6-player variation

This is a fun variation my chess club made for 6+players, we called it triple board since normally we played with 6 players. It needs some work, especially for the end game, so I figured I would share it, and see if there were any recommendations

First off all the players are divided into two teams, 3 on each one, and three boards are set up so they are linked, the a file of 1 board adject to h of the other, and white is set up on one side and black on the other.  One team is white and one is black.

The turns are white board one, black board one, white board 2..., and on your turn you can only move the white pieces that you control, the ones that started on your board, (much easier to tell using 3 different sets).

all other rules of chess are the same except these changes.

1) when a team is put in check whoever's move it is now must use any of the teams pieces to get out of check.

2) if a move to get out of check puts another king on the same team in check, the move can or cannot be made, but the king that is still in check will be able to be captured on the opposing teams immediate next move.

3)If a team is put into checkmate whoever move it is (whether or not it is their king in checkmate) may move any of their own pieces.  Whoever moves next, (the team delivering checkmate) gets to move whatever piece is required to take the king.

4)If you loses your king, you are dead and your pieces become inactive, but can not be captured, and when your turn comes it is skipped.

5) if a check comes and the next move is a skipped turn (a king is gone), then whoever turn is next for that team must make a move, and the skipped turn takes place whenever there is no check.

6) pawns can be promoted to dead kings, allowing that player back into the game.

7) game ends when a team loses all of its kings.

Other thing we added but do not really effect the actual rules were, that teams could not communicate plans except by calling one of a preset number of time-outs, (during which time each team can plan).

This is the game so far, figured I'd share and see if there are any recommendations.

What I find to be just as fun (assuming all players are near the same level) is to take turns making a move in a single game.  There is no communication.  It's actually harder than it sounds!  You can also do this with multiple games.  (My friend and I are going to host a Tandem simul - where we play 25 people and we take turns making the moves.)

There's also a 3 player bug house.  The center board will get both sets of other boards captured pieces, and can choose which other board gets their captured piece for each piece.

Truthfully your game sounds a little complicated.  There are actually 3 player chess boards - maybe you should buy 2 and content yourself with that?

Is the board fully cyllindrical? That is, board 1 h-file connects to board 2 a-file, and board 2 h-file connects to board 3 a-file. Does board 3 h-file connect to board 1 a-file? If not, it would seem that concentrating firepower on the middle board might be an issue. Not only is it the center, but eliminating a board 2 player makes it harder for boards 1 and 3 to coordinate.

I would just have the checkmated player removed from the game, along with his pieces. Or, if the pieces stay, allow them to be captured.

What sort of problems are you seeing in the endgame?

the boards are side by side, so there is one board in the middle, and one on the side.  Usually I as the best player on my team sit on the middle board so that I can help on all three board. The end game just some times gets kind of confusing, once a team member is removed, and not sure if the current rules are the best. If you give the game a try you will likely see what I mean.

you complicated a simple idea far too much. Esspecially with making check and checkmate such a complicated and cloudy area of play, and also I don't think that timeout for planning would work all that well.

I have an idea for how check and kings should work. The team members can move any board on the team, but if that players king is taken, then that player no longer has a turn, meaning one team has 3 turns a rotation, and the other team only has 2 because they lost a king, or 1 because they lost 2 kings.

It's simple and easy to understand and to put into practice. It also will put more importance on saving the king of the teams strongest player. I like the idea. Lord of the rings kind of battles.

p.s. I also think each player should be able to move any peice because it might not be easy to tell who's peices are who's after a while. It would help the game catch on.

 for check that is basically what happens, i guess its hard to explain in writing.  If a king is in check the next team must move any piece to get out of check, and if a king is taken by check mate you lose one turn in the rotation

As for moving of pieces, we play using 3 sets the look different so it does not get confusing, but it might be interesting to allow the movement of any piece, would kind of be like a extended millenium chess with alternating turns.

the possibilities would become too much for a good computer to even decently play the game.

http://techsuperheroes.com/?p=267
has a write up of 6 player Chess and 8 player Chess.

We test it regularly at my Meetups to play Variant Chess. 

good game

In India a 12 yr old in 2012 patented a 6 player chess model which he invented , he was a specially abled child and died yesterday , he also has invented 12 and more player chess . His name is Harideshwar Singh Bhati , it would be really great if chess com can get that variant on its platform .

Guys can check it out on wikipedia , he also has clarified the rules and moves lf the pieces and it really sounds fun to play

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Does it have to be 2 teams of 3 players? Why not just a 6 player free for all? I'd absolutely love to play 6 player chess with 3 teams of 2 players each because that combines the battle royale type play and the team-play, two different dynamics that aren't impossible to have in regular 2-player chess.