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Pawn

The pawn is handled virtually the same as in normal chess, with a couple of exceptions. It retains its normal horizontal movement, capturing, and en passant capability. In addition, it can move one square up or down, with the added option of moving forward a square as well. The only restriction is that of course it cannot move into an occupied space, and it must be in the general direction of the OPPONENT'S defense board. Thus, a white pawn at White Queen's Knight 5 (edge of the neutral board), cannot move back down to QN3 or QN4, but only has the option of moving to QN6. Continuing with this example, once at QN6, the pawn may either move to QN7 or QN9, but not back down to QN4. The only other additional move is that it can also capture diagonally in 3 dimensions, in the direction of the opponent's defense board, of course. This employs the diagonal stair-step maneuver described above. Once a pawn reaches the 12th row (the last row on the opponent's defense board), it can be changed as in normal chess for any other kind of piece. Below is a different example of pawn movement, shown graphically. This time, the pawn is Black's ...

Example of black pawn movement

              ________________
             / N /   /   /   /:
            /___/___/___/___/ :
    ________ B /   /   /   /  :
   /   /   /:_/___/___/___/   :
  /___/___/B:/ p / x / x /____:_______
 /   /   /:_:___/___/___//   /   /   /:
/___/___/N:/   /   /   //___/___/___/ :
      :___:___/___/___//   /   /   /  :
              :   /___:___/___/___/   :
              :  / x /:  /   /   /____:_______
              : /___/_:_/___/___//   /   /   /
              :/ xN/  :/   /   //___/___/___/
              :___/___:___/___//   /   /   /
                      :   /___:___/___/___/
                      :  /   /:  /   /   /
                      : /___/_:_/___/___/
                      :/   /  :/   /   /
                      :___/___:___/___/

Attack boards can significantly affect movement if placed between levels. In such a case, it must be treated as any other board, and can be either an advantage or disadvantage. Take, for example, the case of this rook:
              ________________
             /   / x /   /   /:
            /___/___/___/___/ :
    ________   / x /   /   /  :
   /   / x /:_/___/___/___/   :
  /___/___/ :/ x /   /   /____:_______
 /   /   /:_:___/___/___//   /   /   /:
/___/___/x:/ R / x / x //___/___/___/ :
      :___:___/___/___//   /   /   /  :
  ^       :/ x:/ x:/:_:___/___/___/   :
Attack -> :___:___: :/:  /   /   /____:_______
Boards   / x /   /:_:_:_/___/___//   /   /   /
        /___/___/z:/ x:/   /   //___/___/___/
              :___:___:___/___//   /   /   /
                      :   /___:___/___/___/
                      :  /   /:  /   /   /
                      : /___/_:_/___/___/
                      :/ x /  :/   /   /
                      :___/___:___/___/
Note how with the intervening attack board this rook has access to white's defense board (possible moves shown with x's), yet the 'z' indicates the only possible move in the direction of white if there were no attack board present. In this case, the attack board was definitely an advantage! In the case of a pawn seeking to reach the opponent's defense board, it could make the trip longer, depending upon the circumstances.

Attack boards also create interesting circumstances when positioned not between two normal levels, but instead as diagrammed here:

                            ________
                           /   / g /
                          /___/___/   <--- attack board in question
                         / b / a /:
                        /___/___/ :
              __________:_:_:_: : :
             /   /   /  :/ f:/: : :
            /___/___/___:___: : : :
    ________   /   /   /   /: : : :
   /   /   /:_/___/___/___/ : : : :
  /___/___/ :/   /   /   /__:_:_:_:___
 /   /   /:_:___/___/___// e:/ c:/ d /:
/___/___/ :/   /   /   //___:___:___/ :
      :___:___/___/___//   /   /   /  :
              :   /___:___/___/___/   :
              :  /   /:  /   /   /____:_______
              : /___/_:_/___/___//   /   /   /
              :/   /  :/   /   //___/___/___/
              :___/___:___/___//   /   /   /
                      :   /___:___/___/___/
                      :  /   /:  /   /   /
                      : /___/_:_/___/___/
                      :/   /  :/   /   /
                      :___/___:___/___/
In this situation, the cube model of movement must be altered. Although there is an immense ammount of space between this attack board and the neutral board, certain squares of the two are considered adjacent. To study the relationship, we will use the example of the rook. Should a rook be posisitioned at location A, not only does it have access to the black defense board, but it can also reach squares C and D by either moving vertically or stair-stepping. Of course, it's final destination might be the white defense board in this case as well. Furthermore, a rook at position B has access to position C through the stair-step move. Now taking the example of a bishop at position G, it has access to position D via the diagonal stair-step. The question might be asked, however, if either the rook or bishop in these examples has access to position E. The answer is that they do not, as square F is effectively in the way, and must be moved to instead. If one were to view this whole example from above, it might become more clear how all these distant squares are truly adjacent. Of course, all of the examples used can also be reversed, with pieces on the neutral board having access to the attack board in this case ...

Here is a working model of the boards you can use to play on. Print it out and make copies. For the attack boards, cut them out and place them in the appropriate places.

                      ________
                     / r / p /
                    /___/___/
                   / k / p /:
                  /___/___/ :
                      : : : :
                      : :_:_:___________
                      :/ n:/ p /   /   /:
              ________:___:___/___/___/ :
             / q / p /:b / p /   /   /  :
            /___/___/_:_/___/___/___/   :
           / r / p /:b:/ p /   /   /    :
          /___/___/_:_:___/___/___/     :
                :/ n:/ p /   /   /      :
                :___:___/___/___/       :
                        :       :_______:_______
                        :      /:  /   /   /   /:
                        :     /_:_/___/___/___/ :
                        :    /  :/   /   /   /  :     ________
                        :   /___:___/___/___/   :    / P / R /
                        :  /   /:  /   /   /    :   /___/___/
                        : /___/_:_/___/___/     :  / P / K /
                        :/   /  :/   /   /      : /___/___/
                        :___/___:___/___/       : : : : :
                                :       :_______:_:_:_:_:
                                :      /:  /   / P:/ N:/
                                :     /_:_/___/___:___:
                                :    /  :/   / P / B /
                                :   /___:___/___/___/
                                :  /   /:  / P / B /
                                : /___/_:_/___/___/. .________
                                :/   /  :/ P / N /   / P / Q /
                                :___/___:___/___/. ./___/___/
                                                   / P / R /
                                                  /___/___/
Notice that one attack board has been misplaced. The reason is that it cannot easily be placed in this model without covering up other parts of the board. You can simply keep a file with this diagram for the game you are playing, and update it using letters for pieces (caps for white, lower-case for black), and editing in the attack boards where necessary. Just remember to space them evenly between layers, and you should include the :'s to clarify vertical relationships. You could even use this file to mail back and forth between players to visually diagram each move made!

Should there be any questions regarding this version of the rules for Trek 3-D Chess, please contact Tony at thamilton@ch3.intel.com via internet.


hwloidl@dcs.gla.ac.uk

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