Is That a Duck?

Duck Chess

One of the new chess variants that is taking the world of chess by storm is duck chess. The board still plays mainly be the same rules, but there is a twist with a new piece: the duck. Each player gets to move a piece, but then they also have to move the duck to any vacant square that they choose. The duck can go to any square available, but it can not be captured and blocks the line of vision of pieces. The description calls the duck a block piece.

Now, I usually don't play too many variant games, but I decided to try out duck chess for the first time, and it was interesting to say the least. I would play a one minute game with 5 second bonus with each move. For the sake of this blog, I will represent the duck with a highlighted orange square since I can't figure out how to put a duck on my chess board. 

The Game

I would start the game off with c4, and I decided to place the duck in front of black's e pawn with e6. My opponent responded by bringing out his knight to f6 and placing the duck in front of my d pawn on d3. We would both go about developing normal moves, but we both kept putting the duck in front of each other's e and d pawn. This was my first time playing, and I assumed this was a good strategy since it prevents the development of the center and keeps the fast development from happening by closing the diagonals that can be opened with e5 or e6. 

The game continues with both players developing our pieces. I fianchetto my bishop and play e3 to prepare to develop my knight. Black continues by developing his knights and queen. But notice that black is taking a much more defensive pawn structure and position, as the duck is preventing any sort of strong control of the center. Black may also have difficulty developing his bishops, as they are locked on the backrank, which is why he played g6

The game continues with both of us castling short. I also decide to fianchetto my second bishop because of my opponent preventing me from pushing my d pawn. This could lead to problems, as I won't be able to secure d4, which happens to be important in an English set up. This comes to fruitation when my opponent decides to begin playing a little more aggressive with d5, hitting the center of the board. Notice that my play is beginning to center more on the wing and flanks of the board because of how each player is preventing each other from developing through the center. 

I take on the d pawn to prevent any further infiltration. I was expecting black to take back my pawn, but then he doesn't. He plays his knight to b6, which is a fairly odd move. I decide to continue the pawn chain and take on the c pawn. Now, I am up a pawn and I have broken apart black's pawn structure. 

This is where the game begins going a little crazy. I play Rc1, lining the rook against black's queen. Black decides to bring out his bishop to a6, giving a longer diagonal, but he continues to put the duck in front of the bishop's line of vision. So, I decide to bring my knight back so that I can target black's weak c pawn. I also decide to move the duck off of e6, and I use it to complete block out black's bishop. Black capitalizes on this change immediately by playing e6. 

I am able to win the c pawn with the bishop. Black responds by building up his rook and queen on the c file. I retreat my bishop, and black sidesteps his queen. From there, I decide to temporarily give up control of the file by taking on the rook. Black continues to be adamant on placing the duck on d3, preventing me from pushing forward to the center of the board. But I continue to try and make sure that black's bishop does not contribute to the game. 

The game continues with both of us trying to use our pieces in order to control the center of the board. Black is especially able to get his bishop active to the long diagonal. I try to reroute my knights to the center, but black plays e5 and takes dominate control of the center of the board.

The game continues with an exchange of the long diagonal light square bishops. Black would also hang their rook, resulting in an exchange of rook for bishop. Black would also continue to place the duck on d3. However, I moved my duck to the d5 square because I wanted to limit black's knight forward movement and prevent any sort of queen checks that could result in a fork. 

It was in this position that black would also blunder their knight under time trouble. I was now in a completely winning position, although I was still having to be careful under time pressure. Black would also begin placing the duck in some strange positions, allowing me to play d4 and take dominate control of the center of the board. I would also begin placing the duck on f6, blocking any sort of range for the black bishop. I think the duck is quite useful for stiffening range of your opponent's pieces and preventing forward pawn movement. 

I try to maneuver my queen to take control of the c file and begin attacking black's king. This especially comes as black begins exposing his king by aggressively pushing forward his pawns. However, I am able to stop this advance by placing the duck on g5, protecting my knight from the oncoming slaughter. 

I begin checking the black king and bring in my rook. However, black then plays a move that is only possible in duck chess. He moves his bishop, leaving the king unguarded and blocks the queen's capture of the king with the duck. In duck chess, there does not need to be a checkmate because you can immediately capture the king as if it were a normal piece and win. But black doesn't blunder his king to immediate capture. But this does leave the king quite vulnerable, as I get to move the duck away on my turn. 

Soon, I am able to put black into a difficult spot, with a position on the verge of doom. Black sacks his queen to prevent a mate, but shortly afterwards resigns the game, and I win my first game of duck chess. 

I'll probably keep playing a few games of duck chess to get better and see the different tactics that can be incorporated with the variant. But what are your thoughts on duck chess? Let me know!