Around we go with circular chess

When it comes to chess it has been played on so many different boards and configurations its almost impossible to keep track, although amid the myriad are well known versions on 3D boards, hexagonal boards and perhaps less know circular ones.

It appears the first circular board was used in Byzantine Chess (900); an “ancient chess variant which uses a 16 X 4 circular board. Piece movement is the same except that Queen moves only one space diagonally and Bishop moves two diagonally, jumping the first space. Additionally, two pawns blocking one another's path may be removed (both are removed),” details Board Game Geek.

Then in 1983 David Reynolds developed a Circular Chess rule set “after reading a reference to chess being played on a circular board in medieval times. Imagining how it might have played, he developed such a version,” again from BGG.

“His board consists of four rings (files) and sixteen radii (ranks) with a large, unplayable center circle. Mr. Reynolds would often adorn the center with the crest of the city of Lincoln, U.K., thus the design is often referred to as a "Lincoln board".

“A standard set of chess pieces is used. However, each player gets two ranks of pieces surrounded by two ranks of pawns. The king and queen are placed on the innermost file (ring). Movement mimics standard chess, allowing the rooks and queen to move fully around a ring. Castling and en passant capturing are not allowed.”

As you might imagine circular chess and its specific board are not readily available – I was happy to find a set at a thrift store some time ago.

But a set is also available in a small box, cloth board set from kanare-abstract.com

I have come to really respect what Kanare does in terms of preserving some very old abstract strategy games while also offering new design efforts to what is admittedly a niche market.

The rules included in the Kanare set are the original version which more strictly follows both rules of Byzantine chess and orthodox chess.

“The board shape makes the game slightly different from regular chess, and there are no established tactics. Therefore, both familiar and unfamiliar chess players may find this game refreshing,” notes the Kanare website.

Something of a chess novelty, the fact the rules are familiar with the board offering the twist, it’s an easy to learn chess variant which still puts a refreshing take on an old classic, making it a fine addition to a chess collection.