Morph 4x4x4 Chess
by L. Lynn Smith


The basic rule of this game is that when a piece captures another it takes its unique power(s).

Material:

4x4x4 playing field
Set of stackable Chessmen. Per each player; one King, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and 
eight Pawns.  There are no initial Queens in this game  These pieces can be made from wooden 
cubes with the symbol of the piece painted on its faces.

All pieces begin off the field.

Each player, in turn, introduces their King to the field.  Then they can either move a piece or 
introduce a piece on subsequent turns.  

An introduced piece cannot immediately check the opponent King.  If it does, the opponent has 
the right to capture it and remove it from play.

Pieces move according to their classic 3D patterns.  Pawns move as Unicorns.

When a piece captures an opponent piece it "absorbs" the power(s) of that piece.  If a King 
captures a piece, it is removed from play for the remainder of the game.

Examples of "absorbing".  A Pawn, with the power of a Unicorn, captures an opponent Rook.  
It now has the ability to move as either a Unicorn or Rook, effectively as a Narwhal.  A Knight 
captures a Bishop and now has the ability to move as either a Knight or Bishop, effectively as a Cardinal.

Using cubes, capturing piece merely move on top of the captured piece.  The top cube denotes the 
owner of this piece.  If, for example, a Bishop captures a Narwhal it merely becomes a Narwhal.  
The extra Bishop cube of this capture is removed from play for the remainder of the game.

The game is won by checkmating the opponent King.

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By now, the reader may have realized that pieces can become very powerful in this game.  Although 
there is the possibility of a piece with all the powers, that chance will actually be remote.  
But there should be a nice variety of piece throughout the game, with a few having the ability 
to mate the King by themselves alone.

This is not an easy game.  There is the severe opportunity for an early win.  It would not be wise 
to introduce a different power to the field without having sufficient defense.