Modified Chess Game

Abstract

Apparatus and method of a variation of the game of chess are shown and described. The playing board is conventional. Playing pieces have two exposable faces including an initial face concealing identity of that playing piece, and a subsequently exposed face identifying identity of that playing piece. Initially, all playing pieces occupy conventional starting positions on the board, but with the face concealing identity visible to the players. The king is an exception, and is identified and placed in the conventional position for a king. Initial moves by each playing piece have move characteristics of that playing piece which conventionally occupies its space on the board. Upon completion of a first move, the face identifying identity of the playing piece is exposed. Moves subsequent to the initial moves have move characteristics of playing pieces identified by exposing the identity. The game may then be played according to conventional rules.

1 . A method of playing a game based on conventional game of chess by one or more players, the method comprising:
 providing apparatus corresponding to the conventional game of chess, the apparatus including
 playing pieces that are based upon conventional chess game playing pieces, including one or more pawns, bishops, knights, rooks, queens, and kings, wherein each of the playing pieces has a first exposable face corresponding to one of the conventional playing chess pieces and a second exposable face concealing the identity of the respective playing piece, 
 a conventional chessboard having spaces occupiable by said playing pieces; 
   setting up the playing pieces randomly on the conventional chessboard in spaces conventionally occupied by conventional chess playing pieces at the beginning of a conventional game of chess, but with only the second exposable face initially visible to the one or more players, such that each one or more players has no knowledge of the identity of the randomly placed playing pieces;   obliging a first move by each playing piece to have move characteristics of a conventional playing piece occupying a space on the chessboard which would actually be occupied by the conventional chess playing piece in the conventional game of chess;   exposing the first exposable face of each playing piece after termination of the initial move thereof; and   obliging all subsequent moves by each playing piece which has had its first exposable face exposed after the initial move to have move characteristics of the conventional chess playing piece identified by exposure of the first exposable face.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of setting up the playing pieces on the conventional chessboard randomly in spaces conventionally occupied by playing pieces at the beginning of a conventional game of chess with only the second exposable face initially visible to the one or more players, with the exception that the one or more king playing piece is placed with its first exposable face exposed, such that each one or more players has no knowledge of the identity of the randomly placed playing pieces except for the one or more king piece which is placed in its conventional beginning chess game position with its first exposable face exposed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a step of capturing pieces in a conventional manner during a conventional game of chess. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein if the captured piece has its second exposable face visible to the one or more players upon its capture, the playing pieces first exposable face remains concealed from the one or more players. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein if the captured piece has its second exposable face visible to the one or more players upon its capture, the first exposable face is revealed to the one or more players. 
     
     
         6 - 8 . (canceled)