Dunsany's chess, also known as Dunsany's game, is an asymmetric chess variant

Chess variant

A chess variant is a game related to, derived from or inspired by chess. The difference from chess might include one or more of the following:...

 in which one side has standard chess pieces, and the other side has 32 pawns

Pawn (chess)

The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...

. Unlike many chess variants, this one does not feature any fairy pieces, which are pieces not found in conventional chess. This game was invented by Lord Dunsany in 1942. A similar game is called 'horde chess'.

Rules

Object of the game:

• The standard pieces win by capturing all 32 pawns before the pawns run out of legal moves.
• The pawns win by checkmating
  Checkmate
  Checkmate is a situation in chess in which one player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to meet that threat. Or, simply put, the king is under direct attack and cannot avoid being captured...
  
   the king
  King (chess)
  In chess, the king is the most important piece. The object of the game is to trap the opponent's king so that its escape is not possible . If a player's king is threatened with capture, it is said to be in check, and the player must remove the threat of capture on the next move. If this cannot be...
  
  . This is far easier if they first get at least one pawn promoted
  Promotion (chess)
  Promotion is a chess rule describing the transformation of a pawn that reaches its eighth rank into the player's choice of a queen, knight, rook, or bishop of the same color . The new piece replaces the pawn on the same square and is part of the move. Promotion is not limited to pieces that have...
  
   to queen
  Queen (chess)
  The queen is the most powerful piece in the game of chess, able to move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Each player starts the game with one queen, placed in the middle of the first rank next to the king. With the chessboard oriented correctly, the white queen starts...
  
  .
• The pawns can also accomplish a draw
  Draw (chess)
  In chess, a draw is when a game ends in a tie. It is one of the possible outcomes of a game, along with a win for White and a win for Black . Usually, in tournaments a draw is worth a half point to each player, while a win is worth one point to the victor and none to the loser.For the most part,...
  
  , which for them is almost as good as a win, by running out of legal moves.

Piece movement is the same as in regular chess, except that only the eight pawns from the standard side (second row) have the option to move forward two spaces on their first move.

Variations

There exists an almost identical game called Horde chess. In difference to Dunsany's chess, the colors of pieces are exchanged, and the middle two columns of pawns are shifted forward one space.

External links

• Lord Dunsany's chess java applet at www.pathguy.com