March 28, 2009
10 am - 5:00 pm

Live Chess Game Rules and Procedures

There will be a standard chess board set up on a table beside a fighting field divided into 64 8'X8' squares. The fighters will be assigned to be either black or white and arranged on the field as the pieces are on the board. Two chess players will play a game on the board, and the fighters on the field will move as the board pieces do EXCEPT that when an attack is made on the board, the two fighters representing the attacker and the attacked will fight. The winner will retain the contested square, the loser will leave the field and the board.

The fighters will be armed as follows:
pawn - short sword and shield or pole weapon (your choice)
rook - axe and shield
knight - broadsword and shield
bishop - mace and shield
queen('s champion) - will be allowed any weapon he wants (except so-called florentine).
The king won't be armed, but will automatically win if he manages to attack anybody.

Since lots of fairly uncommon weapons will be used, please bring all the short swords, axes, maces and pole weapons you have, and be willing to lend them as needed.

The players on the board will have a time limit- approximately 3 minutes per move.
The actual fights will take place in a small, chalk demarcated box (about 15' X15') beside the field. This will help preserve the chalk lines marking the field, bring all the fighting within view of the spectators, make marshalling easier and allow the play to go quicker.
The two board players will choose their sides from the pool of fighters, starting with the queen('s champion) and proceeding through the ranks to the pawns. The fighters will be issued black or white tabards with the appropriate pieces emblazoned on them.

The way the game progresses will depend upon how many fighters we have:

- If we have 30 fighters, each will represent a particular piece (the kings won't be armed, so needn't be fighters) and the game will start at the beginning.

- If we have between 20 and 30 fighters, each will represent a particular piece and unarmed people will stand in for the rest of the pieces. An historic game will be chosen, we'll start at the beginning and the pieces will be moved and the play will progress as in the historic game until all the unarmed pieces have been eliminated. At this point the remaining pieces, all fighters, will proceed as in the first paragraph above.

- If we have between 10 and 20 fighters, some on each side will represent a type of piece (pawn, rook, knight or bishop) and fight all the fights for that type of piece. Unarmed people will stand in for all the missing pieces. The game will proceed from the beginning.

- If we have fewer than 10 fighters they will be divided into two sides and arrange themselves in two lines beside the field. Unarmed stand-ins will wear the tabards and represent the pieces on the field. As fights come up the fighters will take turns, one from each side, using the appropriate weapons for the piece they will be representing in the fight. The game will proceed from the beginning.

If you want to play a particular piece, sign up below.

Remember to bring all the short swords, axes, maces and pole weapons you have, and be willing to lend them as needed.