3D Hook-Move Chess is played on a 8x8x3 field.
- PAWN[P] steps without capturing forward orthgonal, steps with capture forward diagonal. Promotes to either BISHOP, KNIGHT, ROOK or QUEEN on any far rank. A PAWN located on one of its starting rank is permitted an initial two-step non-capturing move. En passant rules apply.
- KNIGHT[N] leaps to the opposite corner of a 1x1x2, 1x1x3 1x2x2, 1x2x3 or 1x3x3 area.
- BISHOP[B] slides or hook-moves diagonal.
- ROOK[R] slides or hook-moves orthogonal.
- QUEEN[Q] slides or hook-moves orthogonal or diagonal.
- KING[K] steps orthogonal or diagonal.
The game is won by checkmating the opposing KING.
Several pieces in this game use a particular form of movement called hook-move. The hook-move can be found in some large Shogi variants.
This move is basically a translation by the piece along one vacant path then turning perpendicular. So that a ROOK might slide forward along a file then either turn right, left, up or down. It is not allowed to perform the hook-move from an occupied cell.
The hook-move in this game is bound to specific planes, those being the 8x8 planes of the levels, the 3x8 planes of the ranks and the 3x8 planes of the files. Thus a BISHOP with its diagonal hook-move would not be allowed to leave the plane which it began this movement. So that if the BISHOP started sliding toward the far right corner of the 8x8 plane of a level, it would not be permitted to make a diagonal move which resulted in it exiting that level. With the previous stated starting direction, the only diagonal hook-move it would be permitted would be to the near right corner or the far left of that particular level.
The reasoning behind the use of the hook-move in 3D Chess is to allow for few pieces to achieve the mate of an opposing KING. This also allows the Rook to retain its power which it exercises in 2D by being able to completely dominate a plane and thus block the advancement of an opposing KING. |
