# Kriegspiel (chess variant) Game **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 19, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975 "2009-05-19T15:31:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/1 "2009-05-19T15:31:27Z")
This is where a [Kriegspiel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegspiel_(chess))game will take place. Since in Kriegspiel, the players do not know their opponent’s moves, **this thread is forbidden to the players**! They can look only after the game finishes. They must rely on the [Kriegspiel (chess variant) Report](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=518143) thread for all their information. So far MindWanderer has signed up to play. If you would like to play, sign up in the [Kriegspiel (chess variant) Report](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=518143) thread. If you are currently playing - stop reading now! My rules for Kriegspiel follow next… ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/2 "2009-05-19T15:50:14Z")
OK, my rules are a little different from the Internet ones. Mine are based on refereeing this variant for over 30 years and are designed to give the players clear information. (This is important on the SDMB, where each move may take a day or more.) 1. **The referee will tell each player when it is his turn to move.** 2. **All possible pawn captures by the player to move will be listed** , e.g. after 1. d2-d4 c7-c5 … “White has a pawn capture on c5” (If the potential capture is an ‘en passant’, that will be stated too.) The player does not have to capture. 1. \*\*When a piece or pawn is captured, the referee will announce it \*\*e.g. “a White man has been captured on e6”. The precise identity of the man taken is not stated. (If the potential capture is an ‘en passant’, the arrival square of the pawn capturing is given.) 1. **If a check is given, the referee will announce it and what is checking** e.g. “Black is in check from a knight”. N.B. Promotions are not announced. 1. \*\*A player can try various moves, one at a time \*\*(this is a big part of the game). **The referee will either announce “that move is not legal”, or play the move (and annnounce any ‘consequences’).** Suppose White plays 1. e2-e3, Black replies and then White tries 2. Bf1-a6 and is told “that move is not legal”, then White knows Black must have played 1. …b7-b5. He can now try 2. Bf1-b5 (when the referee will announce “a Black man has been captured on b5”). 2. **The referee will announce checkmate, stalemate or when there is simply not enough material left to checkmate.** 3. **The SDMB players are on their honour not to look at the moves in this Game thread.** ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/3 "2009-05-19T15:53:53Z")
1. **… when there is simply not enough material left to checkmate.** I thought this was also stalemate? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/4 "2009-05-19T16:25:59Z")
Ah no, ‘Stalemate’ is specifically when the player to move has no legal moves with any of his pieces, but is not in check. If the game reaches King + Knight v King, it’s a draw because ‘there is insufficient material to mate’. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/5 "2009-05-19T16:45:36Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Ah no, ‘Stalemate’ is specifically when the player to move has no legal moves with any of his pieces, but is not in check. > > If the game reaches King + Knight v King, it’s a draw because ‘there is insufficient material to mate’. Good thing to know. Most of my games end up this way, with me having the least number of pieces. Then again, I often lose my queen at the drop of a hat. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/6 "2009-05-19T16:48:14Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > Good thing to know. > > Most of my games end up this way, with me having the least number of pieces. > > Then again, I often lose my queen at the drop of a hat. Well stop dropping your hat then! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/7 "2009-05-19T16:56:59Z")
I am not sure what it is, If I get down to where I need to squirm, I squirm like no one’s business. However, playing my game before that happens, is a rarity. [Aside from the one time I did fool’s mate on my cousin, twice, IN A ROW] ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/8 "2009-05-19T17:02:26Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > [Aside from the one time I did fool’s mate on my cousin, twice, IN A ROW] I am nervous about whether this shows you or your cousin in a worse light. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/9 "2009-05-19T17:13:16Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I am nervous about whether this shows you or your cousin in a worse light. :eek: But, at the very least, you have enough to understand why I decline to play this game of Krieg, eh? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kriegspiel-chess-variant-game/496975/10 "2009-05-19T17:14:43Z")
Hey, you were the one that told the story - I would have kept quiet about it!