richelbilderbeek / SearchAndDestroyChess

C++ Kriegspiel game

SearchAndDestroyChess

Chess game with a fog of war, programmed in C++ using SFML.

The following special rules apply to SearchAndDestroyChess:

• A player cannot be in chess, nor in checkmate. Instead, if the king is captured, the capturer wins. This is because it is possible for a king to be in check without knowing it
• Normal rules to en passant capture apply. But when a pawn can be captured en passant, this pawn is visible. This makes a pawn look sideways for only one turn. This is because the attacker must be able to see that he/she can make an en passant capture
• Normal rules to castling apply, except that castling can take place when in chess and through attacked squares. This is because it is possible for a king to be or getting in check without knowing it
• A pawn always gets promoted to a queen

The first version of SearchAndDestroyChess was put online at 2008-07-06. I month later I found out I wasn't the first to have invented this variant: it is also known as Kriegspiel or Dark Chess.

Gameplay

The first screen will be the Press enter to start the next turn screen. Here, (the person playing) white has to assure black is looking away. If black is looking away, white presses enter. White can do a move like regular chess now.

When white has done his/her move, the Press enter to start the next turn screen pops up again. Now, black has to assure white is looking away. If white is looking away, black presses enter. Black can do a move like regular chess now.

Repeat this until a player can capture the king of the opponent. Then, it is common to show the opponent he/she will be captured, so he/she can see the position of the winning player his/her pieces.

Controls

• Up arrow or W: move cursor up
• Right arrow or D: move cursor right
• Down arrow or S: move cursor down
• Left arrow or A: move cursor left
• Space or Q or E: select
• Enter/Return: start next turn, only works at the Press enter to start the next turn screen

Also selection works with the mouse.

Strategy

• Prefer to keep your king protected in all 16 directions (4x diagonal, 4x horizontal, 8x knigh jumps)
• Castling is extra strong
• Bluffing is an important part of the game
• In trouble? Make that unexpected move!
• Try to cover all your pieces
• Try to see as much of the board as possible
• Being in center positions is nice, in this game coverage and lines of sight are more important

Older screenshots

External links

• Richel Bilderbeek's games