- "Congress Chess" is a brand new chess-like board game designed just for students of CSc-180, in which the chessboard is inspired by our Congress. There is a "right-wing" (featuring clergy), and a "left-wing" (featuring the environment). And there are "junior" and "senior" politicians.
- "Congress Chess" is a chess-like game in which each player takes turns moving one of his/her pieces. The board is 8x6, with the left four columns being the "left wing" and the right four columns being the "right wing".
- Each player has TWO Kings, one in each wing. Each player also has 6 pawns, and 4 politicians. If a politician is in the "left" wing, it becomes a HORSE. If a politician is in the "right" wing, it becomes a BISHOP. Thus, a politician changes if it moves from one wing to another. Also, a politician that is in the first three rows (nearest its own kings) is a "junior". A politician that is in the furthest three rows is a "senior". Specific rules about how each type of piece can move is described later.
- Players alternate moves, moving one of their own pieces each turn. When it is your turn, you MUST make a move -- you cannot pass.
- the initial position is:
- moves roughly the same as the "bishop" in regular chess. That is, in a diagonal line any number of squares.
- may move either onto an empty square, or onto a square occupied by an opponent's piece (thus capturing it).
- CANNOT jump over other pieces. Once it bumps into a piece or captures a piece, that is as far as it can go.
- a bishop can move or capture in the two forward diagonal directions. A "senior" bishop can also move in a BACKWARDS diagonal direction, but ONLY if that move is a capture.
- moves roughly the same as "knight" in regular chess. That is, 1 square horizontally followed by 2 squares vertically, or 2 squares horizontally followed by 1 square vertically.
- may move either onto an empty square, or onto a square occupied by an opponents's piece (thus capturing it).
- CAN jump over other pieces.
- a horse can move or capture in the forward direction (that is, ending up in a square that is further forward than from where it started). A "senior" horse can also move in a BACKWARDS direction, but only if that move is a capture.
- moves roughly the same as a "pawn" in regular chess. That is, it can move one square forward, or it can capture one diagonal square forward.
- cannot move sideways or backwards under any condition.
- each king can move one square at a time, horizontally in the direction AWAY FROM the other king. That is, the "left-wing" king can only move left, and the "right-wing" king can only move right.
- if BOTH your kings are captured, you lose!
- may move either onto an empty square, or onto a square occupied by an opponents's piece (thus capturing it).
- capturing BOTH of the opponent's kings, or
- if your opponent has no legal moves.