Help For GrandChess

Introduction

Welcome to the network GrandChess server. The rules of GrandChess are below. The move notation is described on the help page for chess. Other commands are the same for all pbmserv games.

(Copyright (c) 1984, Christiaan Freeling)

The GrandChess Home Page http://www.cybercomm.nl/~freeling/GRANDCHESS/GrandChess.html contains a full description of the GrandChess variant, but here are the highlights...

Grand Chess was invented by Christiaan Freeling. It is played on a 10x10 board. The initial position is shown below.

              a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h   i   j
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    Black
         10 |*R*|:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |*R*| 10
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          9 |:::|*N*|*B*|*Q*|*K*|*M*|*C*|*B*|*N*|   |  9
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          8 |*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|*P*|  8
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          7 |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |  7
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          6 |   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|  6
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          5 |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |  5
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          4 |   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|  4
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          3 |:P:| P |:P:| P |:P:| P |:P:| P |:P:| P |  3
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          2 |   |:N:| B |:Q:| K |:M:| C |:B:| N |:::|  2
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
          1 |:R:|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::| R |  1
            +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    White
              a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h   i   j

The two extra pieces are a marshall and a cardinal, which move as follows:
M (marshall) The combined moves of a rook and a knight.
C (cardinal) The combined moves of a bishop and a knight.

All other rules are the same as standard chess, except that castling is not permitted, and pawn promotion is different. Pawns may promote from any of the last three ranks (it's optional in the 8th and 9th rank, mandatory in the 10th). Pawns may only promote to pieces that have been previously taken, and which are still off the board. If no pieces are available, a pawn may not move into the last rank. However, a pawn *can* be used to threaten a king in the last rank, regardless of whether promotion would be allowed.