A. A Rule is a FourplayChessPieceDef Rule (referred to as 'Defining Rule' in this Rule) if and only if it meets the following criteria:
(i) It defines exactly one type of Piece that can be created and used in the game of Fourplay Chess.
(ii) It is a member of the Fourplay Rules.
(iii) It defines a material value for the Piece.
(iv) It defines an ordered pair of ASCII characters to represent the Piece, the second of which must be a non-space character, and this pair must be different from those that represent all the other types of Pieces. The two characters making up the pair are written right next to each other with no delimiter. Whenever a Rule defines a FourplayChessPiece as represented by a single character, then that single character is the second character of the pair, and the first character is assumed to be the space character. For the purpose of this Rule, a lower case Latin letter is considered identical to its corresponding upper case Latin letter. If two or more different Rules, each of which meets the other four criteria, all claim the same pair of ASCII characters, only the Rule among them with the lowest number is a FourplayChessPieceDef rule.
(v) It unambiguously defines the legal moves that the Piece may make. That is, it defines to which empty squares on the board the Piece may move. Additionally, i must define the legal captures that the Piece may make. If the way a Piece captures is the same as the way a Piece moves, this must be stated.
(vi) It must give a physical description of the Piece. Such a description must allow for the fact that Pieces of the same type but owned by different Players will be different colored, even tho they will otherwise look the same.
This Rule takes precedence over all FourplayChessPieceDef Rules.
B. Unless otherwise stipulated by the relevant FourplayChessPieceDef rule, the legal moves for each Piece are defined relative to that Piece's current position on the Board, and may depend on the positions of other Pieces on the Board.
C. A FourplayChessPieceDef Rule may define conditions under which a Piece is promoted. If no such conditions are defined for a given Piece, that Piece does not promote. When a Piece is promoted, it changes itself into a Piece of a different type. If a Piece does promote, the Defining Rule must state which Pieces it is legal for them to promote to. A Piece can only promote to another existing legal Piece. If none of the Pieces that the original pPiece can promote to exist, then the Piece can not promote.
D. A FourplayChessPieceDef Rule must define conditions under which a Piece may skip over other pieces during its movement. If the Piece does not skip over other Pieces, the Defining Rule must state this and clearly define that path of travel that the Piece must take to its destination square. The Defining Rule must state which locations the Piece may choose along its path of travel as a destination square.
E. Should it ever be found that an on-board Piece exists that is not defined by any FourplayChessPieceDef Rule, that Piece is immediately moved off-board. It does not change ownership.
F. A FourplayPieceDef rule may define conditions under which the position on the Party Board of a piece it defines enhances or restricts the moves or captures available to other pieces. FourplayChessPieceDef rules defer to such enhancements or restrictions.
G. Instance limits
(i) A FourplayChessPieceDef rule may define an on-board instance limit for that type of Piece. If it does not, there is no on-board instance limit for that Piece. If an on-board instance limit is defined, it is illegal for a Player to place a Piece of that type on the Board such that he would have more Pieces on the Board than is allowed by the limit.
(ii) A FourplayChessPieceDef rule may define an total instance limit for that type of Piece. If it does not, there is no total instance limit for that Piece. Total instance limits are always enforced on a per Player basis. If a total instance limit is defined, a Player may not control more Pieces than the limit; if it is ever found that he possesses Pieces in excess of the specified limit, all excess Pieces are destroyed until this situation is corrected, starting with off-board Pieces.
(iii) If a proposal is submitted which would modify or introduce any Rule such that upon that proposal passing, any Player in the Game would instantly become in violation of an on-board instant limit, then that proposal is automatically invalid. An invalid proposal will be discarded by the Speaker automatically and will not go to vote.
I. A Compound Piece is a Piece composed of two legal Fourplay chess Pieces. There are two types of Compound Pieces, Weak Compounds and Strong Compounds. Invented Compound Pieces always count towards the instance limits of the Pieces of which they are composed. The instance limit of a Rule defined Compound shall be determined by subjecting the instance limits of its constituent members to the same formula used for determination of material value of a Weak Compound, thus: (IA+IB)/2 rounded to the nearest multiple of .5.
II. Weak Compound - Attacks like Piece A, and moves like Piece B. Its material value is the (MA+MB)/2 rounded to the closest multiple of .5, where MA is the material value of piece A, and MB is the material value of piece B.
III.Strong Compound- Attacks and moves like either A or B. Its material value is MA+MB+1.
IV. Compound Pieces may be either defined by Rules or Invented by Players.
V. This Rule takes precedence over all Rules that define Compound Fourplay Chess Pieces. A Rule which a Compound Piece defers to all FourplayChessPieceDef rules which define non Compound Pieces. A Rule which defines Compound Fourplay Chess Pieces must meet all the criteria of FourplayChessPieceDef Rules, as specified in R900 section A, with the exception of section (iii) and (v), which it must not specify.
VI. The following Char's have been assigned:
Weak:
Uri: 1
Dan: 2
Mark: 3
Ben: 4
Strong:
Uri: 5
Dan: 6
Mark: 7
Ben: 8
VII. A Player may Invent a Compound Piece provided the following criteria are met:
a. That Player had not Invented a Compound Piece for two days.
b. There does not already exist a Compound Piece, either Invented or
defined by Rule, identical in all respects, provided the physical
description is disregarded.
VIII. The first character of all Strong Compounds Invented by a Player is eir Strong Char. No other Pieces may have any Player's Strong Char as their first character. The first character of all Weak Compounds Invented by a Player is eir Weak Char. No other Pieces may have any Player's Weak Char as their first character.
IX. A Player Invents a Compound Piece by posting a public message to that effect, specifying its name, type, pair of ASCII characters which represent it, and the Pieces of which it is a Compound. That description is then appended as a subsection to the last section of this Rule. Should at any time this Rule is ammended such that any section other than the last section of this Rule includes such descriptions of Invented Compound Pieces, then all such descriptions are immdiately moved to the last section of this Rule.
XX. The last section of this Rule defers to all FourplayChessPieceDef Rules. Its subsections are descriptions of Invented Compound Pieces.
Weak Compound Pieces
Piece A: Bishop
Piece B: Rook
Material Value=4
ASCII: 4R
The Rishop appears as a constantly changing Piece, with features of both the chess bishop and the chess rook. When it moves, bishop features predominate, when it captures, rook features predominate.
Piece A: Rook
Piece B: Bishop
Material Value=4
ASCII: 4B
The Book appears as a book. It can be any book that the Player wishes, but it will always be a hardback book, with the cover and title in the colors of the Player's Office.
Piece A: Cannon
Piece B: YYZ
Material Value=9.5
ASCII: 4Z
The Zannon appears as a more futuristic version of the Cannon.
Piece A: Flaming Pig
Piece B: Oliphaunt
Material Value=8
ASCII: 80
The Flaming Oliphuant appears as an Oliphant, except that it is surrounded by fire, the flames of which are the Colors of the Player's Office.
Piece A: Horse
Piece B: Camel
Material Value=4.5
ASCII: 8W
The Wildebeest appears as a wildebeest. It is taken from the game Wayne Schmittberger's Wildebeest Chess.
Piece A: Monkey
Piece B: Withdrawer
Material Value=8
ASCII: 8M
The Wonkey appears as a monkey dressed like the Withdrawer.
Piece A: Rook
Piece B: Griffon
Material Value=13.5
ASCII: 8S
The steamroller appears as a steamroller, in the colors of the player's office, with the office logo and the fourplay logo on each side.