Objective

Fairy Chess is a variant of traditional chess where the goal is to checkmate the opponent's king using unconventional moves that extend beyond the standard chess pieces. Understanding both the classic chess rules and the new strategic elements introduced by fairy tale characters is essential.

Game Materials

• A chessboard with 8x8 squares.
• Additional pieces beyond the normal chess set, acting as fairy tale characters (e.g., a dragon, a unicorn, a fairy). The characters may vary depending on the specific version of the game.

Setup

• Standard chess pieces are set up according to traditional rules.
• Placing of fairy tale pieces: These are typically placed in the first rank in front of the pawns. Each fairy piece has a specific starting setup, which is usually provided via rule cards or instructions.

Game Flow

• Basic Moves: Classical chess pieces move according to usual chess rules: pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, queen, and king.
• Fairy Tale Moves: Fairy pieces have special movements and abilities, allowing them to move differently than classic pieces or perform unique actions like jumping over opponents or providing a shield to adjacent pieces.

Special Rules and Abilities

• The Dragon moves like a bishop and a king and can block squares.
• The Unicorn leaps over other pieces much like the knight but can also revive captured pieces back into play.
• The Fairy can swap its position with any allied piece anywhere on the board while maintaining legality of moves.

Strategy

• Constructing multi-threats: Use the unique ability of fairy pieces to create multi-threats or to break through defensive positions.
• Hidden threats: Confuse your opponent by making unexpected combinations of moves with fairy pieces to disrupt their strategy.
• Sacrifice fairy pieces strategically to gain decisive advantages in traditional piece setup.

Ending the Game

The game ends similarly to traditional chess, with one player checkmating the opponent’s king. Since fairy pieces are involved, players must remain wary of unorthodox moves that can lead to a sudden checkmate.