Welsh chess is very different to Tribal chess (the scientific name for the common chess we normally play), for a start, the sometimes round 4x4 board, strangely shaped pieces and rugby ball may seem very odd.

Traditional Welsh Chess

Modern Welsh Chess

Rugby Ball

On top of that, the pieces move differently:

Ó      The dragons in the wells and the sheep on the box take all pieces that they jump over (must travel in ‘L’ shape)

Ó      The sheep with skateboards and dragons with long necks can explode (not sure how that works yet)

Ó      The sheep on another’s back and the fat dragons do not have to move to take other pieces (like shooting).

Ó      The normal sheep and dragons can move sideways and backwards as well as forwards.

Ó      The others move round normally.

The rules are different too:

Ó      It can only be played outside.

Ó      White has one move, then black has two, then white has three, etc. But if check is encountered then the turn is over.

Ó      And of course no high tackles!!

And that’s it for welsh chess.

I grew up with the related Cwm Llynchwmryllych Pobl so where are the druids?

My youth was in West Wales where non-Welsh speakers were rounded up and ceremoniously dropped in the great river Cwmtaffy - I believe they may have also played a pseudo-Welsh variant that they called Welsh chess.

Are you from East Wales (England)?

yes i forgot -- in case of injuries the druids come on as subs in some variants.

I am from Gwd Llymwnych so am not familiar with the dunking.

In Cwm Llynchwmryllych Pobl the druids have total control of the pentacle.  They are not mere substitutes but fully blown Hywllcadwr in their own right.

Your spherical board looks larger than 4X4?

This sound sick but it looks difficult.

Druids may be Mywllcadwr in Cwm Llynchwmryllych Pobl, but i only know of classic welsh chess, not the minor variants.

It is slightly larger that 4x4 but it does look awesome so i put it in.

Do you know of any other variants??

Cwm Llynchwmryllych Pobl random

does that mean the druids may have to start on the board sometimes...

i think welsh chess should be combined with rugby...

i think the board could possibly be ovoid shaped, with 15 pieces for each side. the bottom right-hand corner would be empty.

but then there would be no druid subs...

Sounds crazy. But I might try it sometime.

Ffynnon Taf rules O.K.   ====== right?

da iaun...lol

LMFAO......

sheep? <runs from room>