CHESMAYNE

Foot Soldier - FS

Monogram: Foot Soldier (FS) FS1, FS2, FS3 etc.

First Move, FMO: 1 cell vertically forward.

All Other Moves, AOM: 1 cell vertically forward.

Capture, *: 1 cell vertically forward.

Special Move: Top-rank horizontal 1 cell left or right.

The FS is a mp - symbol FS. They are used in Chinese Chess instead of the PA. In Chinese Chess there are five FSs numbered FS1, FS2, FS3, FS4, FS5. They can also be used on an 8 x 8 cell board. A soldier of the infantry, ‘a runner’, who acted both as a despatch carrier and as a bodyguard and sometimes as executioner. Runner: a KIs bodyguard, called footmen and guard (1^st Samuel 22:17), who ran before the KIs chariot (escorts).

The FS moves one cell at a time vertically (before crossing the river) and is not allowed to move horizontally. On reaching the far side of the river they may move one cell vertically or horizontally. They are not permitted to move diagonally or retreat. On reaching rank-10 the FS is only allowed to move one cell horizontal left or right. The FS is not promotable and may capture any MP/mp of your adversary occupying the cell to which they may move. At the start of a contest the FSs are used to block the enemy from advancing and have various functions according to their cellular position on the board. FS3 is an important defender of the central area. FS2 and FS4 help to obstruct attacks. Attacks from the left and right side of the board are blocked by FS1 and FS5. The FSs are used by the CNs to exert pressure on your opponent’s side of the board. During the endgame phase one extra FS can lead to a win. The cell position of a FS in the endgame (if the FS has gone beyond a certain rank or behind the GEs position) often determines the result of a contest. On the other hand a FS advancing too far, too early can diminish your chances of gaining a win.

Chesmayne Level-4 (8 x 8 board) 8 Foot Soldier’s:

1. How to set-up the board for Level-4

The Chesmayne chess MPs/mps are triangular shaped. Large triangles are used for the MPs and small triangles are used for the mps. Each triangle has the monogram of the MP/mp printed on it ie, FS1, FS2, FS3, FS4, FS5, FS6, FS7 and FS8 for the mps on Level-4. The monograms RO1, RO2, BS1, BS2, KT1, KT2, QU1 and KI for the MPs on Level-4. Set-up the board and play through moves 1 to 10 as shown below and then continue this game…….

Chesmayne, number and monogram

1 KI

1 QU QU1

2 RO RO1 and RO2

2 BS BS1 and BS2

2 KT KT1 and KT2

8 FS FS1 to FS8

Total of 16 MPs/mps per side

Level-4: Set-up the board as follows - Initial Starting Position (ISP)

Diagram of Level-4 Board

RO2 KT2 BS2 QU1 -KI BS1 KT1 RO1 rank-8

FS8 FS7 FS6 SF5 FS4 FS3 FS2 FS1 rank-7

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- rank-6

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- rank-5

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- rank-4

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- rank-3

FS1 FS2 FS3 FS4 FS5 FS6 FS7 FS8 rank-2

RO1 KT1 BS1 QU1 -KI BS2 KT2 RO2 rank-1

Foot-Soldier (sample game)

01A FS4-D02/D03

01B FS4-E07/E06

02A FS4-D03/D04

02B FS4-E06/E05

03A KT2-G01/F03

03B KT2-B08/C06

04A BS1-C01/G05

04B FS3-F07/F06

05A FS5-E02/E03

05B QU1-D08/E07

06A BS2-F01/D03

06B FS5-D07/D06

07A %K

07B BS2-C08/F05

08A KT1-B01/C03

08B %Q

09A FS5-E03/E04

09B FS4-E05*E04-FS5

10A BS2-D03*E04-FS4

10B BS2-F05*E04-BS2

11A KT1-? 11B Next move ?

Note that :A’s

Foot-Soldier’s are placed left-to-right on the board. The :B

Foot-Soldier’s are placed right-to-left. The eight Foot Soldier’s may be printed on your own printer - see ‘print’.

A FS may move one cell vertically forward while in their own half of the board (R$01 to R$04). On ranks 5 to 8 the Foot-Soldier may move one cell horizontally or vertically. A FS is not promotable but is allowed to move one cell horizontal left or right on R$08 of the board. A FS may capture any MP/mp on the cell to which they can move. Play through moves 1 to 10 as listed above and then continue the game to it’s conclusion.

Pawn (in Xiangqi)

Historical notes

The pawn (FS) or soldier is a piece used in Xiangqi (Chinese chess).

Movement

It is similar to the pawn in orthodox chess, except that the Xiangqi pawn (FS) captures in the same way that it moves, which is one square directly forward. The Xiangqi pawn (FS) also does not promote on the last rank, nor may it initially move two squares.

Xiangqi pawns (FS) take in the same way as they move without taking.

Xiangqi pawns (FS) have a special ability that orthodox chess pawns do not: once they cross the center line of the board (called the river), they move and capture one square to either side (horizontal!)

Movement diagram

There are two pawns (FSs) in the above diagram. Since one has moved past the center line of the board, it may move and capture one square forward or one square to either side (as shown with the black circles). The other pawn (FS) has not moved past the center line of the board, so it may only move and capture one square forward (as shown by the red circle).

This is an item in the Piececlopedia: an overview of different (fairy) chess pieces.

Written by David Howe.