Chapter 4: Games

Although it has been stated many times throughout this book that 3-D Chess utilizes the same rules as regular chess, the various phases of the game are really quite different. You can take all the opening, middle and end games that are standard with regular chess and completely disregard them as they are all but useless in 3-D Chess.

It should be pointed out that all the moves made and explained from this point on are valid moves, and in most cases actual moves made in an actual game. If you do not understand a move, it is suggested that you review the moves of the piece(s) that you do not understand.

It is not the intent of this chapter to show or try to explain all the possible moves or openings mainly because of the over 70 possible first moves and a staggering number of moves after the first moves have been made. Instead, a complete explanation of the move will be made, and the results will be explained when necessary.

Playing Position

After setting the men up at their proper locations on the board, place the board so that you and your opponent are sitting opposite one another along side the game. Do not sit in front of the game and your opponent behind the game as this will make it difficult for each of you to see all the moves and the game in general. The correct seating position is to the side of the game, so that both players face each other across the width of the board.

Now that you have your men set up and are properly seated beside the game, let’s take a look at the various games and phases of the game.

Game #1 — Fool’s Mate (4-Move Checkmate)

Before we get into a detailed game, let’s first look at a game that lasts only four moves, providing, of course, your opponent makes certain moves.

The following moves are made to accomplish this game. NOTE: The black pieces that are moved are the pieces that cannot stay in their starting position if white is to accomplish the four-move Checkmate.

See Diagram FOOLS MATE Exhibit A for final positions of the pieces.

Game #2 — Actual Opening, Middle and End Game

The following is the complete move record for Game #2, an actual game with opening, middle and end game phases. All moves listed are valid moves made in an actual game. Refer to the game description table below when reading the opening, middle and end game descriptions that follow.

Game Description #2 — Move Record

Actual Opening Game Description

Now that your board is set up, let’s make the first move. Only white’s moves will be described, and with exception, black’s moves may be described for the opening game. You may check your moves and positions by Game Description #2.

White Pawn on ID2 moves to IID2. By moving the white Pawn to IID2 from ID2, he prevents the white King and white Rook from being forked by the black Queen in two moves. This can happen by the following moves by black: Black Pawn on IIID7 to IID7, black Queen on IIID8 to IIID4, black Queen on IIID4 to IIIC3. The white King is now in Check and must be moved or the black Queen must be blocked by moving a white Pawn on ID2 to IID2 or a white Bishop on IC1 to IID2. After white has moved, the black Queen is free to capture the white Rook on IA1 by moving from IIIC3 diagonally down through IIB2 to IA1. On black’s next move, he can begin to wipe out the back row and the pawns of white. Now that the white Pawn is on IID2, he can capture the black Queen or any other piece that comes within checking range of the white King.

White’s second move is the white Pawn on IF2 to IIF2. This move now protects his King from attack on the right side of the board.

White’s third move is the white Queen on ID1 to IIE2. White now is attacking many cubes on level II and protecting vital cubes on level I and attacking vital cubes on level III.

White’s fourth move is white Rook on IA1 to IIIA1. White is now threatening level III directly; however, he is alone on level III and doesn’t seem to be protected. Is he? If he is protected, what piece is protecting him? Right! The white Knight on IB1 is protecting the white Rook on IIIA1.

White’s fifth move is white Rook on IH1 to IIH1. White now has more attacking power on level II. This concludes the Opening Game for White. If you are not following the game with your board, refer to “Opening” Diagram A.

Actual Middle Game Description

The white Rook on IIH1 moves to IIE1. By making this move, white has black in a position for a possible checkmate providing black’s Knight on IIIG8 is moved; however, black’s counter move is the black Bishop on IIID6 to IB4 by moving diagonally down through IIC5 to IB4 in a straight line and checking the white King. White must get his King out of check or concede. White moves the Pawn on IC2 to IC3 thus blocking the black Bishop from attacking the white King. This is more advantageous than moving the King to level II or IF2 as both moves put the King in the open. The black Knight on IIIG8 next moves to IG7. Black is now developing power on level I. Level III is already pretty well protected by the Queen and Bishop.

White now threatens the black King by moving the white Rook on IIIA1 to IIIE1. This prevents the black Pawn on IIIE5 from changing levels and opening up the King. Black’s move is the black Bishop on IIIC8 to IIID7. This gives black more attacking power on level III as white has black in a defensive position. The Bishop is also protecting his King from a checkmate by the white Queen on level II.

White’s next move is the Bishop on IC1 to IH6. The Bishop is now attacking the black Knight on IG7 and is blocking the black King from Castling. Black’s move is the Queen on IIID4 to IB2 and capturing the white Pawn on IB2. The Queen now has put white on the defensive as she can capture the white Knight on IB1 and put the white King in check on the next black move.

White’s counter move is white Rook on IIIE1 to IIIB1. Now if the black Queen captures the white Knight, the white Rook on IIIB1 can capture the black Queen. The black Bishop moves from IB4 to IF8 to protect the black Knight on IG7. The black Queen cannot move to IC3 and capture the white Pawn unless she wants to be captured by the white Pawn on IID2.

White next moves the white Bishop on IF1 to IIG2. He is getting ready to get in a position to capture the black Rook on IIIA8. But the black Knight on IIIB8 moves to IID8 thus protecting the black Rook from the white Bishop by attacking IIB7.

White’s next move is the white Knight on IG1 to IIIG2. White must set up more attacking power on level III because the white Rook on IIIB1 is frozen as he is protecting the white Knight on IB1. Black now begins developing his Pawns by moving a black Pawn on IIIH7 to IIIH5. Black also is attacking farther out on level II now.

White now moves his white Knight on IIIG2 to IIIE3. Although the Knight appears unguarded on level III, he is actually guarded very well by the Pawns and Queen on level II. Black moves a black Pawn on IIIC7 to IIIC5 thus further developing his Pawns. As white is not really jeopardizing black’s King, this is the time to develop some of his other pieces. Beware, White is up to something.

White Pawn on IH2 to IH4. Black continues to develop his Pawns by moving the black Pawn on IIIB7 to IIB7. White next moves the white Knight on IIIE3 to IIC3. White is now getting in position to free some of his power so he can continue to attack his opponent. Black moves his black Pawn on IIIH5 to IIIH4 thus continuing to develop his Pawns.

White advances his white Pawn on IH4 to IH5 rather than capturing the black Queen on IB2 with the white Knight on IIC3. White is baiting black to have his Pawn captured by the black Knight on IG7, thus being able to capture the black Bishop on IF8 and ridding black of some of his power, but at the same time losing the white Bishop by the black Knight on IID7. White would then win by a checkmate by being able to move his white Queen on IIE2 to IIE7. Black doesn’t bite. Instead, black moves his black Queen on IB2 to IC2. The strategy of this game is now getting involved, however, black is in the worst position.

Because white doesn’t wish to break up his position, he makes a Pawn move from IIF2 to IIF3. This will prevent black from advancing the black Pawn on IIIE5 as he could capture it if the black Pawn advances to IIIE4. Black decides to develop more power by moving the black Rook on IIIA8 to IIA8 thus lending support to his other pieces on level II.

White now moves the white Rook on IIE1 to IIB1. This will free the other Rook on IIIB1 later. The white Rook now on IIB1 is protected by the other Rook on IIIB1. Black also moves his Rook from IIA8 to IIA5 giving the Rook more moving ability.

White now begins to move in on black by moving his white Queen from IIE2 to IIIE3. Black cannot see white’s strategy so he moves a Pawn from IIIC5 to IIIC4. The white Knight on IIC3 is now attacked by the black Pawn on IIIC4. Black sees he is in trouble and must break up white’s power. This concludes the Middle Game. Although White has lost a piece, black is at a disadvantage and on the defense. Refer to “Middle” Diagram A for board layout at the end of the middle game.

Actual End Game Description

The next portion of this game can be considered the End Game. Again, refer to the Game Description #2 moves.

White moves his Knight on IIC3 to IIE2 and puts the black Queen on IC2 in check. White is forcing the black Queen away from his white King. Black moves his Queen from IC2 to IIC2.

White now starts his final attack on black by moving his Queen from IIIE3 to IIIA7 and capturing a black Pawn on IIIA7. Black moves his Rook from IIIH8 to IH8 so that he won’t possibly lose the Rook in a check. Black also must get the white Bishop on IH6 out of there.

White next moves his white Rook on IIIB1 to IIID1, thus attacking the black Bishop on IIID7. This was a bad move on white’s part as now his other Rook on IIB1 is unprotected, and the black Queen on IIC2 moves to IIB1 and captures the white Rook on IIB1. White still has control of the game, however.

White puts black in check by moving the white Queen from IIIA7 to IIID7 and capturing the black Bishop on IIID7. Black cannot protect his King so he must move it. Black moves the King from IIIE8 to IIF8.

Again, the white Queen puts black in check by moving from IIID7 to IID8 and capturing the black Knight on IID8. Black is now going downhill fast. Again, black cannot protect his King so he moves from IIF8 to IG8 and receives protection from the black Bishop, black Knight and black Rook on level I.

White’s next move is the white Pawn on IH5 to IIH5. The Pawn is now protecting the white Bishop on IH6. Black captures the white Pawn by moving the black Rook from IIA5 to IIH5. If the black Queen had moved from IIB1 to IB1, she would have captured the white Knight on IB1, put white in check, and gained a free move.

White moves the white Bishop on IH6 to IF4. Black doesn’t see the point to the move so advances the black Pawn on IIIH4 to IIIH3. Black is trying to get another Queen, and at the same time attack the white Bishop on IIG2. But the white Bishop, if he wants, can now capture the black Pawn on IIIH3. White is unconcerned however, as white has other plans.

White moves the white King on IE1 to IIF2 for protection as he sees black can do some damage if the black Rook on IH8 moves to IH1. Black next moves the black Pawn on IIIH3 to IIG2 and captures the white Bishop on IIG2.

Next, the white Rook on IIID1 moves to IIID8. White is about to conclude the game. Black advances the black Pawn on IIIG7 to IIIG5.

White Queen on IID8 moves to IIE8, and the black Rook on IIH5 moves to IIH1. Lookout white! White counter moves with the white Knight on IB1 to IIIC1. Black checks white by moving the Queen from IIB1 to IIB6.

White must get out of check so he moves the King from IIF2 to IIG2 and captures the black Pawn on IIG2 and attacks the black Rook on IIH1. Black again checks white by moving the black Queen on IIB6 to IIG6.

Again, the white must get out of check so he moves the white Knight on IIE2 to IIG3. White has now blocked the check and attacked the black Rook on IIH1. Black doesn’t move his black Rook on IIH1 for some reason. Instead, black moves the black Knight on IG7 to IIE7 so his King has moving room.

White checks black by moving the white Rook on IIID8 to IIIG8. Black moves out of check by moving his King from IG8 to IIH7 and attacks the white Rook on IIIG8. The white Rook now captures the black Pawn on IIG5 by moving from IIIG8 to IIIG5. The Rook is protected by the white Bishop on IF4. Black moves his Queen by moving from IIG6 to IIF6.

White now moves his Queen from IIE8 to IF8 and captures the black Bishop on IF8. Black sees the mate coming. Black moves the black Queen from IIF6 to IIH6. Now white can be in trouble.

The white Queen moves from IF8 to IIE7 and captures the black Knight on IIE7. Black checks white by moving the Queen from IIH6 to IIH2. In regular chess, this would be a Mate.

White gets out of check by moving from IIG2 to IF2. The black Rook then moves from IIH1 to IIG1. Foolish move for black.

White checks black by moving from IIE7 to IIF7 with his Queen and captures the black Pawn on IIF7. Black sees the game is over and moves from IIH7 to IH7 with his King to escape the check.

White mates black by moving his Queen from IIF7 to IIG7.

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As you will note, there were several bad moves made by both sides, especially black. The game could have gone on longer if certain other moves were made. If you like, you could modify the game by making different moves, and see how the game ends.

Game #3 — Actual Game Description

The following is a description of a game that was played between the Author and an opponent who had become quite efficient at the game of 3-D Chess. The game took 1½ hours to play and 50 moves. White conceded the game after black captured white’s Queen. You will also note that black has control of level II.

It is very important if you are to understand the game description that you step through the game with your board. Study the moves and try to see the logic of why the move was made.

Assuming that you started from the front of the book and read this far, I hope you can now play 3-D Chess. Like everything else, however, it will take practice to become efficient at the game. It generally takes about two to three games to get the complete concept of how the pieces move and another two or three games to be able to start putting together strategy. As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” Remember what I said in the beginning though, “you will more than likely never completely master the game (become perfect).”

If there are still any questions in your mind about the game, please feel free to write me at the address of the publisher, and I will be happy to help you in any way I can.

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