Odnocvetnie Shashki ("Monocrome Checkers" - Одноцветные шашки) was invented by the famous Russian Chess problemist P. S. Artamonov. This variant is played by four people on a 64-square checkerboard.
Rules[]
The board is an 8×8 grid, with alternating dark and light squares. The left down square field should be dark.
The game starts with 24 pieces on the dark squares. There are pieces all around the board except for the central squares. The pieces are mutually owned by four players and are therefore all of the same color as shown in the diagram above.
The players move clockwise.
The men move diagonally forward (that is, towards the opponent who sits on the opposite side of the board) to the next square, when nothing can be captured. However, it is not permitted to move a man that was moved in the last turn.
When a man reaches the furthest row from the player who controls that piece, it is crowned and becomes a damka (дамка - literally: "lady"). One of the pieces which had been captured is placed on top of it so that it is twice as high as a single piece.
If a man reaches the last row by capturing an enemy piece (i.e. by jumping over it) and it can continue to capture additional enemy pieces as a damka then the move must be continued.
Damki can move freely multiple steps in any diagonal direction exactly like a Bishop in Chess.
Men capture opponents pieces that are diagonally in front and adjacent of them by moving two consecutive steps in the same direction, jumping over the opponent's piece on the first step. Multiple opposing pieces may be captured in a single turn provided this is done by successive jumps made by a single piece. These jumps do not need to be in the same direction but may zigzag changing diagonal direction. A 180° turn, however, is not permitted.
Damki may jump over and hence capture an opponent piece some distance away and choose where to stop afterwards.
The pieces are not removed during the jump, only after the whole move.
Captures are mandatory. Any sequence may be chosen, as long as all possible captures are made.
A player has lost if he cannot move at his turn. The game is won by the player who was able to move last.
See also[]
- Odnocvetnie Shashki (1), a two-person variant on the same board
- Odnocvetnie Shashki (3), a two-person variant on a larger board
- Odnocvetnie Shashki (4), a four-person variant on a larger board