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Game Rules ...

Game Types (Alliances)

Since this is a four-player game, a number of different options exist for how the players will be partnered. The game type, with regard to alliances, is chosen before the game begins and remains in place for the entire game.

The following 3 Game Types are available:

• Allied Neighbors: The White/Blue partnership fights against the alliance of Black/Red. This is considered the standard way to play the game.
• Crossroad Allies: In this type of game, players sitting across the board from each other are partnered -- White/Black versus Blue/Red. This matches more traditional four-player Chess variants.
• Anarchy: There are no alliances in this type of game -- each Kingdom is on its own.

Kings are Captured (and there's no "check")

Kings are actually captured in "Keeps & Moats Chess" (unlike traditional Chess) ... and there is no requirement of announcing a threatened King by saying "check". What occurs with a Kingdom's pieces after its King has been captured is another pre-game decision.

The following King-capture options are available:

• Kingdom Gained: The Kingdom capturing the enemy King gains all of that King's remaining pieces. This is considered the standard way to play.
• Kingdom Lost: All of the remaining pieces of the captured King are removed from the board. This option "cleans up the board" and makes things easier to see as the game goes on.
• Kingdom Frozen: All of the remaining pieces of the captured King are frozen in place on the board ... they can no longer be moved nor captured.

Game Turns

The game starts with the White Kingdom, and progresses clockwise around the board (White-Blue-Black-Red). Just as in traditional Chess, each player must make a single move each turn. If a player's King has been captured, that player is out of the game and his/her turn is skipped in the following rounds. Rounds continue until a single winner is (or a pair of allied players are) all that remain.

The "Lack of Material" Rule

Due to the size and shape of the game board, it can become impossible to actually capture a King with the pieces remaining in the game. Therefore, a Kingdom can also lose its King by losing too many pieces from its army. To calculate if a Kingdom is getting close to losing due to lack of material, count the number of pieces remaining on the board. Give 1 point for each Pawn or Castle Pawn, and 2 points for all other pieces (do not count the King). A Kingdom needs at least 5 points to remain in the game.

Board & Piece Rules

Click on the Board and Pieces help sections for rules and information on how the game board is laid out, and how pieces can move and capture.