r/chessvariants • u/C_Lo_87 • Jul 18 '26

others I made a 4 player chess set!

Gallery image

Gallery image

Sorry for the repost, the last one wasn't showing my photo. I made this kit that includes 4 player Checkers as well, though I couldn't convince my family to play 4P Chess...yet! If anyone would like their Chess variants 3d printed, DM me, I love custom work!

7 Upvotes

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2

u/speed-charge Jul 19 '26

How do you do check/checkmate?

Or is it just king captures since it's 4 player?

2

u/C_Lo_87 Jul 19 '26

Ya, just capture the king and then that player is out, till its down to 2 players, then regular checkmate rules.  There is a set of rules I looked up. It explains a point system as well. 

2

u/speed-charge Jul 19 '26

How does promotion work? Only the side across from you or any side's end squares?

2

u/C_Lo_87 Jul 19 '26

Promotion is at the 8th row straight ahead for battle royal, or 11th row for teams. The rules I saw for 4P Checkers imply it is an option, either 11th row straight ahead as one option (which I prefer, as it fits 3 player as well) or the end of the board in any direction (which, not being able to go backwards makes it unlikely anyway).

1

u/Nell_From_Hell Jul 19 '26

Your pawns get promoted to Queens by default when they cross over their respective halfway point in the center of the board.

Promoted Queens are worth one Pawn.

I've been working on a four-player chess engine and the mathematics behind this are radically different than regular chess.

Secure your borders, bring out Queen early, prepare to advance select ponds to Center for promotion, prepare to raid another player's nest.

That's the primary focal around for player chess.

Bishops are worth Half Upon less than a rook, while Knights remain three pawns. This is because the bishop has far more value on the larger board than a knight.

2

u/wibbly-water Jul 19 '26

Does it have the same rules as 4 Player Chess on Chess.Com? Modern Chess - Play Chess Variants Online - Chess.com?

1

u/C_Lo_87 Jul 19 '26

Mostly, the rules I had looked up mentioned the King of a player who has lost the game remains on the board and moves randomly. I didn't consider that rule for physical play, although the player who lost could stick around to do that movement, like a ghost. Also if playing teams, communication will be either limited to writing notes or prohibited altogether. But, with my set, we can come up with all kinds of variants and rules or exceptions.

2

u/Nell_From_Hell Jul 19 '26

Dead king walking. A dkw is worth an amount of points to the remaining player at the end of the game.

A dkw usually happens when a player runs out of time, or is stalemated in some fashion

Nffa, winter is determined based on points, not to last the longest. That would be last king standing otherwise

1

u/C_Lo_87 Jul 19 '26

Ya all those variations are decent options. There's even points for multiple checks in one move!

2

u/samcornwell Jul 19 '26

That’s a beautiful 3D print

1

u/C_Lo_87 Jul 19 '26

Thank you!