Chex Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Material
• Rules
• Strategy and Notes
• Component Notes

Introduction

CHEX is a tile-placement game for two players that uses tiles representing the 16 chess pieces per side in a normal chess game.

Material

CHEX includes a carrying case, 16 white tiles and 16 black tiles depicting chess pieces.

Rules

1. Choose Colours. Issue one set of tiles to each player. Shuffle well and place face down to become each player's draw pile (see note i under Component Notes).

2. White draws his or her top tile and places it face up in the centre of any flat surface, pointing towards the black player.

3. Black attaches his or her top tile to any edge or corner of white's first tile, pointing towards the white player.

Example: White draws and places a knight. Black draws and attaches a Pawn to White's Knight.

4. At each turn thereafter, each player may (a) draw and play a further tile, or (b) move a tile already in play.

5. Placements must continue to attach to any edge or corner of a tile or tiles already in play and point towards the opposing player.

6. Moves and captures must be made as in regular Chess provided all the tiles remain attached directly or indirectly to each other.

Example: White's Bishop can not move so as to capture either Pawn without breaching this rule. But White's Knight can capture the right Pawn.

7. For a king to be in check or checkmate, it must be attacked by a piece capable of capturing it without breaching rule 6.

8. There is no limit to how wide or deep the tiles may extend, no en passant, no castling, and no pawn promotion.

9. All other rules of chess apply, so long as they are consistent with these rules.

10. When either draw pile is used up, that player may continue to move pieces already in play.

11. First player to checkmate the enemy wins the game.

12. Draws are still draws, including STALEMATE which in CHEX can include drawing the king and not being able to place it other than in check.

Strategy and Notes

Any move that reduces two tiles in play to one is an OK move. This often happens when White draws a King or a Queen first up. White can capture each tile Black draws until the king is drawn which is a STALEMATE. The trick is in knowing when to allow Black to provide a safe haven for his King before it shows up!

Tagging (tying down a tile to prevent Check or capture) is a defence unique to CHEX. Using other tiles to free the tied down piece is a useful counter-ploy.

Component Notes

i. NESTORGAMES edition uses 8mm thick acrylic tiles, so the draw piles can be a bit tall. You can place all the tiles of your colour face down in a group instead and draw them randomly. White tiles are translucent, so don't cheat! (you can keep them inside the cotton case and draw one at a time). This material has been chosen because of its beauty and feeling when playing.