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Baroque Chess

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description Baroque Chess Overview

Baroque Chess, also known as Ultima, is an abstract strategy board game invented by Robert Abbott in 1962 and played on a standard 8×8 chessboard. Unlike orthodox chess, all pieces capture through special methods rather than by displacement: the Pincer traps enemy pieces between itself and an ally, the Coordinator captures based on alignment with the king, the Withdrawer captures by moving directly away from an adjacent enemy, the Long Leaper jumps over enemies, and the Immobilizer prevents adjacent enemy pieces from moving. The game requires fundamentally different tactical principles from traditional chess.

help Baroque Chess FAQ

What is the connection between Baroque Chess and Ultima?

Baroque Chess is the name commonly used for the abstract strategy game also known as Ultima. Robert Abbott invented it in 1962.

How does a Pincer capture work in Baroque Chess?

A Pincer captures by sandwiching an opposing piece between itself and another friendly piece. This differs from orthodox chess, where most captures happen by moving directly onto the occupied square.

What are some named Baroque Chess pieces besides the Pincer?

The game includes pieces with names such as the Leaper, Withdrawer, Coordinator, and Immobilizer. Each piece has its own movement and capture method on the standard 8-by-8 board.

Do Baroque Chess pieces move like normal chess pieces?

Not generally, because Baroque Chess replaces ordinary capture-by-displacement with special capture mechanisms. For example, a Leaper jumps over an adjacent enemy piece, while a Withdrawer captures by moving away from it.

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