Systems and methods are disclosed for playing a game by providing a board with tactile and/or sound annotations uniquely referencing play positions on the board; and providing tactile and/or audible pieces to be used with the tactile and sound-annotated board.

The present disclosure describes a new game based upon the conventional game of chess. The new game includes a chessboard, chessmen, custom dice, and a custom set of the images of the six possible chessmen types taken in combinations of two, three, four, or five depending upon the game on custom cards. This new game puts more challenge and variety into the game of chess. Kits are contemplated that include custom dice, custom cards, a standard chess set, and, in some embodiments, a doubling cube.

A chess variant includes (a) one of an 8 by 8 board, a 8 by 10 board, or a 10 by 10 board; (b) a conventional chess piece set; and (c) a novel non-conventional chess piece set, wherein the pieces of the non-conventional chess piece set perform non-standard movements with rules associated therewith to govern how the pieces move and capture upon the board. Additionally, the set of rules governing how the rules of movement for the piece can undergo a change when a non-conventional chess piece reaches the furthest rank, akin to the process of promotion in standard chess.

A method of weighting a chess piece, comprising the steps of creating a first cavity in a base of the chess piece, and filling the first cavity with a powdered metal. The method also includes the step of creating a second cavity in the base, and filling the second cavity with an electronic sensor so that the piece may communicate electronically with a sensory chess board.

A game apparatus is disclosed that comprises a plurality of tokens including first tokens and second tokens, a frame arranged to define multiple pathways along which the tokens can move under force of gravity, and a retainer arranged to controllably retain the tokens relative to the pathways. The retainer is movable between a first position wherein the retainer retains the tokens relative to the pathways, and a second position wherein the tokens can move under force of gravity. The game apparatus also includes a separating mechanism arranged to direct the first tokens towards a first collection zone and to direct the second tokens towards a second collection zone. The separating mechanism comprises a first separating component associated with each first token and at least one second separating component associated with the frame.

A nesting chess set with two teams of chess pieces. Each team includes one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. The pieces of each team are configured such that they can be organized into two nests, each nest comprising eight pieces, wherein the only difference between the two nests is that one has the king and one has the queen, while otherwise each nest has a rook, a bishop, a knight, and four pawns. The queen is the outside piece of one nest. The king is the outside piece of the other nest. The rest of the pieces are sized and shaped to nest within the king or queen. Each nest is held together by a magnetic base.

A modified chess game is disclosed including a game board having 81 squares arranged in nine columns and nine rows, wherein the first and second rows respectively define outer and inner wards for first and second players. Example game pieces for each player include a king, a housecarl, a templar, two lancers, two archers, two priests, and eight sentries, having initial positions, from left to right along the first row, a first lancer, a first priest, a first archer, the housecarl, the king, the templar, a second archer, a second priest, and a second lancer, and from left to right along the second row, four sentries in the first four squares, an empty square, and the remaining four sentries in the last four squares.

A chess game method includes providing a standard chess board having squares of alternating colors; providing a first set of chess pieces of a first color and a second set of chess pieces of a second color; arranging the first set of chess pieces in a first corner of the standard chess board such that a king of the first set of chess pieces is in the corner; and arranging the second set of chess pieces in the second corner of the standard chess board such that a king of the second set of chess pieces is in the second corner; the first corner is directly opposite the second corner.

A modified chess game is disclosed including a game board having 81 squares arranged in nine columns and nine rows, wherein the first and second rows respectively define outer and inner wards for first and second players. Example game pieces for each player include a king, a housecarl, a templar, two lancers, two archers, two priests, and eight sentries, having initial positions, from left to right along the first row, a first lancer, a first priest, a first archer, the housecarl, the king, the templar, a second archer, a second priest, and a second lancer, and from left to right along the second row, four sentries in the first four squares, an empty square, and the remaining four sentries in the last four squares.

A game board device is provided for carrying and identifying game pieces that are divided into different piece types. The game board device includes a board, a plurality of optically identifying modules, and a processing module electrically coupled to the optically identifying modules. The optically identifying modules respectively correspond in position to detection regions of the board. Each of the optically identifying modules includes a light emitter that can emit light toward the corresponding detection region and a light receiver that can receive light reflected by the corresponding detection region. When any one of the detection regions is in an unoccupied mode, the corresponding optically identifying module can emit an unoccupied signal. When any one of the detection regions is in an occupied mode, the corresponding optically identifying module enables an identification signal that corresponds to the piece type of the corresponding game piece to be emitted therefrom.