Speed Chess Mayhem with some Bug in the mix!
What: A relaxed, crazy, fun evening of speed chess, with some Bughouse mixed in to keep it lively.
Where: Mount Baker High School, cafeteria. (Directions here. Cafeteria doors are just behind the flagpole.)
When: Monday evening, November 5, 2007. Site opens at 6:00pm, organized chaos begins at 6:30.
Who: Aimed for 3rd -12th graders, but we're not checking ID.
Why: Because there's more than one way to have fun with this ancient game.
How: See below.
Cost: Free. (But bring any chess clock you can!)
So c'mon down, and bring your sister Susie.
Okay, so what's Speed Chess?
Speed Chess is mostly like regular chess,
except that you can't take three and a half years to pick
your next move. In fact, each player will only have five minutes
to chose all of their moves. The idea is that you and
your opponent use a chess clock. Your clock ticks
down while it is your turn to move, and then for your opponent when it's her turn.
Once you have moved, your clock will stop ticking down, and
your opponent's clock will begin to tick down again. You win
by either checkmating, or by calling "Flag!" if your opponent's
clock runs out before yours. Each player gets five minutes, so the longest possible speed chess game takes ten minutes.
Also, there's some subtle differences in the play rules. For example,
in speed chess, you don't have to announce 'check', and
so you can capture your opponent's King if s/he didn't notice
the King was in check.
Bughouse is Da Bomb!
So what's Bughouse Chess? It's a real kick, that's what! It's team chess, for starters. You and your partner sit down next to each other. You've got White on one board, and your partner has Black on another board (or vice versa). Across from you strolls in The Lone Ranger and Tonto, and they sit down across from the two of you. Two clocks are usually used, and it's as fast as Speed Chess, with each player getting five minutes.
Someone says "Go!", you shake hands, and the fun begins. If you capture a piece, you hand it quickly to your partner next to you, and your partner now has the choice, on her move to EITHER make a normal move OR place that piece anywhere on the board! (Dropping Da Bomb!) Add a clock to this brew and it leads to total fun loud chaos and chess positions like you've never seen before! You'll hear players yelling things to their partners, like "Give me a Knight and it's checkmate!!"
Other things you might hear:
- Give me a Queen!
- Don't give her a Queen!!
- I'm toasted. It's up to you.
- Stall! Stall!
- Just get me a pawn and I'm cookin'.
- Hey, where'd that Bishop come from?
- AIEE! (After Rook takes King)
Some Bughouse Rules:
Checkmate on either
one of the boards results in the end of the game for your team. A time forfeit on either on of the
boards also ends the game for that team. Like Speed Chess, if both flags are down the game is a draw. If an illegal move is made then the offending side loses. (If caught!) If the offending side is not caught then the game
continues. One also does not have to declare check -- if a player leaves his/her
king in check then the opponent may capture it and claim a win for his/her team.
Any piece can be placed on any unoccupied square on the board, except
pawns may not be placed on the first or last rank. Pieces may be dropped to place check or checkmate! An important note is that when you capture a promoted pawn it reverts back to a pawn in
function.
Bughouse Etiquette:
It's important to show the pieces one has in hand when playing. (It is considered unethical to hide chess
pieces from your opponent). It's very useful to know what your opponent can Bomb you with!
Discussing strategy and verbal analysis of the chess positions is legal between
partners, but one's partner may not physically reach over the
board and complete a move for his/her partner.
