Quaternity Chess

Abstract

A method for playing of the game of chess for two and more players played on a playing area (chess board) which has 144 playing squares arranged in a 12 by 12 matrix with four complete sets of traditional chess pieces, each set of a different colour played with modified rules including said four players sequentially taking turns in a clockwise or in a counterclockwise direction moving their said chess pieces; the advanced central pawns may, for their first move, take a direction either left or right, and thereafter are committed' to move in the initially adopted direction; before the advanced pawns are committed, they may defend or capture in any of the three directions forward, left or right; and the game proceeds until only one player remains with a king that has not been checkmated.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for four players to play a modified game of chess, comprising:
 (1) providing a playing area, said playing area having 144 playing stations arranged in a 12 by 12 matrix, said playing stations being of two alternating colours, said playing are a having four sides, each said side having 12 said playing stations;   (2) providing four sets of chess pieces, each set in a different colour;   (3) placing each said set of chess pieces in a starting arrangement in a respective corner of the playing area whereby the two rooks of each colour are in respective positions a 4 , d 1 ; a 9 , d 12 ; i 12 , l 9 ; i 1 , l 4 ; the two knights of each colour are in respective positions b 4 , c 4 ; d 10 , d 11 ; j 9 , k 9 ; i 2 , i 3 ; the two bishops of each colour are in respective positions d 2 , d 3 ; b 9 , c 9 ; i 10 , i 11 ; j 4 , k 4 ; the queen of each colour is in respective position b 2 ; b 11 ; k 11 ; k 2  the king of each colour is in respective position a 1 ; a 12 ; l 12 ; l 1 ; the two advanced central pawns of each colour are in respective positions d 4 , e 5 ; d 9 , e 8 ; i 9 , h 8  and i 4 , h 5  and the remaining six pawns of each colour are in respective positions a 5 , b 5 , c 5 , e 3 , e 2 , e 1 ; e 8 , b 8 , c 8 , e 10 , e 11 , e 12 ; h 10 , h 11 , h 12 , j 8 , k 8 , l 8 ; h 1 , h 2 , h 3 , j 5 , k 5 , l 5 ;   (4) one said player disposed adjacent to each said side of said playing area, wherein said set of chess pieces disposed on a particular corner of said playing area belong to said player who is also disposed on said particular corner, and   (5) providing rules of play, said rules of play including;   conventional rules of chess play; and   additional rules of play which modify said conventional rules of chess play, said additional rules of play including:   said four players sequentially taking turns in a clockwise or in a counterclockwise direction moving their said chess pieces;   the advanced central pawns may, for their first move, take a direction either left or right, and thereafter they are said to be committed' and must only move in the initially adopted direction;   before the advanced pawns are committed, they may defend or capture in any of the three directions forward, left or right; and   the game proceeds until only one player remains with a king that has not been checkmated.