Chess Ice and Flame

This game is called Kaivas. She was brought to the Boardwalk city on the Volatinsky shopping arcade, and orphans smashed it up and down through the Green Blood. At the Dornish court, everyone was obsessed with her ...
Ten pieces, each of which walks differently, and the board changes with each game, depending on how the players shuffle their squares.

George Martin "Feast of the Vultures"

Cyvasse is another game born in a piece of art. And as is usually the case, the matter again did not go without the participation of an army of fans. Although the author pays great attention to the game (in “Dance with Dragons”, Tirion Lanister only does what plays it), a detailed description of the rules, yet it is not the author’s work of the artwork. However, for the fans, "not rusted." A variety of implementations "Kayvassy" dozens. Square and hexagonal - there are for every taste! I want to talk about the one that I liked the most.

Most versions of Kaiwassa (I cannot say for everything, I could have missed something) - these are all the same chess that we are used to since childhood, only with catapults and dragons. Yes, the pieces walk unusually, and on the board, with a generous hand, you can scatter mountains and ponds, but the principles of the game itself do not change - chess taking and the king, who must be eaten. Zane Fisher approached the issue more creatively. In my opinion, his version of the game is much deeper, in tactical terms. Due to what? So let's go and see.


Most of the "naturalness" and forethought - that's what first caught my eye. See how the "cavalry" bypasses the "mountains". Each figure, in this game, can move no more than a specified number of steps and, performing a “quiet move”, it can “rotate” as you please, the main thing is not to return to the previously passed cells and not to enter the territory occupied by the enemy or “mountains” ". It is possible to pass through the cells occupied with their own figures (the exception is “Elephant”, which cannot be passed “through” other figures), one cannot only complete the turn on them.
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The capture is carried out only "in a straight line" and, in most cases, according to the "chess principle" - the figure performing the capture becomes the place of the taken figure (here again there is an exception - the "Catapult", which I will discuss below). In this case, you can not take any shape! Zane introduces the concept of “engagement”. As well as taking, “hooking” extends in a straight line, the number of steps is individual for each type of figure.

The concept of “engagement” is closely related to the “armament” of the figure. All figures are divided into light, heavy and not armed. “Rabble” ( Rabble ) - lightweight figure, can not just attack a heavy, for example, “Elephant” ( Elephant ). In order to attack, he needs to “engage” the target with another light (or heavy) figure. On the other hand, the “Elephant” can easily attack the “Militiaman” (except, perhaps, for the case when it is in the water). He can also single-handedly hook on any heavy figure of the enemy, even the “Dragon”. Unarmed figures (“Crossbowman” and “Catapult”) can be taken without “hooking”.


The “hooking” distance coincides with the maximum distance of the figure's stroke only in the simplest cases ( Rabble , Spears and King ). The usual situation is when the distance at which the “engagement” is possible is less than the maximum stroke of the figure ( Light Horse , Heavy Horse , Dragon ). However, there is an exception. “Elephant” ( Elephant ) - a heavy figure moving only one cell per turn, but it can “hook” an enemy figure at a distance of two cells! Moreover, he can eat it by moving into two cells, but only on the condition that the path is not blocked by any obstacles (unlike other figures, the "Elephant" cannot pass through the cells occupied by other figures. All these features make the game even more interesting, in the tactical plan. See, for example, the solution of one of the tasks of the textbook :



The distance "gearing" for cavalry - edinichka. In order to take an enemy figure (in the absence of other figures that perform "hooking"), you will have to come close, but during the battle there is freedom of choice - to stop on the field of the taken figure or move on (like a woman in checkers ). The maximum distance is three steps for Light Horse and two for Heavy Horse . Detailed parameters of all figures can be found in the game manual :

• Rabble (x6) - light armor, movement allowance 1, engagement range 1
• Spears (x3) - light Armor, Movement Allowance 1, Engagement Range 1
• Light Horse (x3) - light Armor, Movement Allowance 3, Engagement Range 1
• Heavy Horse (x2) - heavy armor, Movement Allowance 2, Engagement Range 1
• Elephant (x2) - heavy armor, Movement Allowance 1, Engagement Range 2
• Crossbows (x2) - unarmored, Movement Allowance 2, Engagement Range 3
• Trebuchet (x1) - unarmored, Movement Allowance 1, Engagement Range 4 (min. 2)
• Dragon (x1) - heavy armor, Movement Allowance 4, Engagement Range 2
• Tower (x2) - heavy armor, Movement Allowance 0, Engagement Range 1
• King (x1) - light armor, Movement Allowance 1, Engagement Range 1

You can also find information about the features of each of the figures. Some of these notes are embarrassing. For example, the following is written for the Crossbows: " Crossbows cannot capture ". What may need a figure unable to take the figures of the enemy? Again, the whole thing in the "gearing"! Crossbows are an unprotected figure incapable of close combat, but it can “capture” enemy pieces at a great distance. The next task from the tutorial illustrates this. If the “Crossbowman” moves in such a way as to “capture” all the targets, the “Horseman” can beat them in three moves:



Another unarmored figure is the "Catapult" ( Trebuchet ). There is nothing wrong with taking here! The figure strikes from a distance, at a distance of two to four steps (the enemy can not beat the catapult close up). The uniqueness of this figure is that after the capture of the "Catapult" continues to remain in the rear. To take an opponent's piece, she moves one step in the opposite direction (of course, if there is free space there)! This is an important strategic weapon, “Catapult” must be protected in every possible way!


"Fortress" ( Tower ) - another very strange figure. She doesn't move! Totally. In general, it is even logical. Where (except for Japanese cartoons ) have you seen moving fortresses? The task of the fortress is protection (and it copes well with this task). A figure located near a friendly fortress cannot be "hooked". To kill her, you first have to destroy the fortress, but it is not easy. In addition, "King" ( King ) is able to "jump" through the friendly "Fortress", being on the other side of it in one turn.


It is worth telling about two of the weakest figures, to which, equally, the expression “small and removed” is appropriate. Spears is, in a sense, an analogue of a chess pawn . It can only go forward and attacks only two fields in front of itself (although it doesn’t turn into anything). How can such a figure be useful? Of course, she has a secret. Two fields controlled by it (only two) none of the enemy figures can “slip” in one turn. For example, this means that the cavalry cannot attack the "Spearman" from the front, even if he is "hooked" by another figure. First, it must come close. Spears is an excellent defensive unit, reminiscent of the "Bodyguard" ( Chi ) from the Mongolian game Hiashatar .

With Rabble, things are a little simpler. They can walk (and "beat") one step, in any direction, like the "King". The trick is that the player has the right to make two "quiet" moves by the Militiamen in a row. This is an attacking unit. By making two "quiet" moves, you can create two threats at different ends of the board. One “Militiaman” is likely to be eaten, but others will be able to organize a breakthrough. I like this decision too much.


It remains to tell about the terrain. In addition to the figures, “mountains” and “reservoirs” can be located on the board. Everything is clear with the “mountains” - not a single figure can be placed “on the mountain” and only the “Dragon” can fly over the mountains. Of course, the "mountains" overlap the "review", preventing the "hooking" of enemy figures (I have already spoken about the nuance with the "Catapult"). With "ponds" all the more difficult. Figures can be placed in them, but with the loss of the possibility of “hooking” by them of enemy figures. This also adds to the tactical diversity of the game.


Well, in general, that's all. The game is published , with the kind permission of the author . The interface came out worse than in the original version (for example, the “hooks” are not highlighted), but the AI ​​works. In any case, the tasks of the textbook solves "with a bang."



Plays, in principle, is also quite responsible (especially if the computer is more powerful, but the time for "thinking" is set more.



I really liked the game. In tactical terms, it seemed to me no less complicated than Ko Shogi , which favorably differs from the latter with greater “brevity” and thoughtfulness. All figures work! And for the game quite a relatively small board. And I will think about how to weaken the “Fortress”.