While Go is arguably a ‘purer’ abstract strategy game, and one with a longer history, chess is almost certainly the most popular of such games in the world today.
The game’s popularity – and the general mindset of gamers to tinker with rules – has led to literally hundreds of variations of the common game of chess, most familiar to those in North America.
Among the variants are those this reviewer likes a lot, Omega, Plunder, Spartan, and a few others.
And a long list of variants I have read about frankly impressed me so little that I was left doubting the time invested in reading the rules.
But, one effort which has always interested me in those attempts to turn chess into a team game – two players on each side of the board pitted as a duo against those on the other side.
Bughouse chess is probably the popular team chess variant. It is played on two chessboards by four players in teams of two. Normal chess rules apply, except that captured pieces on one board are passed on to the teammate on the other board, who then has the option of putting these pieces on their board. It is well-known enough that some significant tournaments take place.
Now, there is a new team variant hoping to grab attention.
Chess 2vs2: Faceoff & Surrounded from Canadian designer Slimane Bakelli, and publisher 3Joy Game, offers up what ultimately is a pretty standard approach to chess – players all have the standard array at their disposal – but teams are on a much larger board (16×8), and have to work effectively as a duo.
Therein lies the challenge with this.
You are taught chess as a highly individualistic endeavour where you have to have laser focus on not just your move strategies but the lone opponent’s strategy.
Working with a teammate adds a new dynamic not usually associated with chess. Blending what might be divergent general chess strategies into something cohesively effective will be a new experience encountered here.
The game comes with 64 pieces (full set in 4 colors). The goal is still the same: checkmate the opponent team’s king to win the game. It’s a new kind of four-player variant.
And, there are two starting setups, one where partners sit adjacent along the wide side of the board, a layout which players will feel most familiar with in how the board looks.
The other option is one team at each end, the other back-to-back in the centre of the board.
Initially, it feels like a normal game, but as the middle of the board opens a crack or two due to pieces moved or captured, attention has to suddenly be very aware of some range attacks from what is quite a different perspective from regular chess.
Now, knowing which chess variants catch attention is guesswork at best.
I think Omega Chess should be widely played. It is not.
Paco Sako is very unique and deserves a wider audience than it has.
And the list goes on.
So, will Chess 2vs2: Faceoff & Surrounded break the barrier and find massive success? Probably not, given chess history.
But for casual, fun play, Chess 2vs2: Faceoff & Surrounded has some interesting challenges players will need to adapt to, making it worth having on the shelf for chess fans.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
Chess for four
The game’s popularity – and the general mindset of gamers to tinker with rules – has led to literally hundreds of variations of the common game of chess, most familiar to those in North America.
Among the variants are those this reviewer likes a lot, Omega, Plunder, Spartan, and a few others.
And a long list of variants I have read about frankly impressed me so little that I was left doubting the time invested in reading the rules.
But, one effort which has always interested me in those attempts to turn chess into a team game – two players on each side of the board pitted as a duo against those on the other side.
Bughouse chess is probably the popular team chess variant. It is played on two chessboards by four players in teams of two. Normal chess rules apply, except that captured pieces on one board are passed on to the teammate on the other board, who then has the option of putting these pieces on their board. It is well-known enough that some significant tournaments take place.
Now, there is a new team variant hoping to grab attention.
Chess 2vs2: Faceoff & Surrounded from Canadian designer Slimane Bakelli, and publisher 3Joy Game, offers up what ultimately is a pretty standard approach to chess – players all have the standard array at their disposal – but teams are on a much larger board (16×8), and have to work effectively as a duo.
Therein lies the challenge with this.
You are taught chess as a highly individualistic endeavour where you have to have laser focus on not just your move strategies but the lone opponent’s strategy.
Working with a teammate adds a new dynamic not usually associated with chess. Blending what might be divergent general chess strategies into something cohesively effective will be a new experience encountered here.
The game comes with 64 pieces (full set in 4 colors). The goal is still the same: checkmate the opponent team’s king to win the game. It’s a new kind of four-player variant.
And, there are two starting setups, one where partners sit adjacent along the wide side of the board, a layout which players will feel most familiar with in how the board looks.
The other option is one team at each end, the other back-to-back in the centre of the board.
Initially, it feels like a normal game, but as the middle of the board opens a crack or two due to pieces moved or captured, attention has to suddenly be very aware of some range attacks from what is quite a different perspective from regular chess.
Now, knowing which chess variants catch attention is guesswork at best.
I think Omega Chess should be widely played. It is not.
Paco Sako is very unique and deserves a wider audience than it has.
And the list goes on.
So, will Chess 2vs2: Faceoff & Surrounded break the barrier and find massive success? Probably not, given chess history.
But for casual, fun play, Chess 2vs2: Faceoff & Surrounded has some interesting challenges players will need to adapt to, making it worth having on the shelf for chess fans.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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