There are two forms of chess played throughout the Republic. One from is called Swords and Arrows. It is popular in the Western edge of the current Republic, but considered something of a novelty further East and in Esbra City.
Playing games is a part of the Hesberican way – various games are more or less popular among the different classes throughout the Republic. Gambling is considered a form of mental laziness and is illegal. This, however, usually means that the bath houses and taverns play dice and knucklebones in back rooms. It isn’t known how popular various dice games are, but most citizens of the empire carry at least on set of dice (those with more money) or knucklebones (from pigs) with them.
Senators, Generals, and Equestrians, however, tend to carry token for playing chess. Most winehouses have tables with a twelve by twelve checkerboard on top. The most common form of chess usually requires a 12 by 8 table, but the size can vary depending on agreement of the two players.
However, instead of blank tokens and a king for Esbran Chess, Swords & Arrows requires two kinds of tokens in addition to the King.
The rules are:
An eleven by eleven board is used, there are six Sword tokens and five Arrow tokens.
Arrows are places on the back row in every other square (first square empty)
The Swords are placed on the row in front of the arrows, also on every other square. (first square occupied by a Sword).
The King (or General) is traditionally placed in the player far right square on the back row, but can be placed anywhere on the back row.
The Swords can move on the diagonal.
The Arrows can move sideways, forwards, or backwards.
The King (or General) moves like an Arrow piece
An opponents piece is captured when it is flanked on two sides or two opposing corners.
The King (or General) cannot be captured, but can be surrounded on four sides to be immobilized.
The game ends when the King (or General) cannot move, or when all the opponents Swords and Arrows have been taken.
Strategy for the game is fairly complex. Frequent players refer to the stages of play as: opening, skirmish, battle, and endgame. There are many different openings with various names. Entire strategies are sometimes referred to as ‘gambits’ and there are much fewer of them. Experienced players can usually identify an opponents gambit fairly early. This allows them to employ one of the various ‘defenses’ also named.
Unlike Esbran Chess, there is only one definitive work on Swords and Arrows written hundreds of years ago by Enekedian, an Ikan philosopher.