The Dimensional Rift
In ancient times, there was only the board.
An endless void with a single, 8×8 grid suspended in darkness.
The light hums softly beneath its squares, illuminating the ancient pieces that wait upon it.
White stands still, uneasy.
Something feels wrong. There’s no opponent across the ranks, no echo of movement — only silence.
Then, the board tilts, reality bends, and you see it…
The black army — inverted, standing beneath the board on its own plane.
They stare forward, their world reversed, their gravity opposite yours.
Two armies occupy mirrored spaces — separate, yet intertwined.
They do not share squares, yet the fabric of the board connects them, waiting to react.
A pawn stirs.
He senses danger ahead but sees nothing.
He steps forward, and the air trembles. A faint vibration ripples through his square — then thud.
Below him, on the mirrored plane, a knight moves in its perfect rhythm.
Two shadows occupy parallel spaces, each unaware of the other — until the board reacts.
A flash. A rumble.
The planes collide for an instant, and the pawn and knight swap worlds.
Now, the pawn looks forward — and sees the enemy army in front of him, staring.
He’s alone.
And on the upper plane, chaos erupts as the knight crashes into their formation.
The war has begun.
🕹️ The Game
Chess Swap is played like standard chess, with one key addition: red squares trigger swaps.
Players choose White or Black; White moves first, just like standard chess.
All pieces move according to normal chess rules on their own plane.
Red squares act as swap triggers: stepping on one swaps your piece with either the corresponding square on the opposite plane (if on your plane) or with another one of your own pieces (if on the opponent’s plane).
Green squares mark your own pieces or positions for reference; they do not trigger a swap.
Once a swap occurs, your turn ends immediately.
Chess Swap is no ordinary chess.
It’s about dimensional strategy, positioning, and timing.
🧠 Rules of the Rift
1. Standard Chess Moves
All pieces move normally on their own plane: King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, Pawn.
Line-moving pieces (Queen, Rook, Bishop) cannot pass through red squares without triggering a swap.
2. Swap Mechanics
Only red squares trigger swaps.
Moving onto a red square on your plane swaps your piece with the corresponding square on the opponent’s plane.
Moving onto a red square on the opponent’s plane swaps one of your own pieces with the moving piece, which can be used strategically (for example, positioning a Knight for checkmate).
Once a swap occurs, your turn ends immediately — no additional movement that turn.
Green squares are purely markers and do not trigger swaps.
3. Victory and Endgame
The game ends when one King is checkmated, either:
After swapping into the opponent’s plane, or
By strategically using a red square on the opponent’s plane to position one of your own pieces for checkmate.
Special Endgame Rules:
If both armies have lost all pieces except their Kings, the game is a draw.
Stalemate rules from standard chess still apply: if the King is not in check but has no legal moves, the game is a draw.
Draw Resolution: When a game ends in a draw, both armies retreat to their original positions to begin a new battle.
🧩 Quick Tips
Plan swaps carefully — stepping on a red square ends your turn.
Green squares are visual guides; use them to track positions.
Red squares on the opponent’s plane can reposition your own pieces strategically.
Standard chess strategy applies; swaps are an added layer of dimensional strategy.
Think across both planes — controlling key squares is key to victory.
⚔️ The Essence of Chess Swap
Chess Swap is more than chess.
It’s a battle across mirrored realities, where every swap can instantly shift the battlefield.
Victory comes from timing, foresight, and clever dimensional strategy.
When a draw occurs, both armies retreat — and a new battle begins, fresh and unpredictable.
Will your army master the rift… or be trapped in the wrong plane?