Game rules

The rules, explained simply

First the regular rules of chess, made easy for beginners. Then everything that makes Chess of the Wizards special: the hidden trap, mana and the spells of the wizards.

Goal of the game

Checkmate the king

Chess is played by two sides, white and black, each with 16 pieces on a board of 64 squares. The goal is to attack the enemy king so that it cannot escape: checkmate. The players take turns, one move each.

You choose your side: the Bright Circle of good wizards always plays white, the Shadow Guild of evil wizards always plays black. White moves first, so black starts with 3 mana to make up for it. In Chess of the Wizards you play against the computer on three levels: Beginner, Normal and Master.

The pieces

How the chess pieces move

Each side has one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. No piece may move onto a square occupied by a piece of its own color. Moving onto an enemy piece captures it. The value shows roughly how much a piece is worth. In Chess of the Wizards you earn exactly that much mana when you capture it.

KingValue: priceless
Moves one square in any direction. It may never step onto an attacked square. Losing it ends the game, so it is never captured, only checkmated.
QueenValue: 9
The strongest piece: moves any distance in a straight line or diagonally, as long as nothing is in the way.
RookValue: 5
Moves any distance horizontally or vertically. Together with the king it can castle.
BishopValue: 3
Moves any distance diagonally, so it always stays on its own square color.
KnightValue: 3
Jumps in an L shape: two squares straight, then one to the side. It is the only piece that can jump over others.
PawnValue: 1
Moves one square forward, two on its first move. It captures diagonally forward and gets promoted on the last rank.

Special moves

Castling, en passant and promotion

Castling: The king moves two squares toward a rook, and the rook jumps to the other side of the king. Only allowed if neither has moved, no square between them is occupied, and the king is not in check, does not pass through an attacked square and does not land on one.
En passant: If a pawn moves two squares and lands next to an enemy pawn, that pawn may capture it diagonally on the very next move, as if it had moved only one square.
Promotion: When a pawn reaches the last rank, it becomes a queen, rook, bishop or knight. The queen is usually the best choice.

Effects carry over to castling: if a spell removes or moves a rook, castling rights change accordingly.

End of the game

Check, mate and draws

Check: The king is under attack. You must end it at once: move the king, capture the attacker or block the line.
Checkmate: The king is in check and no move can save it. The game is won.
Stalemate: The side to move has no legal move but is not in check. That is a draw.
Fifty move rule: 50 moves by each side without a pawn move or a capture: draw.
Threefold repetition: The same position appears for the third time: draw.
Insufficient material: Neither side can checkmate any more, such as king against king: draw.
Resigning: You can resign at any time. The computer is sure to have a quip ready.

New: the trap

A trap only you know about

Before the first move, each side hides a trap on a square of ranks 3 to 6, the empty middle of the board. Your opponent cannot see it, and the computer does not know where yours is.
It snaps shut when the opponent moves a piece exactly onto that square. Jumping over it or being pushed there by a spell does not trigger it. What happens depends on the wizard, such as paralysis or a loss of mana.
Your own pieces can step on your trap safely. The king is immune: if it steps on a trap, the trap is used up without effect.
Fairness: A trap never leaves the victim's king unprotected. If it would, the move goes ahead normally and the trap stays hidden.

Mana and spells

Three spells instead of a move

Mana: Every move earns 1 mana, every captured piece adds its value (pawn 1, knight and bishop 3, rook 5, queen 9). At most 30 mana.
A spell replaces your move: Instead of moving, you spend mana. Then it is your opponent's turn.
Cooldown: After use, the spell needs a few of your own moves before it is ready again.
Master spell: The third spell is especially strong, costs 25 mana or more and works only once per game.
Not in check: While you are in check, no spells are allowed. No spell may put your own king in check.
The king is immune: No spell can hit it. The game is always won by checkmate.

Effects on the board

Paralyzed, protected, banished

Paralyzed: The piece cannot move for a few turns. It still attacks and defends, which keeps the chess rules clear.
Protected: The piece cannot be captured and is immune to spells and traps while the protection lasts.
Banished: The piece leaves the board for a few turns, then returns to its square, or the nearest free one.
Temporary pieces: Some spells summon pieces that fade away after a few of your own moves.
Blocked squares: Hedges, walls or fire block squares for the opponent: they can neither enter nor pass through them. Knights jump over.
Stalemate by effects: If a side cannot move only because of such effects and is not in check, it is stalemate. In check, it is mate.

Good to know

Common questions about the rules

By checkmating the enemy king: it is in check and no move can save it. Your opponent may also resign before that.

No. The king may not castle out of check, through an attacked square or into check. Neither king nor rook may have moved before.

If a pawn moves two squares and lands right next to an enemy pawn, that pawn may capture it on the very next move as if it had moved only one square. The chance exists only on that move.

On stalemate (no legal move but not in check), after 50 moves by each side without a pawn move or capture, when the same position appears for the third time, or when neither side can checkmate any more, such as king against king.

No. The king is immune to all spells and traps. If it steps on a trap, the trap is used up without effect. Checkmate always decides the game.

Every move earns 1 mana. Capture a piece and its value is added: pawn 1, knight and bishop 3, rook 5, queen 9. You can hold at most 30 mana.

No. On Beginner the computer makes plenty of mistakes and uses its spells rather randomly. Once you improve, move on to Normal and later to Master.

See all 16 wizards