US20060202420A1

US20060202420A1 - Advanced chess game called Magi Chess

Info

Publication number: US20060202420A1
Application number: US11/077,750
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel Alvira
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-14
Filing date: 2005-03-14
Publication date: 2006-09-14

Abstract

An advanced chess game called Magi Chess provides a square chessboard having 100 contiguous playing squares. A plurality of conventional chess pieces that includes two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, a King, a Queen, and 10 Pawns are provided for each player. Also included are non-conventional chess pieces that include two Magi Knights, which look like a combination of a Bishop and a Knight. The Magi Knights can be moved as a Bishop or a Knight at the player's choice. In addition, the Pawns can move one, two or three squares at the player's choice on the Pawns official move. After the Pawns initial move, the Pawns can move only one square at a time as in conventional chess. An optional variant to Magi Chess that includes the use of a piece called “Magi Prince” will be explained in the description of the Brief Summary of the Invention.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a variation of a conventional chess game and more specifically to a chessboard having 100 playing squares with conventional chess pieces and non-conventional chess pieces called the Magi Knight pair.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The game of chess is very old and is played by Masters who are very famous for their skill in the game. There have been some variants of the game of chess to make the game more challenging and interesting. One of the variants is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,716 to Trice. This patent changes the chessboard by having 80 squares that are eight ranks and 10 files. Trice also has two non-conventional chess pieces that are called a Chancellor, and an Archbishop and two additional Pawns provided to each player. The Chancellor may be moved at an option of a player as either a conventional Knight or a conventional Rook. The Archbishop may be moved at an option of a player as a conventional Knight or a conventional Bishop.
Another example of prior art is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,754 to Rostami. Rostami also uses eight ranks and 10 files like Trice. Rostami uses only five Pawns instead of eight. Rostami also includes game pieces of two new and different designs, one called a Checker and the other called a Calvary. The new checker pieces move an unlimited number of spaces at a time in one of a forward, backward, left and right direction. The new and different Calvary piece is similar to the standard Pawn in movement but may additional capture straight forward one square.
Yet another example of prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,583 to Tengiz Sadounichvili and Larisa Sadounichvili. Their patent uses a board that has 16 ranks and 16 files that provide 256 squares in a first configuration and 12 ranks and 12 files that provide 144 squares in a second configuration. A frame is placed over the 256 squares to make the configuration of 144 squares. Sadounichvili in the 256 square configuration adds non-conventional pieces to each side which consists of two Knights-3, two Knights-2, two Bishops-3 and two Bishops-2. In addition to the conventional pieces of a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and 32 Pawns. Sadounichvili in the 144 square configuration uses the same conventional and non-conventional pieces as the 256 square configuration, except the non-conventional pieces consist of two Knights-2 and two Bishops-2 in addition to conventional pieces of a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and 24 Pawns. In addition, the castling move is modified and the King has additional moves.
A need exists that proposes an advanced chess game called Magi Chess that provides a challenge but does not become overly difficult as the above alternatives such that it will discourage serious chess players and does not improve the playing ability to challenge other players at traditional chess.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an advance chess game called Magi Chess and describe the method of playing said advance chess game.
It is another object of the present invention that has many of the advantages of the chess game mentioned heretofore and many novel features that are not rendered obvious, suggestion or even implied by any of the prior art chess games either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a game that can be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a game that is of durable and reliable construction.
Briefly, in accordance with the present invention there is provided a square board with 100 squares, 50 light squares and 50 dark squares. A first set of game pieces for play upon the playing surface consisting of a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and two each of new pieces that include two Magi Knights and two additional Pawns for each player. The Magi Knights are distinguishable from the first set of game pieces. The movement of the new pieces is governed by rules set forth hereinafter, while the pieces from the traditional chess game operate according to the rules of traditional chess with the exception that the castling move is modified. Castling, in Magi Chess, is done by moving the King one square away from the edge of the chessboard, whether the King moves to the Queen side or the King side. Castling on the Queen side, the player can position the King one or two squares from the edge of the chessboard.
In setup, positioning the chess pieces is arranged differently because of the Magi Knight pair that has been added to the board. Using the algebraic notation provided in FIG. 1, the white Queen now begins on the f1 square and the back Queen now begins on the f10 square. The King side for the white is now on the left side of the chessboard and the Queen side for the white is on the right side of chessboard. The King side for the back King is now on the right side of the chessboard and the black Queen is on the left side of the chessboard. This is due to two spaces added to make room for the Magi Knight pair. The Magi Knights can move like a Bishop or a Knight. The Magi Knight can jump over pieces. They are duel pieces like the Queen in that the Magi Knights are two pieces at the same time.
An optional variant to Magi Chess is the use of a piece called Magi Prince. When playing Magi Chess, before the two players commence the game, they may agree to include one or two Magi Princes. The Magi Prince combines the movements of three pieces; the Rook, the Bishop, and the Knight, and in any combination thereof, making it the strongest piece.
The Magi Prince can be included into Magi Chess in two different ways:

- 1) Before the game begins: the player of the white pieces chooses first which Magi Knight they would like to replace with the Magi Prince. After player one has made their choice, player two can now choose which Magi Knight they would like to replace. If player one has chosen to replace their Kings Magi Knight (on the d-1 square), with a Magi Prince, player two can them choose the same as player one, or can choose to replace their Queens Magi Knight (on the f-10 square), with a Magi Prince. The two players can also agree, before the game begins, to have both of their Magi Knights replaced with two Magi Princes.
- 2) By “Pawn Promotion”—If the two players choose to begin the Magi Chess game without the Magi Prince(s), they can mutually agree to allow it to be brought into the game strictly by, and through “Pawn Promotion”. This means that if a Pawn is promoted it can also choose to become a Magi Prince.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the Claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and its specific objects obtained by its uses, references should be made to the accompanying drawings and description matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detail descriptions thereof. Such descriptions make reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 shows the setup of a Magi chessboard including the Magi Knights for both sides.
FIG. 2 shows the difference between the present non-conventional chess variant in comparison to conventional chess.
FIG. 3 shows four diagrams of castling in Magi Chess along with a description of the various castling means for each diagram.
FIG. 4 shows four diagrams utilizing the En Passant rules in Magi Chess along with a description of the various rules as defined in Magi Chess.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 5A provide diagrams that show how a Magi Knight can checkmate the King using the power of a Knight and a Bishop.
FIG. 6 shows a side view of a Magi Knight and a Magi Prince.
FIG. 7 shows the strength of the Magi Knight and capturing with the Magi Knight.
The black dots on all the figures illustrate the allowed movement of the Magi Knight or Magi Prince during any single turn of the player in the present invention.
The X's on all figures show where the Magi Knight may move.
FIG. 8 shows both the possible moves of the Magi Prince in Diagram 1 and Diagram 2 shows the power of the Magi Prince by check-mating a King.
FIG. 9 shows the power of a Pawn promoting to a Magi Prince in Diagram 1 and in Diagram 2 both sides have agreed to replace one Magi Knight with a Magi Prince prior to the start of the game.
FIG. 10 is where both players have agreed to replace both Magi Knights with Magi Princes before the start of the game.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention described an advanced chess game that has several unique features. The increased number of pieces and the increase in number of board squares increases the possibility of strategic moves affecting the objective of checkmating the opposing King.
As seen in FIG. 1, the Magi chessboard has 50 light squares and 50 dark squares having 10 ranks and 10 files. The files are identified by a lower case letter as follows. The first file is called “a” file and the other nine files that follow are named alphabetically ending with the letter “j”. The ranks are numbered 1 through 10. The lettering and numbering of the ranks and files make it possible to name each square by algebraic notation. As an example, the bottom left square is the a1 square. This square is (and will always be) a dark square. The square located at the opposite end of the first rank is the j1 square and it is a light square.
The position of the chess pieces are arranged differently because of the Magi Knight being added to the chessboard. The white Queen now begins on the f1 square and the black Queen now begins on the f10 square. The King side for white is on the left side of the chessboard and the Queen side is now on the right side of chessboard. The King side for the black King is now on the right side of the chessboard and the Queen side is on the left side of the chessboard. This change is because there are two files added to make room for the Magi pair. The Magi Knight can move like a Bishop or a Knight and the Magi Knight can jump over the pieces.
En Passant occurs on the sixth or seventh ranks for the white and for black the option to capture a white Pawn En Passant occurs on the fifth and fourth ranks.
When castling the white King on the King side, the white King moves three squares to the left to the b1 square and the Rook moves to the c1 square. When castling the white King on the Queen side, the white King can be moved to the h1 square and the Rook to the g1 square or the white King can move to the i1 square and the Rook to the h1 square. When castling the black King, the black King moves to the b10 square and the Rook moves to the c10 square. When castling the black King on the Queen side, the black King can move to the i10 square and the Rook can move to the h10 square or the black King can move to the h10 square and the Rook to the g10 square.
In Magi Chess, the Pawns, on their first move, can move forward one, two or three squares up to the frontier line and after the first move of a Pawn, the Pawn can only move forward one square at a time as in standard chess.
In Magi Chess each side gets two Magi Knights, one to stand next to the King and one to stand next to the Queen. The Magi Knight is a powerful, tactical piece that can check the King like a Bishop and attack or control other pieces or squares as if it were a knight. It can check as the Knight and yet at the same time attack like a Bishop.

Claims

1. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess for play by a first player against a second player comprising:

a square game board having a playing surface comprising 10 rows or files and 10 columns or ranks of alternating colored squares;

a frontier line dividing the 100 squares into 50 squares for both first and second players;

a first set of game pieces for play upon the playing surface comprising a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, two Magi Knights and 10 Pawns;

the King, the Queen, the Rooks, the Bishops, the Knights and Pawns operating to the rules of a traditional chess game, with the exception of the Pawns moving three squares on the first move and the En Passant rule;

a second set of game pieces for play upon the playing surface comprising a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, two Magi Knights and 10 Pawns;

the King, the Queen, the Rooks, the Bishops, the Knights and Pawns operating to the rules of a traditional chess game, with the exception of the Pawns moving three squares on the first move and the En Passant rule.

2. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 1 wherein the first set of game pieces are distinguishable from the second set of game pieces by color.

3. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 1 wherein the Pawns in said first set and said second set may advance one, two or three squares with their first move.

4. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 1 where one Magi Knight is placed between the Bishop and the Queen and one Magi Knight is placed between the Bishop and the King in both first and second set of game pieces.

5. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 1 where the shape of the Magi Knights are distinguishable from the other chess pieces by having a circular bottom and extended circular ring approximately half way up from the base and a regular chess figure of a Knight mounted on the top, the Magi Knight being therefore taller than the Bishop and slightly shorter than the Queen.

6. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess for play by a first player against a second player comprising the steps of:

providing a square game board having a playing surface comprising 10 roles or files and 10 columns or ranks of alternating colored squares resulting in 50 dark squares and 50 light squares;

providing a first set of game pieces for play comprising a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, 10 Pawns, and two Magi Knight pieces;

Providing a second set of game pieces for play comprising a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, 10 Pawns, and two Magi Knight pieces, the second set of game pieces being distinguishable from the first set of game pieces.

7. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 6 where the Magi Knight pieces are restricted from a Magi Knight square of origin to a Magi Knight destination square in a zig zag fashion like a Bishop or the Magi Knight piece is restricted from a Magi Knight square of origin to a Magi Knight destination square by jumping over other pieces like a regular Knight.

8. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 7 wherein said Magi Knight pieces having the power to jump pieces occupying any intervening squares of different color from said first occupying square, said move ending upon the square of the first encountered opposing game piece by captive and displacement thereof, or upon a previously encountered empty square of the same color.

9. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 6 wherein the En Passant occurs when a Pawn initially moves two or three squares and stops on the same rank on an opposing square.

10. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 9, when a Pawn promotes, it can also become a Magi Knight.

11. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 6 wherein the object of the advanced chess game remains the same as in regular chess, namely to checkmate the opposing King.

12. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 6 wherein a game can end in a draw where neither player has the ability to checkmate the opponents King.

13. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 1 wherein said first and said second players may choose an optional variant of Magi Chess which includes a Magi Prince.

14. An advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 13 where the shape of the Magi Prince is distinguished from the other chess pieces by having a circular bottom, with the bottom features of a Rook, the middle having the features of a Bishop, and the top having the features of a Knight with a crown on top.

15. A method of playing a optional variant of Magi Chess, as described in claim 13, includes a Magi Prince, whereby said first player and said second player prior to the start of said chess game called Magi Chess, agree which Magi Knights said first and said second players wish to replace with said Magi Prince pieces.

16. A method of playing an optional variant of Magi Chess which includes a Magi Prince, said Magi Prince can be introduced to said advanced said chess game called Magi Chess by a Pawn Promotion whereby said Pawn can be replaced by Magi Prince when said Pawn reaches the opposing player's first row.

17. A method of playing an optional variant of Magi Chess as described in claim 13 wherein said Magi Prince may move as a Rook, a Bishop, or a Knight, or in any combination thereof.

18. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 13 wherein the object of the optional variant of Magi Chess which includes said Magi Prince remains the same as in regular chess, namely to checkmate the King.

19. A method of playing an advanced chess game called Magi Chess as described in claim 13 wherein a game can end in a draw when neither player has the ability to checkmate the opponents King.