Rules of Chess 3D

General Rules

• Chess 3D is closely based on the rules of traditional 2D chess

• There are eight 64-square boards for a total of 512 squares for pieces to move to

• Red pieces are traditional “white” pieces and blue pieces are “black” pieces for visual clarity in the computer rendered 3D scene

• Rank 1-8 ( 3D x-component) and File a-h (3D y-component) are the same as traditional chess. The eight vertically stacked boards are numbered i - viii (3D z-component). The current square location of the piece is listed as - z, file(y), rank(X) - eg. iii g4"

• All the pieces move in the same basic way as in traditional chess but they can also have a vertical component (z-direction in 3D axes) to the basic traditional chess move. All pieces can move up or down within normal piece-specific constraints if they are on higher board level than z = i.

• Piece captures work in traditional 2D-move directions and 3D-move directions

• There are currently 44 pieces in a Chess 3D game

• On level z = i the piece layout is the same as traditional chess with 16 pieces including king and queen

• There are another 16 “extended pawns” on z = ii

• On levels v - viii there are a further 12 “aerial” pieces - two bishops, one rook, one knight and eight pawns positioned three pieces per level. See below")

• The piece layout may change in the future depending on player feedback

Basic Movement

• Each piece can move in its traditional 2D pattern plus vertical movement component

• Pawns move forward one square or up/down one level and capture with a diagonal x-component, either traditional 2D capture or a 3D capture with changes in z,y,x

• Pawns on levels z = i and ii can open with a two-square move forwards or up. Aerial pawns (z = v-viii) can only move one square for the first move

• Rooks move horizontally, vertically, and can change levels in straight lines")

• Bishops can move diagonally in 3D - z,y,x changes using orange move-arrows, or they and can change z-levels diagonally in 2D planes - z,x or z,y - using the purple move-arrows

• Knights move in two-click L-shapes and can jump to different levels, with first click the two-square move direction, followed by the one-square move direction.

• Queens combine rook and bishop movement in 3D space

• Kings move one square in any direction including up/down

Special Rules

• Castling: King and rook can castle on level z = i if they haven't moved and the path is clear

• En Passant: Pawns can capture diagonally forward if opponent pawn moved two spaces on z = i only

• Pawn Promotion: Pawns promote to queen, rook, bishop, or knight when reaching the opposite end on levels z = i and viii only

3D Specific Rules

• Pieces can attack across different levels if they have line of sight

• Pawns can capture with diagonal forward, up or down moves

• Vertical-component movement counts as one move, not separate from horizontal

• Pieces cannot move through other pieces (except knights)

• Board rotates to show different perspectives during gameplay

• Captured pieces are moved to graveyard areas on the sides"