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Checkers Around the World Invented Checkers Variants
Enchanted Checkers Game
Another unique Checkers variant that involves
the magic of a childhood theme is entitled Enchanted
Checkers, designed by Lloyd Krassner in 2007.
Is this checkers version meant for children
to play or for the child in the adult mind?
Is it indeed an adult role playing game? This
will be left up for the player(s) to decide.
It is, however, intended that this variation
be played with a set of miniatures on a checkers
game board and played with classic checkers
rules. The fantasy theme storyline includes
at least 36 different available powers and the
names of the characters involved in each army.
There are also other variations possible as
long as the players possess a vivid imagination,
a heart for strategy and tactics and a desire
to fight opposing forces in this version of
checkers.
Enchanted Checkers Rules of Play:
~ The Enchanted Game Board ~
- The playing surface for this checkers
variant is a standard 8 x 8 checkerboard
with 64 alternating light and dark squares.
- It is assumed that the game board is
positioned squarely between the two players
so that there is a dark double corner to
right of each opponent since the designer
states that traditional rules apply.
- Each player will begin the game with twelve
single pawns that may simply be regular checkers
or miniature playing pieces.
- Traditional checkers may be Red and
Black, Red and White or Red and Yellow
discs taken from a classic checkers game,
whereas the miniatures are small, sculpted
pewter, lead or plastic figurines.
- According to the creator of this enchanted
checkers game, the players are meant to use
miniatures as playing pieces that may be
referred to as ‘pawns’, ‘checker
pieces’, ‘men’ or ‘units’.
- For an added depth to the game, a checkerboard
can be converted into the fantasy world of
the characters, if the players or family
members are artistically creative and innovative.
- Miniatures can be painted in Red and Black
to distinguish each side or each set of twelve
must be decidedly different from the other
to represent Trolls vs Fairies, Dwarves vs
Goblins, Dragons vs Knights or Klingons vs
Federation, etc.
~ Object of Enchanted Checkers Game
~
- As in a traditional game of checkers,
the game objective is to win by capturing
all the opponent’s game pieces or
by blocking the opponent from being able
to make further legal moves with the remaining
pieces on the game board.
- To use the special powers of the enchanted
characters to outmaneuver the opponent
and succeed in the conquest of the opposing
team.
~ Starting Checker Position ~
- The opposing forces of both players
are positioned on the dark squares only
on the first three rows nearest each opponent’s
home row.
Board Numbering Notation
for enchanted checkers.
|
Starting Position
for enchanted checkers. |
- In order for the two opposing enchanted
players to set up their forces in secret,
it is recommended that a separate board
be used to split the game board in half.
- Each figure must be assigned one of the Powers
from the powers list and the method used for the
Assignments can be:
· Random choice by using dice or cards.
· Players take turns picking Powers
and assigning them to their pawns.
· Pre-determined by the player who
owns the set(s).
- Checkers opponents must also maintain
a record to keep track of the power distributions;
since each pawn has its own unique special
ability or power, this tracking helps each
player remember which pawn has what special
power.
- Using a list or a copy of the standard
numbering system for the squares on a classic
checkers board, each opponent can refer
to this set of numbers in conjunction with
the rules for the powers list.
- Flip a coin to see who goes first, and
then this player will make the first move
as in checkers, and opponents will alternate
turns with each successive move.
~ Enchanted Power Assignments ~
- The following powers have been allocated
to the numbered dark squares on a standard
checkerboard; however, the gamers can determine
the order and number of the powers before
commencing the checkers game, or they can
create additional powers or simply substitute
some of the existing powers for more interesting
ones that might make the enchanted checkers
game even more challenging.
- Some powers are better than others and
not all powers are moves as some have affects
on the opponents turn:
| # Power: |
# Power: |
# Power: |
# Power: |
| 1 Latent |
2 Scout |
3 Charge |
4 Phase |
| 5 Lateral |
6 Teleport |
7 Retreat |
8 Bomb |
| 9 Forwarding |
10 Rear guard |
11 Wizard |
12 Hold |
| 13 Mega Jump |
14 Deception |
15 Orthogonal |
16 Push |
| 17 General |
18 Rook |
19 Bishop |
20 Slayer |
| 21 Shooter |
22 Phalanx |
23 Fellowship |
24 Slider |
| 25 Juxtapose |
26 Reincarnate |
27 Ethereal |
28 Siren |
| 29 Activation |
30 Doppelganger |
31 Energize |
32 Poison
|
The above powers are designated to the dark
squares 1 – 32 on the game board; however,
if the players wish to use both light and dark
squares 1 – 64, then other powers need
to be created to cover the checkerboard squares.
~ Game Moves & Captures ~
- Basic Enchanted Checkers rules:
- Each pawn possesses a unique move
or own special power that it can use
during game play.
- Pawns can only occupy the dark spaces
of the checkerboard.
- All pawns must move or jump forward unless
they have a power that gives the privilege do otherwise.
- As in traditional checkers, the ‘forced
capture ’ is applicable so
that capture is mandatory in this game
~ if either player can capture an opposing
pawn s(he) must follow the jump or jumping
sequence to complete the capture of the
opposing checker(s).
- In this checkers variation, the creator
uses the following terms for capture interchangeably:
captured, killed, eliminated, removed from
play, and removed from the board.
- Whereas in classic checkers when a single
checker reaches the opponent’s back
or King row, the man is crowned King, this
rule has been changed in Enchanted Checkers: >if
one of the player’s pawns reaches
the opponent’s back row, the player
must immediately place that Pawn on any
open space on his/her side of the board.
~ Movement Terminology/Rules ~
- This variant is designed with different
moves across the board as opposed to the
standard ‘move
one square to an unoccupied space’ for
the single man or King in checkers.
- When a pawn makes a "move"
or "takes
its turn", this can be a jump,
traverse, shift, switch, push, a move
that is not a traverse or other stranger
possibilities based on the powers possessed
by each piece or designated to each square
on the game board.
- ‘Traversing’
and jumping are defined as the normal moves in Checkers.
- ‘Traversing’
is moving a pawn into an unoccupied adjacent space; jumping
is jumping over one or more enemy pawns to capture them;
shifting is moving into an empty space on a specified row
and switching is exchanging the locations of two pawns.
~ Enchanted Power Descriptions ~
- ‘Power’ is
where this variant changes drastically
from a classic game of Checkers and where
the momentum of the game will undoubtedly
be quite different in strategy and battle
tactics as the players are now dealing
with opposing forces of good and evil and
new rules.
- Latent Power: if
this pawn ever reaches the opponent’s
back row, it is upgraded to a King as in
a regular Checkers game and it can traverse
and jump in both a forward and backward
direction.
- Scout Power: the
pawn may traverse twice in a turn but
this move does not include jumping at all.
- Charge Power: the
checker piece may move once on its turn,
then jump over an opposing piece.
- Phase Power: the
pawn may move twice on its turn like a
Knight in Chess; the pawn must land in an
empty space and does not capture anything,
but it must move forward twice to re-emerge
on a dark space.
- Lateral Power: the
single checker piece may move to any empty
space on the same row it occupies and then
it must make a regular move, whether a traverse
or jump.
- Teleport
Power: the pawn may move forward
to any unoccupied space on the board with
the exception of the opponents back row;
this is not considered to be a jump since
no enemy checkers are captured.
- Retreat Power: the
enchanted checker piece may move but not
jump backwards and may only do so if the
move is adjacent to an enemy pawn.
- Seize Ground
Power: after the pawn jumps, it
may move one space.
- Forwarding
Power: the enchanted checker piece
may move to any empty space on the row
in front of it.
- Rear Guard
Power: this pawn may jump backwards.
- Wizard Power: this
pawn may cause any one friendly pawn or
checker on its own side adjacent to its
position to be teleported as if it had the
Teleport power.
- Mega Jump
Power: this piece may jump over
two opposing checkers in a row to capture
them and the move may also be combined
with a regular jumping sequence.
- Bomb Power: as
its move, the bomb may remove itself and
two adjacent pawns from the board.
- Deception
Power: after moving forward one
space, this Pawn may then switch places
with any adjacent pawn.
- Hold Power: no
enemy pawn that starts its turn adjacent
to this pawn may move on its turn.
Enchanted Power Checkers Continued
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