NOST Index Code 272
compiled August 20, 1995 by Michael Keller
Kriegspiel is a variant of chess, invented by Michael Henry Temple just before the turn of the century. In this variant, neither player can see the moves the opponent makes. Both players send their moves to a neutral referee, who rules on illegal moves and provides limited information to both players as specified below. Otherwise, all of the standard rules of chess apply (8x8 board, initial forces, White moves first, castling, en passant, etc.).
Algebraic notation is to be used. Three participants are required : White and Black have their own boards, on which they keep track of their own moves, and their guesses as to the opponent's moves. The referee has a board on which all moves are recorded.
(1) White sends to the referee one or more moves in order of preference. Enough moves should be sent so that at least one is almost certain to be legal. The referee finds the first legal move on the list, and informs White which move was made, whether a check and/or a capture occurred, and whether Black now has any pawn captures available. The referee informs Black that White has moved, how many illegal moves were tried, whether a capture occurred, whether Black is in check, and whether Black has any available pawn captures. (Details on announcements are below). If all of the moves White sends are illegal, the referee should inform White of this and ask for additional moves.
(2) Black sends the referee a series of moves in the same manner. The referee selects the first legal move and informs Black which one was made. He informs White that Black has moved and how many illegal tries were made. Both players are informed of checks, captures, and available pawn captures for the player to move.
(3) The same sequence of play is followed until the game ends by checkmate, stalemate, insufficient material, threefold repetition of moves, etc. The referee informs both players when a checkmate occurs or the game is drawn. Stalemate is a draw.
(4) In order to speed up play (particularly in the opening and endgame), a player may send a series of moves intended to be played over several moves "if quiet". The referee plays these moves in order on consecutive turns (just as if they had been sent one by one), until a check, capture, or available pawn capture for either side occurs, of until one of the moves is illegal. The referee makes announcements to both players in the usual manner.
(5) In order to save postage, the referee need only contact a player each time the player is to move, giving the result of the previous move by each player (see example at bottom).
(6) The referee does not give any reason for the illegality of moves. In informing a player how many illegal tries the opponent made, the referee should disregard any moves the moving player knew to be illegal with reference to his own pieces only (e.g. Ra1a5 as an opening move).
(7) When a capture occurs, the referee announces to both players the square on which has occurred : "White has captured on e5". White knows what kind of piece or pawn made the capture, but not what was captured -- the opposite is true for Black.
(8) When en passant capture occurs, the referee will inform the capturing player on which square the capturing pawn landed, and the captured player the square from which the pawn is removed, disguising from both players that the capture was e.p. For example, if Black plays f7f5, and White captures e5:f6 e.p., the referee informs White : "you captured at f6", and informs Black "White captured at f5".
(9) When a check occurs, the referee informs both players in which direction the check occurred (from the checked king's point of view) : the rank, the file, the short diagonal (the diagonal having fewer squares), the long diagonal (having more squares), or from a knight. Double checks are announced also : "White is in double check on the rank and from a knight". The player in check is not informed what kind of piece is giving check, or its exact location.
(10) When the player about to move has one or more legal pawn captures, the referee informs both players of the fact, but not how many such captures or which pawns are involved : "White has moved. Black has a pawn capture". This announcement is made on every turn as long as it applies. The player to move is not required to try any pawn captures, but may send as many tries as desired, along with other moves, in whatever order desired. En passant opportunities are not specifically announced, but treated as ordinary capture opportunities (as usual, an e.p. capture must be made on the turn following the opposing pawn's initial move, or not at all). Naturally, when a player is in check, only a pawn capture opportunity which would remove the check is announced under this rule.
(11) Pawn promotions are treated as ordinary moves and not announced as such, though resulting checks or captures are announced as usual.
An example of a few moves played and the announcements may make the rules clearer:
(1) White sends e2e4
Referee to Black : "White has moved."
(..1) Black sends Nb8c6
Referee to White : "You moved e2e4. Black has moved."
(2) White (with no pawn captures) sends e4e5; Nb1c3 (in case Black played e7e5)
Referee to Black "You moved Nb8c6. White has moved."
(...2) Black sends d7d5; e7e6
Referee to White : "You moved e4e5. Black has moved. You have a pawn capture."
(3) White sends e5:f6, e5:d6
Referee to Black : "You moved d7d5. White had a pawn capture. White tried one
illegal move. White moved and captured at d5. You have a pawn capture."
(...3) Black sends Ng8f6
Referee to White : "You moved e5:d6, capturing. Black had a pawn capture.
Black has moved. You have a pawn capture."
(4) White sends Qd1e2
Referee to Black : "You moved Ng8f6. White had a pawn capture. White has moved.
You have a pawn capture."
(...4) Black sends e7:d6, c7:d6
Referee to White : "You moved Qd1e2. Black had a pawn capture. Black tried one illegal move. Black has moved and captured at d6."
(5) White sends d2d3
Referee to Black : "You moved c7:d6. White has moved."
(...5) Black sends Qd8a5
Referee to White : "You moved d2d3. Black has moved and given check on the long diagonal."
(6) White sends Bc1d2
Referee to Black : "You moved Qd8a5, giving check on the long diagonal. White has moved."
I have tried to strike a balance between traditional over-the-board play
and the need to keep the game moving quickly. It obviously wastes time and
postage for the player on move to have to ask whether pawn captures are
available on every move, so this rule, often seen in OTB play, was eliminated.
I have also tried to balance rules giving very little information with those
giving much more information.
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