A social chess variant where 8 players compete with hidden targets, shifting alliances, and strategic deception. Unlike traditional chess, Secret Target is not about eliminating everyone—it’s about being the first to complete your secret mission. Each player is assigned one hidden target, but they don’t know who is hunting them. The game starts with a mysterious battlefield, where all pieces are hidden and must be uncovered. Players must outmaneuver, form alliances, and deceive opponents while racing to checkmate their target. The result is a dynamic, unpredictable battle of strategy, psychology, and social manipulation.

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Setup

• The game is played on a 10×10 chessboard with 8 players, each controlling 6 pieces:
  1 King, 1 Queen, 1 Rook, 1 Bishop, and 2 Knights (6 × 8 = 48 total pieces).
• Two neutral obstacles are placed on the board, moving like Kings but cannot be captured.
• All pieces start face-down, randomly placed, so players do not know the location of their own pieces.
• A jury assigns secret target coins, ensuring that each player has one specific King to checkmate.
  • Players cannot receive their own coin, ensuring each has both a target and an enemy.

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Pieces

• All chess pieces are represented by checker pieces with:
  • A single uniform color on one side (used during the dropping phase).
  • A chess piece symbol in one of 8 unique colors on the other side (revealed when flipped).
• This design ensures that players cannot distinguish their own pieces from others during the Dropping Phase, maintaining fairness.
• The two neutral obstacles have a distinct marking to differentiate them from regular pieces.

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Game Phases

The game progresses through three phases, each with its own mechanics:

1. Dropping Phase

• Players take turns placing pieces face-down on the board, one at a time, without knowing which pieces belong to whom.
• This ensures a fair and unpredictable starting setup.
• Face down pieces cannot be captured.

2. Flipping Phase

• On each turn, a player flips one piece face-up.
  • If the piece belongs to them, they can move or capture with it.
  • If the piece belongs to another player, they lose their turn and cannot move.
• The two neutral obstacles can be moved before or after a player’s turn, blocking paths and disrupting strategies.
• Kings may teleport up to three times during this phase if they are revealed in immediate danger, preventing unfair early eliminations.
• If a King is put in check after a player’s turn, they immediately get an emergency move to escape check. Then, play resumes from where it left off.
• Once all pieces are face-up, the game transitions into the final phase.

3. Normal Chess Phase

• Players now play freely using standard chess movement.
• Alliances may form and break, and the game becomes a race to checkmate hidden targets while avoiding threats.

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Rules & Objectives

✅ Winning the game: A player wins instantly if:

• They checkmate their assigned target’s King.
• Another player checkmates their assigned target’s King (even if they weren’t the attacker).

❌ Losing the game: A player is eliminated instantly if:

• They checkmate the wrong King.
• Their own King is checkmated.

🔄 Consequences of elimination:

• When a player exits the game (either by winning or losing):
  • Their King is removed from the board.
  • If they won, their target’s King is also removed.
  • Their remaining pieces are removed from the board, shuffled face-down, and redistributed as follows:
    • Players take turns picking one piece at a time, ensuring fairness.
    • Once all pieces are claimed, they are converted into their new owner’s color.
    • The newly assigned pieces are returned to their previous locations on the board.
  • The game continues exactly where it left off.

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Key Mechanics & Strategy

• Alliances are temporary—players may cooperate or betray at any time.
• Bluffing and deception are crucial. If players reveal their target too soon, they may be manipulated or blocked.
• Neutral obstacles add tactical depth, as they can be moved to block checkmates, delay threats, or create safe zones.
• King teleportation adds a survival mechanism, making the game more dynamic.
• If a King is put in check after a turn, the player gets an emergency move to resolve the check before play resumes.
• Players must carefully balance aggression and caution, since multiple opponents may be after the same target.

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Conclusion: A Challenge for Humans and AI

Secret Target presents a unique challenge for artificial intelligence due to its hidden information, social elements, and shifting alliances. Traditional chess engines struggle with uncertain board states and unpredictable player interactions, making Secret Target much harder for AI than standard chess. In contrast, humans excel at deception, deduction, and forming temporary coalitions, making the game deeply engaging for social and strategic players. The combination of chess tactics, diplomacy, and psychological warfare ensures endless replayability, making Secret Target one of the most complex and exciting chess variants ever designed.