Fischerandom Chess

 RULES OF FISCHERANDOM CHESS

A little known and long-discarded offshoot of Classical Chess is the
realm of so-called "Randomized Chess" in its various forms.

Fischerandom Chess (hereinafter referred to as "F.R. Chess")
stands for Bobby Fischer's new and improved version of "Randomized 
Chess".  F.R. Chess uses algebraic notation exclusively.

At the start of every game of F.R. Chess, both players' Pawns
are set up exactly as they are at the start of every game of
Classical Chess.

In F.R. Chess, just before the start of every game, both
players' pieces on their respective back rows receive an
identical random shuffle using the Fischerandom Chess Computerized
Shuffler, which is programmed to set up the pieces in any combination,
with the provisos that one Rook has to be to the left and one Rook has
to be to the right of the King, and one Bishop has to be on a
light-colored square and one Bishop has to be on a dark-colored
square.  White and Black have identical positions.  From beh ind their
respective Pawns the opponents' pieces are facing each other directly,
symmetrically.  Thus for example, if the shuffler places White's back
row pieces in the following position: Ra1, Bb1, Kc1, Nd1, Be1, Nf1,
Rg1, Qh1, it will place Black's back row Pieces in the following
position, Ra8, Bb8, Kc8, Nd8, Be8, Nf8, Rg8, Qh8, etc.

In F.R. Chess there are 960 possible starting positions, the
Classical Chess starting position and 959 other starting positions.

Of necessity, In F.R. Chess the castling rule is somewhat
modified and broadened to allow for the possibility of each
player castling either on or into his or her left side or on or into
his or her right side of the board from all of these 960 starting p
ositions.

Please note the following points:

a) In F.R. Chess, depending on the pre-castling position of the
   castling King and Rook, the castling maneuver is performed by one of
   these four methods:

   1. By on one turn making one move with the King, and making one move
      with the Rook ("double-move" castling).  

   2. By transposing the position of the King and the Rook 
      ("transposition" castling).  

   3. By making only one move - with the King ("King-move-only" castling).  
   
   4. By making only one move - with the Rook ("Rook-move-only' castling).

Clarification:  
 In F.R. Chess, whether you "double-move" castle, "transposition" castle, 
 "King-move-only" castle, or "Rook-move-only" castle, in all cases always 
 both the King and the Rook jointly are deemed to be castling, and to have 
 castled.

b) In F.R. Chess when "double-move" castling, if the King is
   standing on the square the Rook will occupy naturally you must move the
   King first and then the Rook; if the Rook is standing on the square the
   King will occupy naturally you must move the Rook first and then the
   King; otherwise whether you move the King first and then the Rook, or
   the Rook first and then the King is strictly your choice.

c) In F.R. Chess, when "double-move" castling either the King
   jumps over the Rook or else the Rook jumps over the King.

d) In F.R. Chess, when "King-move-only" castling the King
   always jumps over the Rook.

e) In F.R. Chess, when "Rook-move-only" castling the Rook
   always jumps over the King.

f) "a"-side castling (0-0-0), and "h"-side castling (0-0) are
   the F.R. Chess equivalents of Queen-side or long castling
   (0-0-0), and King-side or short castling (0-0) respectively, of
   Classical Chess.

g) In F.R. Chess:

   1. White's "a"-side castling (0-0-0) is performed with the hitherto
      unmoved White King and the hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its left.
      After White's "a"-side castling (0-0-0) the White King stands on c1 and
      the aforementioned Rook stands on d1. Black's "a"-side castling (...
      0-0-0) is performed with the hitherto unmoved Black King and the
      hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its right. After White's "a"-side
      castling (0-0-0) the Black King stands on c8 and the aforementioned
      Rook stands on d8.

   2. White's "h"-side castling (0-0) is performed with the hitherto
      unmoved White King and the hitherto unmoved Rook standing to its right.
      After White's "h"-side castling (0-0) the White King stands on g1 and
      the aforementioned Rook stands on f1. Black's "h"-side castling (...
      0-0) is performed with the hitherto unmoved Black King and the hitherto
      unmoved Rook standing to its left. After Black's "h"-side castling (...
      0-0) the Black King stands on g8 and the aforementioned Rook stands on
      f8.

h) When castling in F.R. Chess, you are not allowed to make any
   capture(s).

i) When castling in F.R. Chess, no other piece(s), yours or
   your opponent's, are allowed to stand between the castling King
   and Rook.

j) In F.R. Chess, when in check, you are not allowed to
   castle.  Or, put another way: In F.R. Chess you are not allowed
   to castle "out" of check.

k) In F.R. Chess you are not allowed to castle into check.  l)
   When castling in F.R. Chess, your King is not allowed to move
   through check, or shall we say any "checked" square (same thing), nor
   is your King allowed to jump over you own Rook if and when said Rook
   stands on a "checked" square. (A "checked" square is a square that is
   attacked by one or more of your opponent's pieces.)

m) In F.R. Chess, after completing your first move of
   "double-move" castling it is quite possible and not at all illegal for
   your opponent to be in a position where, were it your opponent's move,
   your opponent would be in stalemate, check, or checkmate.  Should after
   completing your first move of "double-move" castling one of these three
   aforementioned situations exist you are to ignore it and make your
   prescribed second move of "double-move" castling.

n) Exception: In F.R. Chess, when your first move of
   "double-move" castling, or at least what could become your
   first move of "double-move" castling, also constitutes a completely
   standard non-castling King or Rook move, the choice of whether to
   proceed with your second move of "double-move" castling or to consider
   your move as an already completed non-castling move is yours to make.
   You signify your choice for the former by first making your second move
   of "double-move" castling and then pushing the app ropriate button on
   the chess clock, you signify your choice for the latter simply by
   pushing the appropriate button on the chess clock.

o) Suggestion: When playing a friendly game of F.R. Chess
   without benefit of a chess clock, to avoid any possible
   confusion or disputes, it might sometimes be a good idea to announce to
   your opponent just before you castle, "I'm going to castle."

p) In F.R. Chess:

   1. Once the White King has moved, White is not allowed to castle for
   the rest of the game.  Once the Black King has moved, Black is not
   allowed to castle for the rest of the game.
   
   2. Once the heretofore unmoved Rook standing to the left of the unmoved
   White King has moved, White is not allowed to "a"-side castle (0-0-0)
   for the rest of the game.  Once the heretofore unmoved Rook standing to
   the right of the unmoved Black King has moved, Black is not allowed to
   "a"-side castle (... 0-0-0) for the rest of the game.
   
   3. Once the heretofore unmoved Rook standing to the right of the
   unmoved White King has moved, White is not allowed to "h"-side castle
   (0-0) for the rest of the game.
   
   Once the heretofore unmoved Rook standing to the left of the unmoved
   Black King has moved, Black is not allowed to "h"-side castle (... 0-0)
   for the rest of the game.
   
   4. Any appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, you are not
   considered to be castled or to have castled unless you yourself have
   actually castled, i.e. performed the castling maneuver. In other words:
   If you haven't castled, you haven't castled.
   
   5. Once White has castled, White is not allowed to castle again for the
   rest of the game. Once Black has castled, Black is not allowed to
   castle again for the rest of the game.
   
q) Tip: In F.R. Chess, when it is momentarily impossible to
   "a"-side castle (0-0-0) because of the obstructing position of your
   other unmoved Rook, or vice versa, when it is momentarily impossible to
   "h"-side castle (0-0) because of the obstructing posit ion of your
   other unmoved Rook, do not be confounded. These are frequent
   occurrences in F.R. Chess.  Play proceeds in accordance with the rules
   in this rulebook.

r) Remark: In F.R. Chess, depending upon the starting position,
   and how the game develops, it may often occur that in the positions
   produced immediately after "a"-side castling (0-0-0), one, two, or all
   three of the squares for White a1, b1, and e1 (for Black a8, b8, and
   e8), and after "h"-side castling (0-0), one or both of the squares for
   White e1 and h1 (for Black e8 and h8) are not vacant, as they
   automatically are, for example, in Classical Chess.

   All the other rules are the same as in Classical Chess.

   If you are ever in any doubt about the correct "before" and
   "after" castling positions in F.R. Chess, please consult the following
   tables, showing all (84) possibilities of castling, (42) for White, and
   (42) for Black:

   All twenty-one White "Before" and the one "After" position of "a"-side
   castling (0-0-0):

   Before: Kg1; Rf1, e1, d1, c1, b1 or a1.         After: Kc1; Rd1.
   Before: Kf1; Re1, d1, c1, b1, or a1.            After: Kc1; Rd1.
   Before: Ke1; Rd1, c1, b1, or a1.                After: Kc1; Rd1.
   Before: Kd1; Rc1, b1 or a1.                     After: Kc1; Rd1.
   Before: Kc1; Rb1 or a1                          After: Kc1; Rd1.
   Before: Kb1; Ra1                                After: Kc1; Rd1.
   
   All twenty-one White "Before" and the one "After" position of "h"-side
   castling (0-0):
   
   Before: Kb1; Rc1, d1, e1, f1, g1 or h1.         After: Kg1; Rf1.
   Before: Kc1; Rd1, e1, f1, g1 or h1              After: Kg1; Rf1.
   Before: Kd1; Re1, f1, g1 or h1                  After: Kg1; Rf1.
   Before: Ke1; Rf1, g1 or h1                      After: Kg1; Rf1.
   Before: Kf1; Rg1 or h1                          After: Kg1; Rf1.
   Before: Kg1; Rh1                                After: Kg1; Rf1.
   
   All twenty-one Black "Before" and the one "After" position of "a"-side
   castling (... 0-0-0):
   
   Before: Kg8; Rf8, e8, d8, c8, b8 or a8          After: Kc8; Rd8.
   Before: Kf8; Re8, d8, c8, b8 or a8              After: Kc8; Rd8.
   Before: Ke8; Rd8, c8, b8 or a8                  After: Kc8; Rd8.
   Before: Kd8; Rc8, b8 or a8                      After: Kc8; Rd8.
   Before: Kc8; Rb8 or a8                          After: Kc8; Rd8.
   Before: Kb8; Ra8                                After: Kc8; Rd8.
   
   All twenty-one Black "Before" and the one "After" position of "h"-side
   castling (... 0-0):
   
   Before: Kb8; Rc8, d8, e8, f8, g8 or h8          After: Kg8; Rf8.
   Before: Kc8; Rd8, e8, f8, g8 or h8              After: Kg8; Rf8.
   Before: Kd8; Re8, f8, g8 or h8                  After: Kg8; Rf8.
   Before: Ke8; Rf8, g8 or h8                      After: Kg8; Rf8.
   Before: Kf8; Rg8 or h8                          After: Kg8; Rf8.
   Before: Kg8; Rh8                                After: Kg8; Rf8.