Progressive Chess Variant Explained

Progressive Chess is a variant that even beginners can become quite adept at in a quick period of time. The traditional rules of chess still apply, but in a drastically different way. It can even be a good tool for planning and strategy in regular chess games, because it teaches you how to look way ahead.

The Rules:

White moves first, as in traditional chess. However, the rules of Progressive Chess kick in right away for black, which gets two moves! So, white moves once, black twice, and then white three times, and it snowballs like that until a check is given or a capture is made.

For instance, if white is able to move four times, but on the second move they place the black king in check, white's turn is ended and black now only gets three moves, the first of which must get the black king out of check. The same thing goes with capturing - it resets the move count. Therefore, if the piece or pawn is recaptured immediately (like to get out of check), then white only gets two moves on the next turn.

Sometimes, checks or captures can be a tool used to slow the game down, especially for the one being attacked. If you feel you will be mated soon, and you have six moves available, you can strategize and only use one move and then make a capture to limit your opponent's replies.

No piece may move twice in a single turn.This rule is important because otherwise checkmates would happen very easily. You may move as many pieces as you wish, but only once, per turn. And also, since a check ends the check-giver's turn, it is essential to plan your moves and entrap the king as much as possible before check is given. Watching for counter play is hard if not impossible in Progressive Chess, so the game can change directions extremely quickly.

Promoting a pawn counts as only one move as long as it doesn't give check. If it does, then the turn is over and it is the opponent's move. You can, however, promote with check or checkmate, which would end your turn or the game, respectively.

Tips!

Pins rarely work in Progressive Chess because the pinned side has multiple moves in which to break the pin. In fact, more times than not, trying to pin a piece will only lose material for yourself, so be careful!

Gambits are never a good idea in Progressive Chess unless there is a clear mate on the horizon. You cannot afford to lose material in a game where the other side has multiple moves to ensure they keep the edge, and then some.

As in regular chess, king safety is of utmost importance. However, since attacks can literally appear out of thin air, it is extremely hard to predict exactly how to protect the king. Therefore, attacking first and hard is a good rule of thumb. Once you get into defense mode in a game of Progressive Chess, it's usually all over but the crying.

Because of the nature of Progressive Chess, it appears as if black has a decent advantage, due to being able to move twice first in the opening. However, don't be fooled, because once white begins moving three and four times, the advantage can quickly shift.Grab a partner and have a night of Progressive Chess soon - you won't regret it! Players of all levels enjoy the game because most of chess theory is thrown out the window, and tactics prevail.