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lucienpsmith · 01-05-2022, 08:53 AM

These are not official, but something my friend and I codified so that we have an explicit common understanding of game mechanics.

Turns
The following illustrates game play, and when cards can be played. The only exception to card play is “DOUBLE AGENTS”, which can be played at any time but must adhere to the one card per turn rule.

Start of game
Each player draws 5 cards per rules
Before White’s turn
Beginning of White’s turn
1. Before White’s move (White can play a card)
2. White’s move (White can play a card instead of White’s regular move) (captures occur at this point)
3. After White’s move (White can play a card; Black can play a card)
End of White’s turn (White can play a card)
After turn (CHAOS, KNIGHTMARE, THINK AGAIN, ESCAPE, BOG, DOUBLE AGENTS, FOG OF WAR, SECOND SIGHT, SLIPPERY GROUND, TAKE BACK THIS EVIL DAY, TOLL)
Before Black’s turn (White can discard and replace a card)
Beginning of Black’s turn
1. Before Black’s move (Black can play a card)
2. Black’s move (Black can play a card instead of their regular move) (captures occur here)
3. After Black’s move (Black can play a card; White can play a card)
At the end of Black’s turn (White can play things like CHAOS here)
End of Black’s turn
After Black’s Turn (CHAOS, KNIGHTMARE, THINK AGAIN, ESCAPE, BOG, DOUBLE AGENTS, FOG OF WAR, SECOND SIGHT, SLIPPERY GROUND, TAKE BACK THIS EVIL DAY, TOLL)
Before White’s turn (Black can discard and replace a card)
Beginning of White’s turn
1. Before White’s move (White can play a card)
2. White’s move (White can play a card instead of White’s regular move)
3. After White’s move (White can play a card; Black opponent can play a card)
End of White’s turn
After turn (CHAOS, KNIGHTMARE, THINK AGAIN, ESCAPE, BOG, DOUBLE AGENTS, FOG OF WAR, SECOND SIGHT, SLIPPERY GROUND, TAKE BACK THIS EVIL DAY, TOLL)
Before White's turn (White can discard and replace a card)

Card Drawing
The card must resolve before you get to draw a card.

Card Play
A card is considered played when it is used when it is eligible for play and it is not canceled. If it is attempted and is ineligible, it is discarded. If it is attempted and is canceled, it is discarded. If it is played, but then CHAOSed, it goes back into your hand and is not considered played.
“Playing” a card means:

Showing/stating the card you are using.
Ask opponent if they are using FOG (FOG OF WAR gets played here)
Taking the action(s) specified by the card
Card “resolves”/completes. Replace the card by taking the top card from the deck

The card “resolves” (completes) at step #3. If White plays a card, Black can play FOG OF WAR to stop the play at step #1. White never takes the action specified by the card. White’s card and FOG OF WAR go into the discard pile. White replaces their card by taking the top card from the deck, then Black replaces his FOG OF WAR by taking the top card from the deck.

For example: White plays PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS, wishing to play two cards: CARD-A and CARD-B. Black can use FOG OF WAR to cancel PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS at step #1, or Black can choose to cancel CARD-A or CARD-B at their respective step #1:

White shows/states that he is using PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS (Black can use FOG OF WAR to cancel PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS here, White draws a card then Black draws a card)
White takes the action(s) specified by PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS:
1. White states that he is using CARD-A and CARD-B (Black can use FOG of WAR to cancel either CARD-A or CARD-B here, White draws a card then Black draws a card)
2. White takes the actions of CARD-A and CARD-B (or the card not cancelled by 1.3)
3. White draws a card for CARD-A and CARD-B (or just one card if 1.3)
PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS completes, and white replaces PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS by drawing a card from the deck

Checkmate Rule
Checkmate is defined as a player's inability to remove check on their king(s) by the end of their turn (HEIR creates a condition where a player might have two kings on the board at the same time).

A player may, at times during the game, have more than one king of their color on the board. E.g. if black has two kings via HEIR: In order for black to be in checkmate, both of the black kings would need to be in check at the end of black's turn (black was unable to remove the check against all his kings by the end of his turn).

No regular card may directly cause a checkmate situation or the capture of a King! This rule takes precedence over any other rule, or anything on a card. If a played card breaks this rule, it has no effect. It is still considered played; the player must discard it and draw a new card. (It is fine to use a card to check the enemy King . . . but you may not use a card to mate.)

You cannot use a before-move card to check the enemy King, and then “capture” it with your regular move. The King cannot be captured!
However, you could use a before-move card (say, Disintegrate, to remove an obstructing pawn) and then make a regular move to checkmate the enemy King.

Likewise, if any continuing effect would cause (or help to cause) a checkmate, that is what happens; the continuing effect card is not removed from play. (Thus, if a piece has been given permanent special powers by a card, it can use those powers to checkmate a King.)

Thus, you may place or leave your King in check, if on the same turn you play a card to remove the check!

Example: You could move your king adjacent to a queen and then play FATAL ATTRACTION. Your king is not in check because the queen is unable to move.

Special Pawn Rules
Any pawn in its owner’s first or second rank may make a two-square “initial move,” even if it has already moved. Any pawn making such a move may be captured en passant. Pawns may promote only to Queen, Rook, Knight or Bishop. They may not promote to new types of piece. Pawns which reach the last rank by any means except a normal Pawn move do not promote unless the card specifically says they do promote, and may not promote to a piece which creates an immediate checkmate. If your Pawn reaches the last rank on your opponent’s move, via a card that allows promotion, it promotes immediately. In case of simultaneous promotions by both players, the moving player must declare first.

En Passant
If a pawn is moved two squares forward via its "initial move," it may be captured en passant by a Pawn (but not a Crab) that threatens the square immediately behind its new position. En passant capture works only when the opponent’s pawn can capture the square directly behind the pawn that made this initial two square move forward.

Example: NEW TACTICS and En Passant
With NEW TACTICS in play, white may move his pawn two squares toward the last rank. But because NEW TACTICS is in play, the black pawn can not capture it en passant because now all pawns move diagonally and capture forward.

If the black pawn is a CRAB (moves and captures diagonally), it would not be able to capture white en passant because a CRAB is not a pawn and CRAB specifies that a crab only retains the pawn ability to promote when it reaches the last rank.

Conflicts
Conflicts occur when two cards have contradictory instructions.

The Checkmate Rule takes precedence over everything. When a card conflicts with any other rule, or with the rules of chess, the card takes precedence.

When two cards appear to conflict, Continuing Effects take precedence. If both, or neither, are Continuing
Effects, the last card played takes precedence.

When two continuing effect cards conflict, the last played continuing effect card takes precedence over the previously played cards contradictory instructions.
When a continuing effect has contradictory instructions to a regular (non-continuing effect) card, the continuing effect takes precedence over the regular card's contradictory instructions.
When two regular (non-continuing effect) cards have contradictory instructions (i.e. they conflict), the most recent played card's instructions overrides the previous played card's contradictory instructions.

Example:
DUNGEON has two instructions, and has directions on when the card can be played.
INSTRUCTIONS

Choose one of your opponent’s pieces, except a king, and move it to any unoccupied corner of the chessboard.
Your opponent cannot move the piece on his following turn.

WHEN TO BE PLAYED

Play this card immediately after your move.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOST CASTLE has one instruction, and has directions on when the card can be played.
INSTRUCTIONS

Swap the positions of one of your rooks and one of your opponents rooks.

WHEN TO BE PLAYED

Play this card on your turn, instead of making a regular move

GAME PLAY:
On white’s turn, white move one of his pieces and then plays DUNGEON

White places black’s rook in a corner square.
The DUNGEON card goes into the discard pile.
White draws a card from the deck

On black's turn, black plays LOST CASTLE

Black swaps the positions of one of his rooks and one of his opponents rooks (it over-rules instruction #2 of DUNGEON (DUNGEON’s rule #1 is unaffected)
The LOST CASTLE card goes into the
discard pile
Black draws a card from the deck

Board state and player intentions
Knightmare chess does not care about the intentions of any player, only the board state - which includes the pieces on the board, the board's orientation, continuing effects, and conditions that cards have created.

01-05-2022, 08:53 AM	#1
lucienpsmith Join Date: Mar 2015	Knightmare Chess: rules and cards These are not official, but something my friend and I codified so that we have an explicit common understanding of game mechanics. Turns The following illustrates game play, and when cards can be played. The only exception to card play is “DOUBLE AGENTS”, which can be played at any time but must adhere to the one card per turn rule. Start of game Each player draws 5 cards per rules Before White’s turn Beginning of White’s turn Before White’s move (White can play a card) White’s move (White can play a card instead of White’s regular move) (captures occur at this point) After White’s move (White can play a card; Black can play a card) End of White’s turn (White can play a card) After turn (CHAOS, KNIGHTMARE, THINK AGAIN, ESCAPE, BOG, DOUBLE AGENTS, FOG OF WAR, SECOND SIGHT, SLIPPERY GROUND, TAKE BACK THIS EVIL DAY, TOLL) Before Black’s turn (White can discard and replace a card) Beginning of Black’s turn Before Black’s move (Black can play a card) Black’s move (Black can play a card instead of their regular move) (captures occur here) After Black’s move (Black can play a card; White can play a card) At the end of Black’s turn (White can play things like CHAOS here) End of Black’s turn After Black’s Turn (CHAOS, KNIGHTMARE, THINK AGAIN, ESCAPE, BOG, DOUBLE AGENTS, FOG OF WAR, SECOND SIGHT, SLIPPERY GROUND, TAKE BACK THIS EVIL DAY, TOLL) Before White’s turn (Black can discard and replace a card) Beginning of White’s turn Before White’s move (White can play a card) White’s move (White can play a card instead of White’s regular move) After White’s move (White can play a card; Black opponent can play a card) End of White’s turn After turn (CHAOS, KNIGHTMARE, THINK AGAIN, ESCAPE, BOG, DOUBLE AGENTS, FOG OF WAR, SECOND SIGHT, SLIPPERY GROUND, TAKE BACK THIS EVIL DAY, TOLL) Before White's turn (White can discard and replace a card) Card Drawing The card must resolve before you get to draw a card. Card Play A card is considered played when it is used when it is eligible for play and it is not canceled. If it is attempted and is ineligible, it is discarded. If it is attempted and is canceled, it is discarded. If it is played, but then CHAOSed, it goes back into your hand and is not considered played. “Playing” a card means: Showing/stating the card you are using. Ask opponent if they are using FOG (FOG OF WAR gets played here) Taking the action(s) specified by the card Card “resolves”/completes. Replace the card by taking the top card from the deck The card “resolves” (completes) at step #3. If White plays a card, Black can play FOG OF WAR to stop the play at step #1. White never takes the action specified by the card. White’s card and FOG OF WAR go into the discard pile. White replaces their card by taking the top card from the deck, then Black replaces his FOG OF WAR by taking the top card from the deck. For example: White plays PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS, wishing to play two cards: CARD-A and CARD-B. Black can use FOG OF WAR to cancel PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS at step #1, or Black can choose to cancel CARD-A or CARD-B at their respective step #1: White shows/states that he is using PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS (Black can use FOG OF WAR to cancel PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS here, White draws a card then Black draws a card) White takes the action(s) specified by PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS: White states that he is using CARD-A and CARD-B (Black can use FOG of WAR to cancel either CARD-A or CARD-B here, White draws a card then Black draws a card) White takes the actions of CARD-A and CARD-B (or the card not cancelled by 1.3) White draws a card for CARD-A and CARD-B (or just one card if 1.3) PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS completes, and white replaces PLOTS WITHIN PLOTS by drawing a card from the deck Checkmate Rule Checkmate is defined as a player's inability to remove check on their king(s) by the end of their turn (HEIR creates a condition where a player might have two kings on the board at the same time). A player may, at times during the game, have more than one king of their color on the board. E.g. if black has two kings via HEIR: In order for black to be in checkmate, both of the black kings would need to be in check at the end of black's turn (black was unable to remove the check against all his kings by the end of his turn). No regular card may directly cause a checkmate situation or the capture of a King! This rule takes precedence over any other rule, or anything on a card. If a played card breaks this rule, it has no effect. It is still considered played; the player must discard it and draw a new card. (It is fine to use a card to check the enemy King . . . but you may not use a card to mate.) You cannot use a before-move card to check the enemy King, and then “capture” it with your regular move. The King cannot be captured! However, you could use a before-move card (say, Disintegrate, to remove an obstructing pawn) and then make a regular move to checkmate the enemy King. Likewise, if any continuing effect would cause (or help to cause) a checkmate, that is what happens; the continuing effect card is not removed from play. (Thus, if a piece has been given permanent special powers by a card, it can use those powers to checkmate a King.) Thus, you may place or leave your King in check, if on the same turn you play a card to remove the check! Example: You could move your king adjacent to a queen and then play FATAL ATTRACTION. Your king is not in check because the queen is unable to move. Special Pawn Rules Any pawn in its owner’s first or second rank may make a two-square “initial move,” even if it has already moved. Any pawn making such a move may be captured en passant. Pawns may promote only to Queen, Rook, Knight or Bishop. They may not promote to new types of piece. Pawns which reach the last rank by any means except a normal Pawn move do not promote unless the card specifically says they do promote, and may not promote to a piece which creates an immediate checkmate. If your Pawn reaches the last rank on your opponent’s move, via a card that allows promotion, it promotes immediately. In case of simultaneous promotions by both players, the moving player must declare first. En Passant If a pawn is moved two squares forward via its "initial move," it may be captured en passant by a Pawn (but not a Crab) that threatens the square immediately behind its new position. En passant capture works only when the opponent’s pawn can capture the square directly behind the pawn that made this initial two square move forward. Example: NEW TACTICS and En Passant With NEW TACTICS in play, white may move his pawn two squares toward the last rank. But because NEW TACTICS is in play, the black pawn can not capture it en passant because now all pawns move diagonally and capture forward. If the black pawn is a CRAB (moves and captures diagonally), it would not be able to capture white en passant because a CRAB is not a pawn and CRAB specifies that a crab only retains the pawn ability to promote when it reaches the last rank. Conflicts Conflicts occur when two cards have contradictory instructions. The Checkmate Rule takes precedence over everything. When a card conflicts with any other rule, or with the rules of chess, the card takes precedence. When two cards appear to conflict, Continuing Effects take precedence. If both, or neither, are Continuing Effects, the last card played takes precedence. When two continuing effect cards conflict, the last played continuing effect card takes precedence over the previously played cards contradictory instructions. When a continuing effect has contradictory instructions to a regular (non-continuing effect) card, the continuing effect takes precedence over the regular card's contradictory instructions. When two regular (non-continuing effect) cards have contradictory instructions (i.e. they conflict), the most recent played card's instructions overrides the previous played card's contradictory instructions. Example: DUNGEON has two instructions, and has directions on when the card can be played. INSTRUCTIONS Choose one of your opponent’s pieces, except a king, and move it to any unoccupied corner of the chessboard. Your opponent cannot move the piece on his following turn. WHEN TO BE PLAYED Play this card immediately after your move. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOST CASTLE has one instruction, and has directions on when the card can be played. INSTRUCTIONS Swap the positions of one of your rooks and one of your opponents rooks. WHEN TO BE PLAYED Play this card on your turn, instead of making a regular move GAME PLAY: On white’s turn, white move one of his pieces and then plays DUNGEON White places black’s rook in a corner square. The DUNGEON card goes into the discard pile. White draws a card from the deck On black's turn, black plays LOST CASTLE Black swaps the positions of one of his rooks and one of his opponents rooks (it over-rules instruction #2 of DUNGEON (DUNGEON’s rule #1 is unaffected) The LOST CASTLE card goes into the discard pile Black draws a card from the deck Board state and player intentions Knightmare chess does not care about the intentions of any player, only the board state - which includes the pieces on the board, the board's orientation, continuing effects, and conditions that cards have created.