I do not know if my proposed variation is any good.

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Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

The following are the rules of my variation written with the help of ChatGPT:

♟️ The Two Gods — Core Rules
1. Standard Foundation
The game begins with the normal chess setup and follows all standard chess rules except where modified below.
 
2. The Divine Chain of Command
Bishops are the only pieces that can hear the gods (the players) directly.
When at least one bishop remains, all pieces move normally.
Once all bishops are gone for a player:

The King is the only piece that can still hear the gods.
The Queen can act as the king’s herald, but only if she is adjacent to the king.
Other pieces can only move if:

They are adjacent to the king, or
They are within the queen’s move range while the queen is adjacent to the king.
 
3. Berserk Mode
Any piece not receiving orders is considered out of control.
Such pieces cannot move normally, but:

If they can capture an enemy piece, they must do so.
 
4. Pawn Promotion
Pawns promote as in standard chess, but with new meaning:

Promoting to a bishop restores full communication across the army.

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

Here is an optional rule for my variation:

Optional Rule — Color-Bound Bishop Influence
• Each bishop can only influence pieces on the same color squares it can occupy.
• The light-square bishop can only transmit commands to pieces on light squares.
• The dark-square bishop can only transmit commands to pieces on dark squares.
• If one bishop is captured, pieces on its color squares (that are not adjacent to the king or within the queen’s projected range) lose the ability to move, except to capture.

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

Here are more optional options for my variation:

Optional Module --- God Magics
The gods may choose to intervene directly. Each player may invoke both God Magic once per game.

🌩️ Divine Relocation
• Effect: Choose any one of your pieces (including the king) and place it on any empty square of the board.
• Restrictions:
• You cannot place the piece on an occupied square.
• By default, this cannot be used to escape checkmate. However, players may agree before the game begins whether Divine Relocation can break checkmate.

🌟 Chosen Vessel
• Effect: After both bishops are captured, select one of your non‑king pieces. For the next one turn only, that piece becomes a temporary commander, able to issue orders like the king.
• Command Range: Any of your pieces within that chosen piece’s normal move range may move as if they were receiving orders.
• Restrictions:
• The king cannot be chosen (he already has this power).
• After the turn ends, the chosen piece loses its divine connection.

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

Here are even more optional options for my variation:

Optional Module --- God Magics Each player may invoke both God Magic once per game.

🔮 Omniscience
• Effect: Declare Omniscience and ask your opponent: “What is your immediate plan?”
• Response:
• The opponent must answer, but may choose to tell the truth, lie, or give only part of the truth.
• The answer must still be plausible and related to the game state.

⚡ Omnipotence
• Effect: Declare Omnipotence and perform one of the following divine acts:
1. Strike — Instantly capture any one enemy piece (except the king and bishop).
2. Resurrection — Return one of your own non‑bishop pieces to its original starting square (if empty and next to it if not empty).
3. Transposition — Switch the positions of any two non-king and non-bishop pieces (your own or your opponent’s).
4. Promotion — Transform any of your non‑king pieces into another piece (except a bishop).
5. Demotion — Transform one of your opponent’s non‑king and non‑bishop pieces into a weaker piece of your choice.

Avatar of evert823

Did you already play a trial game against yourself? Or are you in the phase of adding more and more and more rules?

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

I have not tried out this variation yet. A fellow chess player wants to try it out with me in person, so I will know if it is any good some time soon.
I am already done adding rules. The first post contains the required rules. Everything else are optional, which can be implemented to add chaos to the game.

Avatar of Lorudar

Berserk is like we turning chess into checkers?

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

YOU CAN ALWAYS MOVE THE KING ON YOUR TURN IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO CAPTURE A PIECE. IF THE KING MOVES NEXT TO THE QUEEN, YOU CAN CONTROL WHATEVER PIECE IS WITHIN HER MOVE RANGE.

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

I PLAYED MY VARIATION OTB, AND I CAN SAFELY SAY YOU WILL BE AT A DISADVANTAGE IF YOU LOSE BOTH BISHOPS WHILE YOUR OPPONENT STILL HAS AT LEAST ONE. I AM NOT SOME CHESS EXPERT, BUT I THINK MY VARIATION IS STILL PLAYABLE IF YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PIECES ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE ATTACKING ONCE YOU REALIZE YOU WILL LOSE YOUR LAST BISHOP. ALSO, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO PLACE YOUR QUEEN, IF YOU STILL HAVE IT, NEXT TO YOUR KING SO WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR LAST BISHOP, YOU CAN STILL MOVE THE PIECES YOUR QUEEN IS LOOKING AT. ALSO, SIMPLY KEEPING YOUR BISHOPS SAFE ABOVE ANY OTHER PIECE INCLUDING KNIGHTS AND ROOKS AND THEN KEEPING YOUR QUEEN SAFE ONCE YOU LOSE BOTH BISHOPS, YOU SHOULD BE FINE.

Avatar of JOHN-DOE-003

ALSO, I THINK THE FIRST BATCH OF GOD MAGICS MAY BE HELPFUL TO FIRST TIME PLAYERS OF THIS VARIATION BECAUSE FOR ONE TURN EACH, YOU CAN MOVE ANY PIECE, INCLUDING YOUR KING TO ANY EMPTY SQUARE ON THE BOARD, AND YOU CAN TURN ONE NON-KING AND NON-BISHOP PIECE INTO A KING-LIKE PIECE SUCH THAT YOU CAN MOVE ANY PIECE IT IS LOOKING AT.

Avatar of FELIXSMASTER

how i can play