Four-player chess

Four-player chess (also known as four-handed chess) is really a category of chess variants used four people. The overall game includes a special board typically made of a standard 8�8 square, with 3 rows of 8 cells each extending from each side, and requires two sets of differently colored pieces. The guidelines are similar to, but not exactly like, regular chess. There are a variety of different rule variations; most variations, however, share a somewhat similar board and piece setup.

Variation of four-handed chess have been around for centuries. The modern game 's been around for over 200 years, showing up in different places in Europe. Historically, the Four-Handed Chess Club, which was founded by George Hope Verney around 1884 in London, may be the most well known iteration. Currently, it really is played online, or bought commercially to be played in person.

Gameplay can be in teams, typically with both partners across from each other. It can also be free-for-all, with each of the players attempting to gain a decisive advantage, without set alliances. Free-for-all can be played for points, or till the initial checkmate. Table-talk, such as for example move suggestions, is not allowed beneath the FFA rules; players must choose for themselves who, when, or how to attack.

Definition
According to D. B. Prichard, Four-player chess "is generally understood to be a casino game used two sets on a standard board with four extensions, one on each side, usually of 8x3 squares (arguably the very best arrangement) but sometimes 8x2 or 8x4, on which the pieces are create in the normal array positions."

History
The Taqq m li-l-hind min maq lah maqblah fal-aql aw mardhlah of al-Brn (973-1048), an encyclopaedia of Indian culture, contains a description of four-handed chess used dice, which al-Brn claims was unknown on the list of Arabs of his time. Originally a four-sided rectangular die, later a six-sided cubic die, was rolled to find out which type of piece (king, bishop, knight, rook, pawn) was to be shifted confirmed turn. This version may have been played down to the 15th century. A version of the overall game without dice was still played in India in 1900, according to a contemporary article in the British Chess Magazine.

The earliest known mention of a Western four-player chess game is a pamphlet from Dessau, Germany, in 1784. Four-handed Chess, since it was called, grew in popularity through the entire 19th century, with variations of the overall game appearing in Germany, Britain, Russia, and america, among others. Many different pamphlets sprang up, with minor rule changes, such as where in fact the king and queen were, or how to approach pawns that ran into each other.

The biggest & most well known of the variations was the Four-handed Chess Club, founded by George Hope Loyd Verney. It began in 1884, in London. It had been somewhat popular in London, and had eighty people attend its inaugural meeting. The club played until World War Two.

There are several celebrities who played, or are alleged, to play the game. George Hope Verney claimed that the Czar, probably Alexander III, played the overall game. Prince Albert is thought to have played it. In addition, the overall game was likely played by Vladimir Lenin.

FFA is a more recent invention, showing up in commercial games, while teams is the game mode historically. Contemporarily,  chess 4 player -player Chess isn't particularly popular. Nevertheless, there are several commercial versions for in-person play. It can also be played online, with the biggest website being Chess.com's variants.

Rules
More info: Rules of chess
Piece movement and captures remain exactly like regular chess.

A board made of a standard 8�8 square having an additional 3 rows of 8 cells extending from each side is what's typically useful for Four-player chess. Variants vary as to where in fact the king and queen are put; this won't matter for casual play. Otherwise, pieces are set up like regular chess.

Rules vary, in teams, as to how to deal with partners pawns when they run into one another. This happens sometimes because everybody moves in the forward direction, as in regular chess. At these times for the Chess.com variant, the pawns are blocked, although some variants historically allowed pawns to jump over each other if this happened.

Players are of course free to change all rules with their convenience (start to see the rules section in the links tab for different variations of the rules).

Strategy
For teams, players attempt to coordinate their attacks making use of their opposite. If this isn't possible, then players should attempt to play strong moves, developing their pieces to premtively prevent typically double attacks from their opponents and put their pieces in strong positions to be able to coordinate attacks making use of their opposite. It is wise to play openings, such as for example (for the initial player) moving the king's pawn up one, which shields against double-attacks, checks, and develop strong pieces.

In FFA, it is wise to be more cautious, developing pieces and improving kings safety. Trades should only be done when they are beneficial, because, when there are four people, this weakens the traders compared to the other players. Bishops are about as strong as rooks, and both are stronger than knights. The queen may be the strongest piece. One should try to develop their pieces and protect their king. In addition, players should try to avoid opening themselves up to attacks. For example, if the player left attacks them, then the player across from them or the player to their right can attack them as-well, guaranteeing lack of material. Likewise, players should often search for ways to attack players that allow other players to become listed on in.