CHESMAYNE
Promote - Promotion - #
Mps: to promote - to advance in rank,
dignity, position - enrobe
etc. When a mp
reaches the top rank s/he may be promoted/enrobed to any of the MPs available
at that particular level. It is indicated by the sharp symbol ie, PA3-$F07/F08-#RO3 = move PA3 to top rank and promote to
RO3. If a mp
is promoted to any other MP
except QU2 it is sometimes referred to as an under-promotion. A mp, on reaching
the farthest rank, may be exchanged for another MP of the same colour, apart from a PA or KI. When a PA reaches the top rank, s/he is
promoted immediately to become QU2, RO3, BS3, KT3 etc - whatever the player who
owns the mp chooses - but never to KI2 (King-02). An unusual feature of many great armies is the
principle of promotion within their ranks based on merit alone - the secret of
their success. In the past a mp that reached rank-8 was exchanged for a MP from among
those the player had lost during the game.
Two QUs, two BSs on
the same coloured diagonal, three ROs
(RO1, RO2 and RO3), three KTs (KT1, KT2 and KT3) were
not permitted. If a
mp advanced to rank-8 it remained inactive until one of the MPs was captured by
enemy action. PAs
that reach the top rank are ‘knighted’ or ‘queened’. PAs that become BSs (or VCs) are ‘ordained.’
The mps are (normally) placed
in front of the MPs and on reaching the top rank are promoted to a new MP
selected from the one’s available at the particular
level of play chosen. PAs, GUs and other mps are often blocked by other MPs or mps
of either side. If a
mp cannot make a capture then they are stuck where they are and can remain in
this twilight state for a prolonged period.
In diagrams :A advance up the page/screen and
:B move down. Mps are permitted to pass through blockers (XW, XB). The PA may progress two cells on the initial
move (FMO). This two-cell advance was originally
introduced in the 16th century so as to speed up events. Thereafter, they may move one cell at a
time. A PA is prevented from
retreating. PAs
move vertically forward on the board and may capture diagonally forward. On reaching the top rank they must be promoted/enrobed.
Promotion is not optional for a mp. The sharp symbol (#) is used to indicate
promotion in Chesmayne ie, PA4-$D07/D08-#QU2 (XY axis). Although the PA is one of the weakest mps in
a chess game they have the potential to become the strongest by being
transformed into QU2 on reaching a top rank of the board.
:L01. On
reaching rank-8 a PA must be instantly enrobed for a MP of its own colour, except a KI, regardless of the MPs on the board at
the time. Usually a QU2 but sometimes
RO3, BS3 or KT3 - an under-promotion.