Every game begins with 10 randomly selected pieces and no kings or queens in check.
Standard chess moves apply. There is no en passant, but pawns automatically promote to queens if they reach their opponent’s back row.
First move by coin flip or, if only one player wants a specific color he gets it and moves second. If both players want the same color, R/P/S to see who gets it – loser moves first.*
AC-castling: Once per game ONE PLAYER may swap his king with any same-color piece on his back row IF he has the only king on the board OR his opponent has the only queen on the board. AC-castling may be done even while in check or checkmate, as long as the castling king is on his own back row.
To play AC without the SIDEWINDER click the snakehead icon below the game board.
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* On a physical board, once the starting 5 for both colors are in place the game may begin with R/P/S, or when either player moves any piece to a legitimate octagon. If a player takes this option, before a card is flipped to populate the empty back-row octagon, his opponent must choose which color he will play. He may commandeer the first move as his own, populate the empty octagon, and allow his opponent to make the next move with the untouched set, OR he can play the untouched set. Regular alternating play then continues.