RollerBall Chess, a creation of Jean-louis Cazaux
Board and pieces
The board in a double ring of 40 squares made from a 7 x 7 with a 3 x 3 hole in the center. There is an inner ring and a outer ring. Also, it is convenient to see 4 zones, South, West, North and East.
Each side has 6 pieces only: 1 King, 1 Bishop, 2 Rooks and 2 Pawns.
White plays first.
Moves and Rules
The play is mostly clockwise: generally speaking, the pieces move mainly ahead and have only limited motion backward. At every corner of the board, the pieces rotate 90°.
All pieces change their orientation (rotating 90° clockwise) when they land on a corner or bend space (a1, b2, a7, b6, g7, f6, g1, f2).
Main directions on the board. The squares where direction changes are enlighted with white arrows
King: moves and captures exactly as in Orthochess to any adjacent square but never to a square where it can be captured. It is the only piece to have a symmetric move.
Rook: slides any number of squares forward or sideways along the row or column. Also, it can move 1 square only orthogonally backward. It never slides backward. On the external ring, they have one rebound allowed on the corners of the board.
Bishop: slides diagonally forward any number of squares with one rebound allowed on the sides, external and internal, of the board. Also, it can move 1 square diagonally backward. It never slides diagonally backward.
One may note that the white diagonals are forming another ring joining the mid-points of the external sides. The Bishop is very powerful there.
Pawn: moves and captures forward straight or diagonally. When reaching the starting square of opposite Pawns it promotes to either a Rook or a Bishop. (Promotion to a Bishop upon dark squares is not recommended)
All captures are by displacement as for Chess. End of the Game: There are 2 ways to win the game:
Board and pieces
The board in a double ring of 40 squares made from a 7 x 7 with a 3 x 3 hole in the center. There is an inner ring and a outer ring. Also, it is convenient to see 4 zones, South, West, North and East.
Each side has 6 pieces only: 1 King, 1 Bishop, 2 Rooks and 2 Pawns.
White plays first.
Moves and Rules
The play is mostly clockwise: generally speaking, the pieces move mainly ahead and have only limited motion backward. At every corner of the board, the pieces rotate 90°.
All pieces change their orientation (rotating 90° clockwise) when they land on a corner or bend space (a1, b2, a7, b6, g7, f6, g1, f2).
Main directions on the board. The squares where direction changes are enlighted with white arrows
King: moves and captures exactly as in Orthochess to any adjacent square but never to a square where it can be captured. It is the only piece to have a symmetric move.
Rook: slides any number of squares forward or sideways along the row or column. Also, it can move 1 square only orthogonally backward. It never slides backward. On the external ring, they have one rebound allowed on the corners of the board.
Bishop: slides diagonally forward any number of squares with one rebound allowed on the sides, external and internal, of the board. Also, it can move 1 square diagonally backward. It never slides diagonally backward.
One may note that the white diagonals are forming another ring joining the mid-points of the external sides. The Bishop is very powerful there.
Pawn: moves and captures forward straight or diagonally. When reaching the starting square of opposite Pawns it promotes to either a Rook or a Bishop. (Promotion to a Bishop upon dark squares is not recommended)
- Ckeckmate the opposite King, or,
- When the King reaches the starting square of the opposite King, but only if had turned clockwise.
