Dragonchess

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Dragonchess gameboard.png
The Dragonchess 3D gameboard:
Gary Gygax Gen Con 2007.JPG
Gary Gygax

Dragonchess is a three-dimensional fantasy chess variant created by Gary Gygax, co-creator of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons . The game was introduced in 1985 in issue No. 100 of Dragon Magazine . [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Boards and pieces

The Dragonchess gameboard consists of three 12×8 chess boards stacked vertically. The upper board (blue and white) represents the air, the middle board (green and amber) represents the land, and the lower board (red and brown) is the subterranean world ( Gygax 1985 :34).

The Dragonchess game pieces (42 per player) are an ensemble of characters and monsters inspired or derived from fantasy settings in Dungeons & Dragons. Intricate inter- and intra-level game piece capabilities are defined. As in chess, White moves first and then players take turns, and the game is won by delivering checkmate (inescapable attack) to the enemy king.

Upper board (level 3)

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7 Chess hdd45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess hdd45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess hdd45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess hdd45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess hdd45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess hdd45.svg Chess l45.svg 7
6 Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg 6
5 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg 5
4 Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg 4
3 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg 3
2 Chess hll45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess hll45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess hll45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess hll45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess hll45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess hll45.svg Chess d45.svg 2
1 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Zld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Dld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Zld45.svg Chess l45.svg 1
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Upper board starting position
The Sky Board, by Zac Dortch Dragonchess 'The Sky Board' by Zac Dortch.jpg
The Sky Board, by Zac Dortch

Sylph (S)

Chess hlt45.svg

On level 3:
  • can move without capturing one step diagonally forward, or capture one step straight forward (i.e. like a Berolina pawn, but without promotion or an initial two-step option).
  • can capture on the square directly below on level 2.
On level 2:
  • can move without capturing to the square directly above on level 3, or to one of the player's six Sylph starting squares.

Griffon (G)

Chess Zlt45.svg

On level 3:
  • can move and capture like a zebra, i.e. it can move two steps diagonally followed by one step orthogonally outward, jumping over any pieces in between.
  • can move and capture to level 2, to a square diagonally adjacent to the square directly below (i.e. one step downward along a space diagonal).
On level 2:
  • can move and capture one step diagonally;
  • can move and capture to level 3, to a square diagonally adjacent to the square directly above (i.e. one step upward along a space diagonal).

Dragon (R)

Chess Dlt45.svg

  • on level 3, can move and capture either any number of squares diagonally or one step orthogonally (i.e. like a dragon horse in shogi, or a combined king and bishop from standard chess); it can never leave the upper board.
  • can capture remotely (without leaving level 3) any piece that stands on the square directly below on level 2 or any square orthogonally adjacent to that square.
    • it can only capture one piece at each turn, and the remote capture counts as a full move (i.e. the dragon may not move on level 3 and then capture remotely).

Middle board (level 2)

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7 Chess pdd45.svg Chess pdl45.svg Chess pdd45.svg Chess pdl45.svg Chess pdd45.svg Chess pdl45.svg Chess pdd45.svg Chess pdl45.svg Chess pdd45.svg Chess pdl45.svg Chess pdd45.svg Chess pdl45.svg 7
6 Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg 6
5 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg 5
4 Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg 4
3 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg 3
2 Chess pll45.svg Chess pld45.svg Chess pll45.svg Chess pld45.svg Chess pll45.svg Chess pld45.svg Chess pll45.svg Chess pld45.svg Chess pll45.svg Chess pld45.svg Chess pll45.svg Chess pld45.svg 2
1 Chess eld45.svg Chess Ull45.svg Chess zld45.svg Chess bll45.svg Chess fld45.svg Chess wll45.svg Chess kld45.svg Chess Cll45.svg Chess bld45.svg Chess zll45.svg Chess Uld45.svg Chess ell45.svg 1
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Middle board starting position
The Ground Board, by Zac Dortch Dragonchess 'The Ground Board' by Zac Dortch.jpg
The Ground Board, by Zac Dortch

Warrior (W)

Chess plt45.svg

  • on level 2, can move without capturing one step straight forward and capture one step diagonally (i.e. like a chess pawn but without the initial two-step option); it can never leave the middle board.
  • promotes to a Hero upon reaching the furthest rank.

Oliphant (O)

Chess elt45.svg

  • on level 2, can move and capture like a chess rook (i.e. any number of squares orthogonally); it can never leave the middle board.

Unicorn (U)

Chess Ult45.svg

  • on level 2, can move and capture like a chess knight (i.e. one step orthogonally followed by one step diagonally outward, jumping over any intermediate squares); it can never leave the middle board.

Hero (H)

Chess zlt45.svg

On level 2:
  • can move and capture one or two steps diagonally (jumping over the intermediate square if moving two steps).
  • can move and capture to levels 1 and 3, to a square diagonally adjacent to the square directly above or below (i.e. one step along a space diagonal).
On levels 1 and 3:
  • can only move and capture back to level 2, again to a square diagonally adjacent to the square directly above/below (i.e. one step along a space diagonal).

Thief (T)

Chess blt45.svg

  • on level 2, can move and capture like a chess bishop (i.e. any number of squares diagonally); it can never leave the middle board.

Cleric (C)

Chess flt45.svg

On any level:
  • can move and capture one step orthogonally or diagonally (like a non-royal chess king).
  • can move and capture to the square directly above or directly below on an adjacent level.

Mage (M)

Chess wlt45.svg

On level 2:
  • can move and capture any number of steps orthogonally or diagonally (like a chess queen).
On levels 1 and 3:
  • can move [a] one step orthogonally (like a wazir).
On any level:
  • can move and capture one step or two steps [b] directly above or directly below to one of the other levels.

King (K)

Chess klt45.svg

On level 2:
  • can move and capture like a chess king (i.e. one step orthogonally or diagonally).
  • can move and capture to the square directly below on level 1 or directly above on level 3.
On levels 1 and 3:
  • can only move [a] back to the square directly above or below on level 2.

Paladin (P)

Chess Clt45.svg

On level 2:
On levels 1 and 3:
  • can move and capture like a chess king.
On any level:
  • can move [a] to the other levels using a knight-like move: one level up or down followed by two steps orthogonally, or two levels up or down followed by one step orthogonally.

Lower board (level 1)

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7 Chess d45.svg Chess Mdl45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess Mdl45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess Mdl45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess Mdl45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess Mdl45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess Mdl45.svg 7
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4 Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg 4
3 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg 3
2 Chess l45.svg Chess Mld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Mld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Mld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Mld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Mld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Mld45.svg 2
1 Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Gld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess tld45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess d45.svg Chess l45.svg Chess Gld45.svg Chess l45.svg 1
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Lower board starting position
The Underground Board, by Zac Dortch Dragonchess 'The Underground Board' by Zac Dortch.jpg
The Underground Board, by Zac Dortch

Dwarf (D)

Chess Mlt45.svg

On levels 1 and 2:
  • can move (without capturing) one step straight forward or sideways, or capture one step diagonally forward.
  • can capture directly upward from level 1 to level 2, and move (without capturing) directly downward from level 2 back to level 1.

Basilisk (B)

Chess Glt45.svg

  • on level 1, can move and capture one step diagonally forward or straight forward, or move (without capturing) one step straight backward; it cannot leave the lower board.
  • automatically freezes (immobilizes) an enemy piece on the square directly above on level 2 (whether the Basilisk moves to the space below or the enemy piece moves to the space above); the immobilised piece may not move until the Basilisk moves away or is captured.

Elemental (E)

Chess tlt45.svg

On level 1:
  • can move and capture one or two [b] steps orthogonally;
  • can move (without capturing) one step diagonally;
  • can capture in the following pattern: one step orthogonally, followed by one step straight upward to level 2. [b]
On level 2:
  • can move and capture in the following pattern: one step directly downward to level 1, followed by one step orthogonally. [b]

Move notation

Recording moves is done the same as in algebraic notation for chess, extended to a 12×8 board, with the addition of a numeric prefix (1, 2, or 3) in front of each square coordinate to identify the level. [c] So for example, White's Elemental starts on square 1g1 (level 1, square g1); Black's King starts on 2g8; and so on.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Gygax does not mention whether this applies to only non-capturing moves, or to moves and captures.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gygax does not mention whether the piece can jump over the intermediate square or not when making this move.
  3. Gygax initially describes levels beginning with "1" for upper board in the first page of his article (Gygax 1985:34), but consistently uses "3" for upper board and "1" for lower board in the subsequent six pages for all move definitions, examples, and sample moves (Gygax 1985:35–40).

References

  1. Gygax (1985), pp. 34–40
  2. Pritchard (1994), p. 95
  3. Pritchard (2007), p. 232

Bibliography