. Only knight pawns on the fifth rank have this capability. The pawn loses this capability when it advances to the 6th rank. Compared with standard chess, this means that an advanced knight pawn is endowed with an extra jump move. Valiant Chess is specially designed for rapid chess, since it makes the game more aggressive and less monotonous. Aggressive play on the flanks is facilitated as the Valiant pawn makes it possible to pry open the pawn chain, something which greatly enhances attacking play. In this way one can open the file in order to attack the king, or disrupt the position for attacking purposes. This new rule favours the advance of the knight pawn, which leads to a more aggressive game.

In an alternative variant both the knight- and rook pawn, having advanced to the fifth rank, can make this knight jump to empty square. This could lead to wild play. The most conservative variant is to allow the jump only when the pawn is blocked.

The knight pawn, if placed on the fifth rank, can make the oblique jump move to an empty square. There are no other requirements to make this move. In an alternative variant, also the rook pawn has this capability.

The following presets are automated, castling and 'en passant', too. Pieces can be moved by pointing and clicking. At promotion you will be asked which piece you prefer.

Valiant Chess (big graphics)

Valiant Chess (small graphics)

You can also download a Zillions implementation

here.

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By M Winther.
Web page created: 2012-04-29. Web page last updated: 2012-05-21

Valiant Chess. Knight pawns at the fifth rank have an additional jump move to empty square (with zrf). (8x8, Cells: 64)

George Duke Verified as George Duke wrote on 2012-05-31 None

To become Track One replacement candidate Mutator of OrthoChess, Valiant Chess enhanced Pawn ability from the fifth rank needs qualification. Standard Valiant Chess of Winther's invention is one alternative where only Knight Pawn has the drive. How about allowing the either one or two, or zero, drives per game by any 1 or 2 of the eight Pawns. It is impossible that any one Pawn move from rank five twice. There should be only one square available each case from rank five, the one towards the center or across the midline, a Knight move away FO-Filer. Naturally regular capture, move, and en passant are also available there. Castling is one-time only of course, and three-fold repetition is associated with ''three'' obviously, and ''two,'' as Winther writes it up, would seem to optimize the Valiant Pawn drive, to keep Orthodoxy intact. Then each side has 65 possibilities -- 64 plus 1 a sort of Chess Plus -- to add to the already massive several million game scores recorded all-time. That is, to get a factor of '65' times all those 5 million recorded games, there can be no drives at all over course of a game played, or any one of the eight Pawns a-h driven, or any combination of two of the eight Pawns a-h signified by '8 times 7' making the Valiant move; and '1 plus 8 plus 56' are 65. In each game over the board or Internet, player constantly then keeps in mind, have I driven already twice? Like Castling, no Drive is mandatory even in consideration of Stalemate.

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M Winther Verified as M Winther wrote on 2012-05-24 None

I have now added variants to the Zillions program in which any pawn can make the oblique pawn jump. (In one variant it is necessary that the Valiant pawn is blocked by an enemy pawn.) http://hem.passagen.se/melki9/valiantchess.htm /Mats

M Winther Verified as M Winther wrote on 2012-05-22 None

Thank you for this observation that the fifth rank is already special in that it is the 'en passant' rank. I hadn't thought of that. I'll consider the idea to allow all pawns to move like this. /Mats

George Duke Verified as George Duke wrote on 2012-05-22 None

Fifth rank of course is en passant rank too. Theoretically possible for a Pawn situated on f5 are f5-f6, f5-g6, f5-h6, f5-e6, f5-d6. 'g6' and 'e6' are by capture either standard or en passant, and 'g6' and 'd6' are non-capture. In a variation, expand the added ability to all the Pawns. Same number five conceivable arrival squares, instead of ordinary three, from any of the four inner files c, d, e, f when on the fifth rank. Then 'b5' and 'g5' have four -- Valiant Chess standard form. I have suggested eliminating Draws by two-step tiebreak within actual over-the-board play before or upon completion of a game: first point value remaining, second which King controls e4, e5, d4 and d5. No more Draws, never a half-point. So, combine Win/Loss only with the Winther Pawn Knight-drive alternative move here applicable only fifth rank and there should be no need ever to depart from the sixty-four of the ancestors. Winther's modest form only permits the four Knight Pawns the drive; still another might allow all eight of a, b, g, and h Pawns the privilege. In standard Valiant Chess, does the Knight Pawn get the drive if arriving at b5 by way of b2-a3-b4-b5? Surely so. [ I did not see Winther already includes exactly the four a-b-g-h intuitively correct also as variation; but probably all Pawns are best aesthetically, there may need be some other offset or qualification. ]

This little invention, in the category "modest variants" could be my most important discovery: the introduction of the oblique knight-pawn move. This could greatly enhance and enliven chess at very little cost in terms of rule changes. /Mats