New Position Workshop / Testing Thread

Unfortunately spell chess variants cannot be listed

So that's why Spell Chess is still the only variant with spells.

Source? I don’t recall a ban on those ever happening, but I do remember posting on a variant decline message that spell chess variants need to be really balanced and interesting to play or something along those lines

Does anyone want to test a duck chess variant with me? Essentially each side has a pawn off to the side that's one square away from promotion, and pawns can be promoted to the normal QRBN or a duck. When multiple ducks are in play, the duck that is moved on a turn isn't random, instead, it rotates (this is a base feature of duck chess). The variant is built around players being able to add another duck once during the game, and strategizing around that. I'm not very good at duck chess though- I have practically no experience with it- so I don't know if this variant is very good, nor would I be a very good example for test games. So if you're more experienced with duck chess, or just find this variant interesting, maybe try testing it with others who are also good at duck chess or find it interesting, because I know that my play would likely not accurately reflect the quality of the variant.

Also, I do not know what would be the best time control for this variant, so I will leave that up to others more experienced in duck chess to discuss.

Rules: pawns promote to BNQRΘ, duck chess

Code:

R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'pawnBaseRank':5,'wb':true,'dim':'12x8'}-x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,yR,yN,yB,yQ,yK,yB,yN,yR,x,x,1,x/x,x,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,x,x,rP,x/x,x,8,x,x,x,x/x,x,8,x,x,x,x/x,x,8,x,x,x,x/x,x,8,x,x,x,x/x,x,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,x,x,yP,x/x,x,rR,rN,rB,rQ,rK,rB,rN,rR,x,x,1,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x

I call it stable chess because many of the pieces are horses.

R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'wb':true,'noCorners':true}-
yF,yF,yF,yU,yE,yN,yK,yN,yE,yU,yF,yF,yF,yF/
yF,yF,yN,yH,yδ,yN,yA,yN,yδ,yH,yN,yF,yF,yF/
yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yN,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ/
14/
14/
14/
14/
14/
14/
14/
14/
rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rN,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ/
rF,rF,rN,rH,rδ,rN,rA,rN,rδ,rH,rN,rF,rF,rF/
rF,rF,rF,rU,rE,rN,rK,rN,rE,rU,rF,rF,rF,rF

Can you share the PGN4 so I can see the gamerules?

How do I do that?

Isn’t it right next to the FEN4 in the game analysis?

I think that this is a bad variant because the game length will be 80-100 moves but players will get bored after 20-40 moves*

*no offense

I have found it. I also changed a few positions around I will post in 1 second.

PGN

[GameNr "62480934"]
[TimeControl "10+0"]
[Variant "FFA"]
[RuleVariants "EnPassant Play4Mate PromoteTo=A Prom=14"]
[StartFen4 "R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'wb':true,'dim':'14x10','noCorners':true}-x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/yF,yF,yF,yU,yE,yN,yK,yN,yE,yU,yF,yF,yF,yF/yF,yF,yN,yH,yδ,yN,yA,yN,yδ,yH,yN,yF,yF,yF/yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yN,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ/14/14/14/14/rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rN,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ/rF,rF,rN,rH,rδ,rN,rA,rN,rδ,rH,rN,rF,rF,rF/rF,rF,rF,rU,rE,rN,rK,rN,rE,rU,rF,rF,rF,rF/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x"]
[White "monkey-armory"]
[WhiteElo "1500"]
[Black "cankevinlaurent"]
[BlackElo "1491"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Termination "Black resigned • 1-0"]
[Site "www.chess.com/variants/custom/game/62480934"]
[Date "Mon Feb 26 2024 20:58:08 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)"]
[CurrentMove "68"]

Positions

R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'wb':true,'dim':'14x10','noCorners':true}-
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
yF,yF,yF,yU,yE,yN,yK,yN,yE,yU,yF,yF,yF,yF/
yF,yF,yN,yH,yδ,yN,yA,yN,yδ,yH,yN,yF,yF,yF/
yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yN,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ,yδ/
14/
14/
14/
14/
rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rN,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ,rδ/
rF,rF,rN,rH,rδ,rN,rA,rN,rδ,rH,rN,rF,rF,rF/
rF,rF,rF,rU,rE,rN,rK,rN,rE,rU,rF,rF,rF,rF/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x

OK I have created a new variant I have played one game and my opponent resigned none the less I believe that this variant is superior to my last in terms of a speedy finish.

[GameNr "62667154"]
[TimeControl "10+0"]
[Variant "FFA"]
[RuleVariants "BarePieceLoses EnPassant 4-check Play4Mate PromoteTo=A"]
[StartFen4 "R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'lives' 4,4,4,4),'pawnBaseRank':5,'wb':true,'dim':'10x10','noCorners':true}-x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,yE,yV,yN,X,yK,yA,X,yN,yC,yE,x,x/x,x,yR,yU,yH,X,2,X,yH,yU,yR,x,x/x,x,yδ,yδ,yδ,X,X,X,X,yδ,yδ,yδ,x,x/x,x,10,x,x/x,x,10,x,x/x,x,10,x,x/x,x,10,x,x/x,x,rδ,rδ,rδ,X,X,X,X,rδ,rδ,rδ,x,x/x,x,rR,rU,rH,X,2,X,rH,rU,rR,x,x/x,x,rE,rC,rN,X,rK,rA,X,rN,rC,rE,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x"]
[White "monkey-armory"]
[WhiteElo "1489"]
[Black "vincent2012G"]
[BlackElo "1489"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Termination "Black resigned • 1-0"]
[Site "www.chess.com/variants/custom/game/62667154"]
[Date "Fri Mar 01 2024 20:29:13 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)"]
[CurrentMove "46"]

1. δe5-g7 .. δe10-g8
2. δg7xδg8=A .. δk10-l9
3. δl5-l7 .. δj10-j9
4. δk5-k7 .. δc10-c8
5. Ag8xδc8 .. Rc11xAc8
6. δd5-f7 .. δd10-f8
7. δf7xδf8=A .. Rc8xAf8
8. δj5-h7 .. Rf8-c8
9. He4-f6 .. Vd12-e9
10. Ne3-d5 .. Ve9xHf6+
11. Kg3-h4 .. Vf6xδh7
12. Uk4-j6 .. Vh7xUj6
13. Ah3-g4 .. Vj6-g7+
14. Kh4-g3 .. Nj12-k10
15. Nd5-e7 .. Rc8-d8
16. Cd3-c6 .. Ec12xCc6
17. Ud4xEc6 .. Rd8-e8
18. Ck3-h4 .. Vg7xCh4
19. Kg3xVh4 .. Re8xNe7
20. Uc6xRe7 .. δj9-i8
21. Ag4-h6 .. δi8-h7=A
22. Ah6xAh7 .. Ah12-g11
23. P .. R

R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'lives'4,4,4,4),'pawnBaseRank':5,'wb':true,'dim':'10x10','noCorners':true}-
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,yE,yV,yN,X,yK,yA,X,yN,yC,yE,x,x/
x,x,yR,yU,yH,X,2,X,yH,yU,yR,x,x/
x,x,yδ,yδ,yδ,X,X,X,X,yδ,yδ,yδ,x,x/
x,x,10,x,x/
x,x,10,x,x/
x,x,10,x,x/
x,x,10,x,x/
x,x,rδ,rδ,rδ,X,X,X,X,rδ,rδ,rδ,x,x/
x,x,rR,rU,rH,X,2,X,rH,rU,rR,x,x/
x,x,rE,rC,rN,X,rK,rA,X,rN,rC,rE,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x

Jack parrow Chess

positions

R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'pawnBaseRank':5,'wb':true,'dim':'8x10'}-
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,yR,yB,yN,yK,yQ,yN,yB,yR,x,x,x/
x,x,x,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,rB,rR,rB,rF,rF,rF,rF,rK,x,x,x/
x,x,x,rW,1,rR,1,rW,3,x,x,x/
x,x,x,1,rδ,rδ,rδ,4,x,x,x/
x,x,x,rB,3,rF,3,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x

PGN 4

[StartFen4 "R-0,1,0,1-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-0-{'dim':'8x10','wb':true,'noCorners':false,'boxOffset':0,'zombieType''','','',''),'zombieImmune'false,false,false,false),'pawnBaseRank':5,'enPassant''','','',''),'royal''k6','','g12',''),'royal8x8''','','',''),'lives'false,false,false,false),'setupPoints'0,0,0,0),'setupComplete'false,false,false,false),'stalemated'false,false,false,false),'promotedFrom':{},'resigned'null,null,false,null),'spells''','','','')}-x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,yR,yB,yN,yK,yQ,yN,yB,yR,x,x,x/x,x,x,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,rB,rR,rB,rF,rF,rF,rF,rK,x,x,x/x,x,x,rW,1,rR,1,rW,3,x,x,x/x,x,x,1,rδ,rδ,rδ,4,x,x,x/x,x,x,rB,3,rF,3,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x"]
[Variant "FFA"]
[RuleVariants "EnPassant Play4Mate"]
[CurrentMove "0"]
[TimeControl "10 min"]

This is a variant I created where the king cannot move, I call this "Frozen King." I want someone to help me playtest it and give feedback on it. PGN4 below. v

[StartFen4 "R-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0-{'royal''h4','m2','h11','n4'),'resigned'null,true,null,true),'zombieType''','pusher_comfuter','','checker_comfuter'),'zombieImmune'false,true,false,true),'pawnBaseRank':5,'noCorners':true}-x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,bC,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/x,x,x,yR,yN,yB,yQ,yF,yB,yN,yR,x,x,x/x,x,x,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,8,x,x,x/x,x,x,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,x,x,x/x,x,x,rR,rN,rB,rQ,rF,rB,rN,rR,x,x,gE/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,1/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,bC,x,x,x,x,bW,x/x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,1,x"]
[Variant "FFA"]
[RuleVariants "DeadKingWalking EnPassant Play4Mate Prom=11"]
[CurrentMove "0"]
[TimeControl "5 | 2"]

Literally 4 player chess but you have to capture the king. I don't know how to make pawns move 2 squares on the first move in this variant, is it possible? Also any ways I can improve it?

Game I played with this: https://www.chess.com/variants/custom/game/63960254/66/2

Positions for the post above

R-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0-{'dim':'8x8','boxOffset':1}-
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,bR,bN,bB,yK,bQ,bB,bN,bR,x,x,x/
x,x,x,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,x,x,x/
x,x,x,gR,gN,gB,rK,gQ,gB,gN,gR,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x

To add pawns move 2 you have to set a base (or home) rank.

do this by adding this:

'pawnBaseRank':5,

right after the first curly bracket.

- hope this helps

Removed the original comment #741 by @Noon898:

"I just fixed it by making the home rank the 2nd, easier than I thought, thanks anyway."

Reminder to not quote entire posts when they're long and only what's necessary

R-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-0-{'pawnBaseRank':5,'dim':'8x8','boxOffset':1}-
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,bR,bN,bB,yK,bQ,bB,bN,bR,x,x,x/
x,x,x,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,yP,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,8,x,x,x/
x,x,x,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,rP,x,x,x/
x,x,x,gR,gN,gB,rK,gQ,gB,gN,gR,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x/
x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x,x

New copy and paste if you want to play the custom variant