Chess 10×8: The Age of Fairies
After Fairy Eater Chess, I didn’t think I’d ever return to the theme of hybrid pieces like bishop+knight or rook+knight. However, certain circumstances led me to create this chess variant—and I admit I’m glad for it, because the resulting game has surpassed my expectations in some ways.
This game pays tribute to that entire era of creating chess variants featuring such fairy chess pieces as the B+N (bishop+knight) and R+N (rook+knight) on a 10×8 board.
Chess 10×8: The Age of Fairies isn't just an homage to Pietro Carrera who introduced the world to hybrid pieces (bishop+knight and rook+knight) on a 10×8 board — it's their radical evolution.
World Lore: "The Last Stand"
In an era where magic and strategy became one, the chess kingdoms changed forever.
The Starting Position as War's Echo
The battlefield—a 10×8 board—became the last frontier between two ancient forces:
The Light Army (White) and The Legion of Darkness (Black) deployed on the 2nd and 7th ranks, leaving the outer lands barren. This was no accident—the edge files and ranks were scorched by war, a no-man’s-land where none dared tread first.
Pawns had already advanced to the 3rd rank, poised to charge—the war had begun long ago, and now only the pieces decided its outcome.
Legendary Units
In this world, rooks and bishops were no ordinary warriors—they absorbed the magic of the fairies and became something greater:
Witcher (R+N)
A monster hunter, blending a rook’s power with a knight’s leap.
Once mere knights, they were gifted the ability to move along ranks/files like wraiths.
They guard the flanks, patrolling the dead zones as sentinels.
Stalker (B+N)
A shadow assassin, moving diagonally and jumping obstacles.
These warriors sold part of their souls to the dark to phase through threats.
They lurk near the center, like hidden blades.
The Dead Zones
The outermost ranks/files lie empty—these are cursed lands where even fey magic falters.
No piece starts there—legend says whoever steps there first awakens an ancient doom.
Strategic impact: Forces clashes into the cramped center, while Witchers and Stalkers exploit the voids for ambushes.
Chess 10×8: The Age of Fairies
Key differences from Carrera/Capablanca Chess:
Piece Placement
Pieces are positioned on the 2nd and 7th ranks (rather than 1st/8th as in standard chess)
Pawns start on the 3rd and 8th ranks, accelerating central control and creating dynamic play
No pawn congestion in the opening - the game begins with piece maneuvers
Double Hybrids
Unlike classical variants where each side had just one chancellor and one archbishop, here there are two of each — changing everything!
Stalker (S) = Archbishop (Bishop + Knight moves)
Witcher (W) = Chancellor (Rook + Knight moves)
Having 2 (R+N) and 2 (B+N) per side quadruples tactical possibilities
Empty Perimeter
Unlike classical Carrera/Capablanca Chess, the outermost ranks and files remain empty, creating a dynamic central battlefield. This:
Provides more opening maneuverability, reducing rote memorization
Breaks conventional patterns, requiring unconventional thinking for openings, attacks and defense
Gives Stalkers and Witchers dangerous mobility
Pawns
Move only one square forward
Castling
Not permitted
All other rules follow standard Capablanca Chess conventions.
What we have here isn't just another Carrera/Capablanca clone - it's a bold balancing experiment that pushes hybrid piece potential to new limits.
I’m glad this chess variant sparked lively interest among players on Pychess, where I proposed it as an alternative to Capablanca Chess.
To play Chess 10×8: The Age of Fairies on Pychess, all you need to do is create a challenge, select Capablanca Chess, and paste the following FEN into the designated field:
10/1cnaqkanc1/1pppppppp1/10/10/1PPPPPPPP1/1CNAQKANC1/10 w - - 0 1
No.1
White to play and mate in 2
***
No.2
Black to play and mate in 2
***
No.3
White to play and mate in 6
***
SOLUTIONS
No.1
1. Sf8+ Kc6 2. Wa7#
***
No.2
1. ...Wh5+ 2. gh Sf5#
***
No.3
1. Wh4+ gh 2. gf+ Kg7 3. Wg2+ Ng5 4. Nxg5+ Sg6 5. Wxg6+ Kh7 6. Nj6#
