Chesters is a two-player abstract strategy game played on the dark squares of a standard 8-by-8 checkerboard. Each player begins with 8 men. Red moves first.
The game has two unusual ways to win: you can win by reaching the opponent's back rank, or you can win by having all of your own men captured.
Equipment
- One 8-by-8 checkerboard
- 8 red men
- 8 white men
Chesters can be played with checkers, chess pawns, or any two clearly different sets of pieces.
Starting Position
Each player places 8 men on the dark squares of the first two rows nearest that player.
Red moves first.
Object of the Game
There are two ways to win Chesters:
- Reach the opponent's back rank with one of your men.
- Have all of your own men captured.
The second winning condition is one of the features that makes Chesters different. Losing all your men is not losing the game. In Chesters, it is one way to win.
Movement
Men move diagonally forward one square at a time to an empty dark square.
There are no kings in Chesters. A man is never crowned. If a man reaches the opponent's back rank and the game is not otherwise drawn, that player wins immediately.
Jumps
Jumps are mandatory. If you can jump, you must jump.
A jump is made by leaping diagonally over an adjacent enemy man and landing on the empty dark square immediately beyond it.
Unlike ordinary checkers movement, jumps may go forward or backward.
Multiple Jumps
If a man makes a jump and can continue jumping from its new square, the jump must continue until that chosen jumping path naturally ends.
If more than one jumping path is available, the player may choose which legal path to take. The player does not have to choose the path that captures the most men, but once a path is chosen, the jumping must continue until no further jump is available along that path.
Winning by Reaching the Back Rank
If one of your men ends its move on the opponent's back rank, you win the game.
This means the move must end on the back rank. If a man passes through the back rank during a continuing multiple jump, the game is not won at that moment. The move continues until the jumping path ends.
Winning by Losing All Your Men
If your opponent captures your last remaining man, you win the game.
This creates one of the central tensions of Chesters. Capturing enemy men can be dangerous, because removing the opponent's last man gives the opponent the win.
Draws
If a move both reaches the opponent's back rank and captures the opponent's last remaining man, the game is a draw.
In other words, if both winning conditions happen on the same move, neither player wins.
Stalemate
If the player to move has no legal move but still has at least one man on the board, the position is a stalemate.
A stalemate is not a win, loss, or draw. In live play, it may be treated as no game.
Summary
- Red moves first.
- Each player starts with 8 men.
- Men move diagonally forward only.
- Jumps may go forward or backward.
- Jumps are mandatory.
- Multiple jumps must continue until the chosen jumping path ends.
- There are no kings.
- You win by reaching the opponent's back rank.
- You also win if all your men are captured.
- If both winning conditions happen on the same move, the game is a draw.
- If a player has no legal move but still has men, the game is a stalemate.
The Spirit of Chesters
Chesters looks a little like checkers, but it does not feel like ordinary checkers. Because losing all your men can win the game, captures are not automatically good. Because reaching the back rank wins immediately, advancement is always dangerous. The game is a balance between attack, escape, sacrifice, and timing.