|
The
Game
Bughouse is
a chess variant played on two adjoining chessboards by two teams,
each comprised of two people. The pieces are also set up so that
each team member is in possession of an opposite colored chess
army. The game is typically played at a very fast time control
(such as 5 minute, or 3 minute games). Time is kept track
of using two chess clocks -- one clock for each chess board.
The game is not touch move but rather "clock move",
that is, the move is not considered to be made until the player
hits his/her clock.
Similar to
chess to goal is to checkmate your opponent(s). Checkmate
on either one of the boards results in the end of the game.
A time forfeit on either on of the boards also ends the game -
with the team of the player who forfeit on time losing the game.
If both flags are down the game is a draw. If an illegal move
is made then the offending side loses if caught. If the offending
side is not caught then the game continues. One also does not
have to declare check. If a player leaves his/her
king in check then the opponent may capture it and claim a win
for his/her team.
The
Rules
When one piece
is captured from the adjoining board, the captured piece is passed
to his/her partner. (Note: as a result, all captured pieces are
of the same color to his/her partner). The partner receiving the
captured piece, has the option of placing the piece as his/her
move.
Any piece
can be placed on any unoccupied square on the board, with the
exception that pawns may not be placed on the first and last rank.
Pieces may
be dropped to check one's opponent or dropped to deliver checkmate.
An important
note is that when you capture a promoted pawn it reverts back
to a pawn in function.
When beginning
a bughouse game, it is important to start both chess clocks at
the same time. If the clocks are not start at the same time,
there will be discrepency between the two chess clocks.
When this happens one team may have an unfair advantage against
the other team later in the game. This will also become
clearer to beginners as they play more bughouse games.
Etiquette
Over-the-Board
Bughouse
During over-the-board
bughouse games it is important to show the pieces one has in hand
when one's opponents asks during his/her turn. It is considered
unethical to hide chess pieces from your opponent.
Discussing
strategy and verbal analysis of the chess positions is legal between
partners; however one's partner may not physically reach over
the board and complete a move for his/her partner.
Pieces are
not considered captured until the clock has been hit completing
the move. For this reason, one cannot give the intended
capture piece to his partner until the chess clock has been hit.
Internet
Bughouse
Theoretically,
in a lag free environment, the chess clocks should be completely
in sync. Unfortunately, lag is an inherent part of internet
bughouse. When one or more players lag during the course
of the game the chess clocks will be out of sync. When this
phenomena occurs one team will have an unfair advantage over the
other team. For this reason, it is common courtesy to 'abort'
the bughouse game when severe lag occurs for one or more players.
Typically, bughouse games in which the time difference is equal
to or exceeds 30 seconds are aborted. However, personal
preferences vary.
It
should be noted that refusal of aborting during lag is the frequent
(if not main) cause of arguments between players playing internet
bughouse chess. In a lag free environment, there would be
much less arguments in internet bughouse. However, we should
all do our part to respectfully abort games plagued with lag,
thereby minimizing the unpleasant arguments which stem from this
problem.
Top
|
