Werewolf Checkers

Yes, I know, the topic is not entirely chess, but I really want to share with you the interesting concept of the game, which I recently proposed on some checkers forums and which found a lively response from strong checkers players.

Since this checkers variant is still based on the idea of ​​​​Andernach Chess and since we are all partial to interesting board logic games, I think this material will be more than appropriate here.

The game is played according to the basic rules of Russian Checkers, with the only difference that you need to capture not only the opponent’s checkers, but also your own, while a checker making a capture changes its color immediately after the first jump.

After the checker has changed its color, the move goes to the other player. Thus, a player cannot capture more than one checker at a time.

An example of the beginning of a game.

The initial arrangement and order of moves are completely consistent with Russian Checkers.

White plays b2xd4. Checker c3 is removed from the board, and checker d4 becomes black:

Black's move and he plays g7xe5. The g7 checker turns white and stops on the e5 square:

There is no priority in choosing a capture move. You can capture your own checker or opponent's checker. In the above example, White can capture either his own checkers or the black checker on d4.

The King in Werewolf Checkers can capture in different directions, but only one checker. Immediately after capturing, it changes color (while remaining a King) and must stand on the next square after the captured checker, as in Thai Checkers, and not on a randomly selected diagonal square behind the captured checker.

Once a checker becomes a King, it retains its status as a King throughout the game.

The following example is illustrative in nature and does not in any way pretend to be a deep and comprehensive analysis:

Black plays c7-d6. White's King captures c5, becoming Black's King:

White plays e1-f2:

Black plays e3xg1:

White plays g1-f2:

Black takes c5xg1. The King becomes white again:

White's move and he wins in this position. White moves with the King to any square on the g1-a7 diagonal. When Black crowns his checker, White allows Black to capture his King. The Black King, having captured, will turn white. There will be no black checkers left on the board, and the last winning move will be made by white.

Winning.

The one who makes the last move in the game wins.

This seemingly obvious rule for all chess and checkers games has a special twist in Werewolf Checkers. In this variant of checkers, the winner always moves last.

White's move. One of his captures wins, the other loses.

Capturing the d4 checker definitely loses. The white checker becomes black on c3 square and Black simply makes his winning move with any of the two remaining checkers on the board.

But capturing the e4 checker is a win:

White played d4xf6. The checker on f6 turned black. Game over? No!

According to the rules, the one who makes the last move in the game wins.

So now it's Black's move and this move is forced - either g5xe7 or f6xh4.

It doesn't matter where Black hits - he loses the game, because White will make his last move in this game.

Black jumps on e7: g5xe7

White makes his winning final move:

White plays e7-d8 and wins the game.

And the last, but not least, feature of this variant of checkers is that there are no draws in Werewolf Checkers.

TO PROVIDE A MORE DYNAMIC AND EXCITING CHARACTER, THE FOLLOWING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE GAME:

—  A checker goes into your reserve only when you capture YOUR OWN CHECKER.

— If you cannot capture the opponent's checker on the board, you can bring your own checker from the reserve into play.

The last rule is illustrated by the picture below:

After the initial moves 1. f2xh4 e7xc5, each player has one checker of his color in reserve. Now it’s White’s turn to move and he can either capture one of his checkers or drop a white checker from the reserve on any of the five available squares on his half of the board.

If White had the opportunity to capture the opponent’s checker on the board, then such a drop of a checker from the reserve could not be made:

In the picture above, White has two checkers in his reserve, but he cannot bring them into play —  there is an opportunity on the board to capture the opponent’s checker.

In this example, White can either capture a black checker or one of his friendly checkers. No other moves can be made here.

So let's summarize the rules:

Werewolf Checkers

Rules

1. The game is played on a 64-cell chessboard with a set of 12 checkers for each player.

2. In the initial position, the checkers are located in the first three rows on dark squares of the board, as in Russian Checkers.

3. Checkers move diagonally only forward one square. They capture by jumping forward or backward over a checker of their own color or an opponent's checker.

4. In Werewolf Checkers, a player can capture both his own checkers and his opponent’s checkers. Capturing is mandatory with the exception of the situation with the drop of your own checker from the reserve (see below).

5. A checker goes into your reserve only when you capture YOUR OWN CHECKER.

6. If you cannot capture the opponent's checker on the board, you can bring your own checker from the reserve into play.

7. A checker that has made a jump changes its color. It follows that it is impossible to capture more than one checker in the game, since the capturing checker changes its owner immediately after the first jump.

8. The player's checker that ends up in the last horizontal row becomes a King.

9. The King moves back and forth any number of squares diagonally, as in Russian Checkers.

10. The King remains the King even after changing its color.

11. The King captures by jumping over the checker, landing and changing its color immediately behind it to an empty square of the board. Thus, the King cannot capture more than one checker, again due to the color change.

12. There are no draws in Werewolf Checkers.

13. The player who MAKES THE LAST MOVE IN THE GAME wins.

The last very important condition and it must be taken literally, because if after your move you are left without checkers of your color, this does not mean losing, since potentially the remaining enemy checkers are also your checkers.

Guys, now you know how to play Werewolf Checkers.

You can play online against a bot or other players here: https://games.dtco.ru/map/17 

You can also play against a bot on Dagazproject (no registration required): https://dagazproject.github.io/checkers/werewolf-checkers.htm