Each of the two players places alternately one of his sixteen men, beginning with the K, upon any square of his first three rows. The two N’s may, if preferred, be placed on the same colour. A check within the first sixteen moves must immediately be covered, and should it not be possible to cover, then the player checked has lost the game. When all the men are placed, then the moving and taking begin, the player whose turn it is to play having the move. The K M move, that is, castling, is not permitted. The pawns move, and take in passing. A white P in the first row, or a black P in the eighth row, can start by moving one, two, or three squares, or such a P may first move one square and afterwards one or two squares, but in his adversary’s territory only one square at a time. When moving two or three squares it can be taken in passing. A black P on g 8 moving to g 5 can be taken by white P’s standing on f5, f6, h5, or h6. When a P reaches the last square, then the player promotes it and chooses any one of the seven officers which is not on the board, but when all the officers are on, then it remains a P for ever.
The letters from K to P are used for the six kinds of pieces, thus:—
The first game of this kind was played in June, 1887, between H. F. L. Meyer (White) and J. Swyer (Black). It is a so-called diagonal game, because the K’s are placed diagonally opposite one another (on h1 and a8); it would have been a straight game if the black K had been placed on h8. Both players surrounded their K’s with the P’s, and thus made sure to be safe against checks for a long time. The moves are the following:—
| White. | Black. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1, | K h1 | K a8 |
| 2, | P g1 | P a7 |
| 3, | P g2 | P b7 |
| 4, | P h2 | P b8 |
| 5, | P f2 | P c8 |
| 6, | P h3 | M d6 |
| 7, | M e1 | M d8 |
| 8, | M e2 | P a6[172] |
| 9, | P f1 | P b6 |
| 10, | P f3 | P c7 |
| 11, | P g3 | P c6 |
| 12, | N b2 | N h8 |
| 13, | N a2 | N h7 |
| 14, | O d2 | O f7 |
| 15, | O e3 | O h6 |
| 16, | L c1 | L f8 |
The men are now placed thus:—
| 17, | N a3 | P c5 |
| 18, | O d c4 | P b5 |
| 19, | O d6:([a]) | P d6 |
| 20, | O d5 | N d5 |
| 21, | M e3 | P c4 |
| 22, | P f4 | N d4 |
| 23, | M e7 | P c6 |
| 24, | O b4 | N f6 |
| 25, | M 7 e6 | N g7 |
| 26, | O d3: | P d3: |
| 27, | L d2 | P c5 |
| 28, | L d3: | P b4 |
| 29, | L d5 | O g8 |
| 30, | N c1 | O f h6 |
| 31, | P g4 | O f6 |
| 32, | L f3 | O h g8 |
| 33, | P g5 | O e8 ([b]) |
| 34, | N d5 | Resigns. ([c]) |
Notes.
(a) Black thought he might give the M for the O, and work the P’s through.