Pinwheel Chess is played by four players, each playing for themselves.  The pieces move as in traditional chess, including regular pawn movements, double first move, en passant capturing, castling, and pawn promotion.  A pawn which reaches any other player's first row is promoted.

The one significant difference is that kings are actually taken.  Warnings of check and mate still apply, of course.  When a player loses his king, the rest of his forces are left standing, and may be taken but not ignored when executing moves.  The last king left standing wins the game.

Pinwheel chess may also be played with partnerships:  blue and green versus red and yellow, or blue and yellow versus red and green.  Both partners continue play until both their kings are captured!  It should, of course, be played "silently," that is, without consultation between partners.

This is a great game to play with kids, especially if they have already learned one of the versions of mini-chess, which all include precisely the same set of pieces.  There are two versions of the board, below:

 
 

 

©Copyright 2002, C. George Boeree