We designed Tic Tac Chec to help introduce the basic moves and play of chess, a wonderful game that provides a lifetime of benefits.

1/ There are only one-fourth as many pieces, so it is less confusing for a beginner. Even though each player only receives 4 pieces, every piece on a regular chess board is accommodated. We don't have a queen, but then a queen moves the same as a Bishop and a Rook. A King only moves one space in any direction so this piece is really unnecessary for learning the basics.

2/ If a players' pieces are captured, they are returned to them and they may replace them on the board on any open square when it suits them. This is much less intimidating for a novice player. If your piece is captured it could even be to your advantage.

3/ Games only last a few minutes. There is no time spent setting up the board. Beginners don't use time "trading" pieces until there are only a few left at which time they are able to contemplate a strategy to defend their own King and capture the opponent's. Since games are so much quicker and often lost by simple errors, players will want to get revenge and immediately play again. This and the mental challenge have made the game of Tic Tac Chec a game with high repeat play value.

4/ Immediate recognition of mistakes. On a regular chess board beginners seldom remember where they made strategic errors and thus take longer to learn to avoid repeating them. A basic error while playing Tic Tac Chec almost always leads to instantly losing the game.

Overhead for teachers (2.98 Mb pdf)

Instructions:

Be the first to align your four pieces of the same color horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Play starts on an empty board, players take turns placing a piece on any empty square. After placing your first three pieces you may move and capture as in regular chess, except a pawn reverses direction upon reaching the opposite side of the board. Captured pieces are returned to their owner and can immediately be played again on any open square.

REF: In Shogi (Japanese chess) captured pieces are not dead but may be pointed in the opposite direction and replayed as part of your own or your opponent forces. The rule requiring that the first 3 turns players can only place pieces was intended to force players to think about position and not capturing in the beginning of the game. After this initial play, players can capture each other and have less than 3 pieces on the board.

Optional Rules: Recommended for competitions. Players are allowed approximately 30 seconds per turn to place their first 3 pieces on the board. After a further 5 minutes of play (this can be adjusted) each player is restricted to 5 captures each. Playing this rule will generally make games end in less than 15 minutes and require more skill.

Chess Piece Moves:

Pawn: - Moves one space forward per turn except when it captures an opponent piece by moving one space diagonally forward.
Knight: - Moves either one space forward or backward and two spaces either left or right or two spaces forward or backward and one space either left or right. A knight is the only piece that can move over another piece on the board.
Bishop: - Moves diagonally any number of spaces as long as it does not pass another piece.
Rook:- Moves vertically or horizontally as long as it does not pass another piece.

Tips:
1/ - Only capture your opponents pieces if it is really necessary to prevent them winning or if it truly helps you get 4 pieces in a row.
2/ - Always play to win.
3/ - Play a flexible strategy where two or more rows are an option to win. Fixating on a single row will most likely lead to a stalemate at best and more likely a loss.
4/ - Use a felt tip marker to mark one side of the pawn and always play with this mark facing the direction of movement. This will help you remember its direction.
5/ - As in regular chess, dominating the center of the board helps as some pieces have more potential places to move to.
6/ - Avoid trying to make a row of pieces on your first row of squares. This will most likely lead to defeat as it is difficult to move the pawn back to this row if it is already on the board.

Also see: http://www.toycrossing.com/tic-tac-chess/index.shtml

$ 16.95  

Copyright 1997 Dream Green

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All items are designed and produced by DREAM GREEN

Founded 1991.