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Sample Game: Denisovan v. Neanderthal

1. White: d4                                                         Black: d5

2. White: e4                                                          Black: dxe4

     If you decide to look at the sample game without first reading all the rules, it’s a good idea to keep in mind several distinctive features of the variant: 

     First, there are three sections of the board, each of which bestows a certain amount of sanctuary upon select pieces. These include the Court (the board’s perimeter) where the game’s novel piece, the Spy (or Cypher) dominates. Only major pieces, not pawns, can enter the Court. Such entry, always optional, must be triggered by the Spy’s exit from the area. The King enters the Court upon his own power, but he can only go there when the Spy is not present. The Border is the middle row of the board. And all other squares are part of the Field. Major pieces cannot capture each other in the Field, on the Border (though the King can be checked by other major Border pieces), or within Court. Major pieces can attack major pieces in the Field from either the Border or Court. Pawns can can attack pieces anywhere but Court. Finally, the Spy can capture major pieces in Court.

     Second, when a major Border or Field piece captures a Field piece, it can be immediately retaken by another major piece in the Field. This is known as the Re-take rule.

     Third, the rule of Infiltration, similar to castling in the classical variant, stipulates that if the King lands on the Border, he has the option of sending any piece but himself and the Spy to square d0 or d10.

     And, fourth, the spatial dynamic of the game is in no small part defined by the rules governing Spy-King interaction. It is illegal for the Spy to land next to either King or the other Spy anywhere on the board. In Court, the Spy can defeat the opposing side by “flipping” the Court King if the former manages to line itself up with the latter along any straight trajectory— vertical, horizontal or diagonal, even from across the board. Anywhere outside of Court, the King can flip the opposing Spy by landing on the square adjacent to it. 

     These and the remaining rules make the variant appear a bit complicated but, arguably, it's not quite as complicated as some other major variants, like Shogi or Tamerlane.

3. White: bxe4                                                      Black: Qd5

4. White: bf5                                                        Black: Be6

5. White: Bxh7                                                      Black: g6

6. White: Nd3                                                      Black: Sd6; Qz5

     (See rules for Knight movements)

7. White: Qg5                                                      Black: Se5+

8. White: Kd2                                                         Black: Qz2+

9. White: Rb2                                                         Black: f6

10. White: Qxg6                                                       Black: Sg5+

11. White: f4                                                             Black: Bxb3

12 White: Sz0                                                          Black: Qxa3

13. White: Sa1; Bi6                                                  Black: Ng7

14. White: Be10                                                       Black: c5

15. White: dxc5                                                       Black: Qxc5

16. White: Bd4                                                        Black: Si3

17. White: Qh5+                                                       Black: Kd7

18. White: Nb4                                                         Black: Qxc3

19. White: Qb5+                                                       Black: Kc7

20. White: Nd5+                                                      Black: Kd6

21. White: g4                                                            Black: Si2+

22. White: Rg2                                                        Black: Qxh3

23. White: Sz2+                                                       Black: Ke6

24. White: Bxa7                                                       Black: Sh2;Be0

25. White: Sa2; Nh0                                                Black: Bxg2

26. Ne1                                                                     Black: f5

27. Nf3                                                                     Black: fxg4

28. Ng5+                                                                  Black: Kf5 (Infiltration): Qd0+

29. Ke2                                                                    Black: Qe0+

30. Kf3                                                                     Black: Si3+

31. Kf2                                                                      Black: g3+

32. Kf3                                                                     Black: Sf0

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At this juncture, what is white's best response? He could interpose with the Rook that's on b2 or he could take the pawn on g3 with the King. The former might lead to Rf2        Sf1; Bio+

Kxg3     Nh5+

Kh4       Qh0+

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Capturing the pawn looks equally bad for the Denisovan:

Kxg3     Nh5+

Kh4       Bh5+

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Either of the following flight squares for white would lead to flipping by the Spy: ​

Ki4       Si2   or  

Ki3       Sf0

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​Note: If you discover a notation error in the above game, feel free to use the email address on the "About" page to tell me about it. 

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