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3 person Chess

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Allegretta

Has anyone watched the Big Bang Theory episode {"The Wildebeest Implementation"] where Sheldon has come up with  a version of three-person chess?

I have to watch it again to get all the details of how the

middle section of the board works/ intersects with the players.

(There are many repeats of the various shows.)[some kind of equilateral (I think) triangle, each leg one side/end of a chessboard.}

But I'm just throwing the idea open to speculation...

I will continue it more. Sorry to be so sketchy!

There is also an episode with three-d chess. I would definitely like to play

3-D chess, but I guess an online version would be hard to do. Maybe offline versions?

Allegretta

Allegretta playerUndecided  #2 - three person chess? How would Bobby Fischer accommodate that when playing 2-sided chess with himself? I definitely think it would ruin the black vs. white sense of game.

Allegretta

Allegretta player Cool#3 - three person chess? The third move is always the charm!

sapientdust

I haven't seen that episode yet but am looking forward to it now. Here's some info about the variant, and a real three-player chess that people play:

http://bigbangtheory.wikia.com/wiki/Three-Person_Chess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-player_chess 

Master_Kaina

that wuza good episode .. he took the xtra pieces & accessories2the extreme tho! lol .. but ya ther r real versions of multi-player chess beyond the two (already patented, etc.)

chasm1995

I've seen that episode.  Big Bang Theory is my favorite show.  I wonder how difficult it would be, though, if the other two ganged up on you.  also, how would you bishops and rooks differ in movement?

rrachkov

You can see how bishops and rooks move here: http://www.threechess.com/en/how-to-play-three-player-chess There are good images. Also some played game here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWkLj9e0_w0

simonschtweezers

3d chess is pretty awesome if you have the right board. 3-player chess sounds difficult!

varelse1

Three player would be tricky. Would need to be as much about diplomacy as tactics or strategy. Each player would need to be careful not draw hate from the other two. Like walking on eggshells.

(Until it's too late for them to do anything about it, that is.)

DrFrank124c

Have you ever read the book "The Three Faces of Eve?" It was a popular book some time back that was also made into a movie about a woman who had multiple personality syndrome. I bet she would have loved three person chess!

Rookheight

I played a version of 3-player chess where there was a circle in the middle of the board, which had helpful curved lines to show where "diagonals" were; rooks, knights, pawns, etc. just went straight across. 

 

The biggest concern to me was varelse1's; if two players decided to conspire against one, that player just has no chance. We thought maybe a standing honor agreement to play primarily "against" the player who was furthest ahead makes it viable; when you pull ahead, you pull attention from the other two. I don't think there's any future for the game beyond the level of a curiosity.

Pre_VizsIa

Four player chess, on the other hand, is amazing. You can play as teams or individuals.

chasm1995

I played that before.  I teamed up with a friend to take down first one person then the other and we duked it out in the end.  It helped that we were across the board from each other so it didn't feel too weird when it was only us two left.

Pre_VizsIa

That is how teams are supposed to be done - across the board from each other. But if you are playing as individuals then no talking.

chasm1995

We even had a plan: castle towards the person you're going to attack so that your king is safe from the other person when you move all your power pieces to the other side of the board from them, and just throw everything you've got at the other person, then when they've lost, throw everything at the other person and duke it out with your teammate afterwards.

kamuimaru

3 person chess has a flaw. If two people have a trade of pieces/exchange, then the third person is always going to be with the advantage.

Rookheight

That's right, kamuimaru. That's why the only way it works is if people who trade implicitly agree to then turn their guns on the 3rd man; not the best setup for a game.

Paul-Dyba

https://www.google.com/#q=three+player+chess ...... Click on "More Images For Three Player Chess" to see dozens of examples of boards for this variant and for 4-, 5-, and 6-player boards.

Eddiedaylia

Hi

I made a version of Sheldon's 3 player chess for my ex for her birthday when we were dating as she's a super Big Bang Theory fan. I've taken lots of pictures of it and posted everything here:

http://www.edwardday.co.uk/3playerchess

We never got a chance to test it so don't know how it plays but I think it will play in a fairly balanced fashion considering the amount of ridiculous fairy pieces there are.

Edward

(PS. I know this is an old thread but I came across it originally when I searched for a version before coming up with the rules myself, so I'll leave it here in case anyone else is on the hunt for it.)

IcyAvaleigh

Knock knock knock...