Senterej

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Senterej (or Ethiopian chess) is a chess variant, which is around 500 years old.^[1]

1 Rules
2 Advantages
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Rules

In Senterej both sides start playing at the same time without waiting for turns. They only start to take turns after the First Capture. The phase before first capture is called the Mobilization Phase. This phases is called werera. The phase is characterised by the advancement of pieces without awaiting turns. Both opposing sides start at the same time, and may move their pieces as many times as they like without concern for the number of moves the opponent makes.

The pieces move in the regular fashion along the normal lines and squares. That means that the movement is rational, and pieces have to end up in the squares where they would otherwise end up in under FIDE rules.

All other FIDE rules apply, except in Senterej:

Pawn cannot capture en passant.
The two-square first move by a pawn is prohibited. Since you can move your pawn unlimited number of times before during mobilization, the two-step rule is irrelevant. However, the two-square first move for pawns - if it were legal - would start to matter once the mobilization phase ends after first capture.

Etiquette and protocol in Senterej also differs from other kinds of chess. It is considered better to defeat your opponent while they still have strong pieces on the board.

[edit] Advantages

Senterej creates randomized initial chess positions, which make the memorizing chess opening sequences far less helpful.^{[citation needed]} In the opening play, each side moves its units at liberty as fast or slowly as they like, without waiting for their opponent to move and without taking turns. This is known as the Werera Phase (pronounced ‘Way-Ray-Ruh’), or the Mobilization Phase. The Mobilization Phase ends when the first capture occurs. After the first capture the players move alternately as in the modern FIDE game.