Janus chess

Janus Chess, also called the super - Chess is a chess variant on 10 x 8 fields, which introduces an additional figure: the Janus.

The difference of Janus Chess to regular chess is a new character, Janus, and as a result, a total of 16 additional fields (I1 and I2, and J1 and J2 for white, I7 and I8 and J7 and J8 for black). The number of farmers is accordingly increased by two per side.

The Jani stand between the jumpers and the towers and pull as bishop and knight.

The Janus is the only figure which is due to its combination of the two possible moves in a position alone to put the other king in checkmate, (see illustration below right). However, the Janus can force no mat without further assistance.

The figure of Janus corresponds to the archbishop or cardinal in various other 10x8 chess variants.

Janus Chess was invented in 1978 by Werner Schöndorf and made ​​popular in the Saarland. Players of Janus Chess organized " 1999 eV European Janus Chess club " in and organize annual tournaments.

Well-known chess grandmasters who play Janus Chess, are Victor Korchnoi, and Artur Yusupov Péter Lékó. Wolfgang Unzicker also played Super chess and won against Korchnoi 2-1.