King on the Run is a unique chess variant designed for players who enjoy the easy mode of Backgammon while still embracing the deep thinking of chess. This game blends dice-driven movement with hidden identities, creating a thrilling mix of chance and strategy. Players must move their pieces across the board, reveal their identities on the return journey, and ultimately guide their King safely back to its starting position. With a combination of tactical planning, calculated risks, and safe zones, every move is a step toward victory—or defeat.

Setup

The game is played on a 10×10 board, where each player starts with 24 checkers arranged in 10 pairs on their first and last ranks and 2 pairs on the second rank from their perspective. These checkers represent hidden chess pieces. Players take turns rolling two six-sided dice to determine movement, advancing their checkers across the board while planning their return.

Pieces

Each checker secretly represents one of the following chess pieces: 1 King, 2 Queens, 3 Rooks, 3 Bishops, 5 Knights, and 10 Pawns. While hidden, pieces move orthogonally or diagonally forward according to dice rolls. Upon reaching the last rank, a checker may immediately begin its return journey within the same turn, revealing its identity at the end of that move. From that point onward, it moves according to standard chess rules.

All chess pieces, including revealed ones, can form safe cells by stacking two pieces of the same color on a square, making them uncapturable. Additionally, a King in a safe cell cannot be placed in check or checkmated, adding an extra layer of strategy to its final approach.

Rules

• Rolling two dice means moving two different pieces.
• Rolling a double allows the player to move four different pieces.
• A piece cannot be moved more than once per turn.
• Captured hidden pieces return to their starting rank, while captured revealed pieces are removed from the board permanently.
• The game transitions into a regular chess battle (without castling) as more pieces are revealed and captured.
• Pawns may promote upon reaching their original starting rank on the return journey.
• A player wins by successfully escorting their King back to its starting rank or by checkmating the opponent’s King along the way.

With a perfect balance of Backgammon-style movement and chess strategy, King on the Run offers a fresh and engaging experience that is both accessible and deeply tactical. Every roll of the dice brings new surprises, and every decision shapes the journey of your pieces—until the King makes its final run to victory!