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Kuma Chess

An Experimental Game by Ivan A Derzhanski

Kuma Chess, or Kuma for short (from Japanese 熊 kuma ‘bear’), is a game that's very much like Orthochess, except it is played with the bears of Taikyoku Shōgi.

There are nine kinds of bears in that game, some of which are present in the original array (and promote—with one exception, to other bears) whilst others are obtained by promotion (from other bears—again, with one exception). To wit:

original rank promoted rank

盲熊 mōyū Blind Bear 飛鹿 hiroku Flying Stag

猛熊 mōyū Violent Bear 大熊 daiyū Great Bear

竪熊 shuyū Upright (Erect, Standing, Vertical) Bear 奔熊 hon'yū Dashing (Free) Bear

走熊 sōyū Running Bear

熊兵 yūhei Bear Soldier 強熊 kyōyū Mighty (Strong) Bear

猛狼 mōrō Violent Wolf 熊眼 yūgan Bear's Eyes

original rank	promoted rank
盲熊 mōyū Blind Bear	飛鹿 hiroku Flying Stag
猛熊 mōyū Violent Bear	大熊 daiyū Great Bear
竪熊 shuyū Upright (Erect, Standing, Vertical) Bear	奔熊 hon'yū Dashing (Free) Bear
走熊 sōyū Running Bear
熊兵 yūhei Bear Soldier	強熊 kyōyū Mighty (Strong) Bear
猛狼 mōrō Violent Wolf	熊眼 yūgan Bear's Eyes

So here is the game.

Board and Setup

Kuma Chess is played on a regular 8×8 chessboard. The setup is as follows:

White: King e1; Bear Soldier d1; Running Bear h1; Upright Bear a1; Violent Bear c1, f1; Blind Bear b1, g1; Pawn a2–h2.
Black: King e8; Bear Soldier d8; Running Bear h8; Upright Bear a8; Violent Bear c8, f8; Blind Bear b8, g8; Pawn a7–h7.

The Units

Promotion is upon reaching the opposite rank of the board (8 for White, 1 for Black), and is obligatory.

original rank promoted rank

Pawn (P): As in OrthoChess (mfW+cfF), including an initial double move and en passant capture. Bear's Eyes (E): Moves as a King (W+F), but isn't royal.
111
1☼1
111

In Taikyoku Shōgi the Pawn promotes to a non-bear (a Tokin), and the Bear's Eyes is a promoted non-bear (a Violent Wolf); I've decided to pair them up.

1◦1
1☼1
1◦1
Blind Bear (B): Moves one square orthogonally sideways or diagonally, but not orthogonally forwards or backwards (sW+F). The game is won instantly if a Blind Bear reaches the opposite rank. (As it is, to be sure, if the enemy King is checkmated.)

In OrthoChess the Knight is the weakest officer (though only slightly weaker than the next higher rank, the Bishop), but enjoys an exceptional status by virtue of being able to move as no other unit does. The ‘promotion to victory’, which replaces the Taikyoku Shōgi promotion to a non-bear (a Flying Stag), makes the Blind Bear an outstanding beast in this game.

212
1☼1
◦◦◦
Violent Bear (V): Moves one square orthogonally forwards or sideways or up to two squares diagonally forwards (fsW+fF2). Unlike the OrthoChess Bishop, the Violent Bear isn't colourbound, but is handicapped relative to the other units by being unable to move backwards. Great Bear (G): Moves to any distance orthogonally or diagonally forwards or one square orthogonally sideways or backwards (fR+sbW+fB). Although a promoted rank, the Great Bear can much more easily advance than retreat.
†††
1☼1
◦1◦

◦†◦
2☼2
◦1◦
Upright Bear (U): Moves only orthogonally, to any distance forwards, one square backwards or up to two squares sideways (fR+bW+sW2). Dashing Bear (D): Moves to any distance orthogonally forwards or backwards or diagonally, but not sideways (vR+B).
†††
◦☼◦
†††

◦†◦
2☼2
◦†◦
Running Bear (R): Moves only orthogonally, to any distance forwards or backwards or up to two squares sideways (fbR+sW2). It is meet that the stronger Rook-like unit should start life on the weaker (the King's) side of the board.

†††
2☼2
◦1◦
Bear Soldier (S): Moves to any distance orthogonally or diagonally forwards, up to two squares sideways or one square orthogonally backwards (fR+sW2+bW+fB). Mighty Bear (M): Moves up to two squares backwards, otherwise as an OrthoChess Queen (fsR+bW2+B).
†††
†☼†
†2†

111
1☼1
111
King (K): As in OrthoChess (W+F), including castling with either the Upright Bear or the Running Bear. The King doesn't promote.

original rank	promoted rank
Pawn (P): As in OrthoChess (mfW+cfF), including an initial double move and en passant capture.	Bear's Eyes (E): Moves as a King (W+F), but isn't royal.	111 1☼1 111
In Taikyoku Shōgi the Pawn promotes to a non-bear (a Tokin), and the Bear's Eyes is a promoted non-bear (a Violent Wolf); I've decided to pair them up.
1◦1 1☼1 1◦1	Blind Bear (B): Moves one square orthogonally sideways or diagonally, but not orthogonally forwards or backwards (sW+F).	The game is won instantly if a Blind Bear reaches the opposite rank. (As it is, to be sure, if the enemy King is checkmated.)
In OrthoChess the Knight is the weakest officer (though only slightly weaker than the next higher rank, the Bishop), but enjoys an exceptional status by virtue of being able to move as no other unit does. The ‘promotion to victory’, which replaces the Taikyoku Shōgi promotion to a non-bear (a Flying Stag), makes the Blind Bear an outstanding beast in this game.
212 1☼1 ◦◦◦	Violent Bear (V): Moves one square orthogonally forwards or sideways or up to two squares diagonally forwards (fsW+fF2). Unlike the OrthoChess Bishop, the Violent Bear isn't colourbound, but is handicapped relative to the other units by being unable to move backwards.	Great Bear (G): Moves to any distance orthogonally or diagonally forwards or one square orthogonally sideways or backwards (fR+sbW+fB). Although a promoted rank, the Great Bear can much more easily advance than retreat.	††† 1☼1 ◦1◦
◦†◦ 2☼2 ◦1◦	Upright Bear (U): Moves only orthogonally, to any distance forwards, one square backwards or up to two squares sideways (fR+bW+sW2).	Dashing Bear (D): Moves to any distance orthogonally forwards or backwards or diagonally, but not sideways (vR+B).	††† ◦☼◦ †††
◦†◦ 2☼2 ◦†◦	Running Bear (R): Moves only orthogonally, to any distance forwards or backwards or up to two squares sideways (fbR+sW2). It is meet that the stronger Rook-like unit should start life on the weaker (the King's) side of the board.
††† 2☼2 ◦1◦	Bear Soldier (S): Moves to any distance orthogonally or diagonally forwards, up to two squares sideways or one square orthogonally backwards (fR+sW2+bW+fB).	Mighty Bear (M): Moves up to two squares backwards, otherwise as an OrthoChess Queen (fsR+bW2+B).	††† †☼† †2†
111 1☼1 111	King (K): As in OrthoChess (W+F), including castling with either the Upright Bear or the Running Bear. The King doesn't promote.

Sample Games

Zillions of Games—Zillions of Games 1. c2–c4 c7–c6 2. Bb1–c2 Bb8–c7 3. e2–e4 d7–d5 4. c4:d5 c6:d5 5. Bc2–d3 Sd8–d6 6. Vc1–c2 Vc8–e6 7. f2–f3 d5:e4 8. f3:e4 f7–f5 9. Bg1–f2 Bg8–f7 10. e4:f5 Ve6:f5 11. Bd3–e4 Bf7–g6 12. Vc2–d3 Sd6–e5 13. Sd1–c2 0–0–0 14. Ua1–c1 Ud8–d7 15. Vf1–e2 Vf5:e4 16. Vd3:e4 Se5–e6 17. Ve2–c4 Se6–f6 18. Vc4–d5 Kc8–d8 19. Vd5–e5 Sf6:e5 20. Ve4:e5 Bc7–b8 21. Ve5–e6 Bb8–c7 22. Ve6:d7+ Bc7:d7 23. Sc2–e4 Bd7–c6 24. Se4–d4+ Kd8–c7 25. Sd4:a7 Bg6–f5 26. Sa7–a8M Bf5–e4 27. Bf2–e3 Rh8–g8 28. b2–b4 Kc7–d6 29. b4–b5 Bc6–d7 30. Ma8:b7 Be4–d5 31. Mb7–b6+ Bd7–c6 32. b5:c6 Vf8–e8 33. c6–c7+ Bd5–c6 34. Mb6–b4+ Kd6–d7 35. Uc1:c6 Kd7:c6 36. Mb4–c4+ Kc6–d6 37. Mc4:g8 Ve8–c6 38. c7–c8E Vc6–c5 39. 0–0 h7–h5 40. Rf1–f8D Vc5:e3+ 41. d2:e3 g7–g5 42. Mg8–g6+ Kd6–d5 43. Df8–f3+ Kd5–c4 44. Df3–c6+ Kc4–b4 45. Mg6–b1+ Kb4–a3 46. Dc6–a8×.

Zillions of Games—Zillions of Games 1. c2–c4 c7–c6 2. Bb1–c2 Bb8–c7 3. e2–e4 d7–d5 4. c4:d5 c6:d5 5. Bc2–d3 Sd8–d6 6. Vc1–c2 f7–f6 7. Vc2–b3 d5:e4 8. Bd3:e4 Sd6–e5 9. Vf1–d3 Se5:b2 10. Sd1–c1 Sb2:c1M+ 11. Ua1:c1 Bg8–f7 12. f2–f4 e7–e6 13. Bg1–f2 Vc8–d7 14. Be4–d4 Vf8–d6 15. Vd3–e4 Bc7–b6 16. h2–h4 Vd7–c6 17. Ve4:c6+ b7:c6 18. g2–g3 Ua8–c8 19. Bf2–e3 Bf7–g6 20. h4–h5 Bg6–f5 21. Be3–f3 Rh8–f8 22. Vb3–c4 g7–g5 23. Bd4–e4 g5–g4 24. Be4:f5 e6:f5 25. Bf3–e3 Ke8–f7 26. h5–h6 Rf8–e8 27. Rh1–h5 Vd6–d5 28. Ke1–f1 Kf7–g6 29. Rh5–h2 Vd5–e4 30. Uc1–c3 Uc8–d8 31. Kf1–e1 Ve4–f3 32. Rh2–h4 Ud8–d7 33. a2–a4 Re8–e4 34. Vc4–b4 a7–a5 35. Vb4–c4 Ud7–d8 36. Ke1–f1 Re4:e3 37. Uc3:e3 Vf3:e3 38. d2:e3 Ud8–d1D 39. Vc4–e6 Dd1–b3 40. Ve6–e7 Db3:a4 41. Ve7–f8G Da4–b3 42. e3–e4 Bb6–c5 43. e4:f5+ Kg6:f5 44. Gf8–e8 Db3–e6 45. Ge8–f8 Bc5–d4 46. Rh4–h5+ Kf5–e4 47. f4–f5 Bd4–c3 48. Rh5–g5 Bc3–d2 49. Rg5:g4+ Ke4–d3 50. f5:e6 Bd2–c1#.

Zillion of Games

The implementation is here.

Created: 2 September 2006.