Pigeon Chess

Play as either the Shinies or the Snackies in this two player chess-like strategy game! Fun and devious, just like pigeons!

Each player has their own deck of pigeon cards, and place them on a 3x4 grid (included on the back of the rules sheet). Pigeons move and attack like the chess piece listed on the card. Strategy comes into play, where you have to decide what cards to move and play at the right time.

What's unique about Pigeon Chess is that if you lose your King, the game continues! This game plays like a chess puzzle, and it's a lot quicker to play than a normal game of chess.

Rules

Setup

Split the cards into two decks, marked with the different styles (pink and green). 

Make space for a 3 x 4 grid of cards, Player Draw Piles, a Group Discard Pile, and Player Point Piles.

Give each player a deck. Shuffle and draw 5 cards.

Gameplay

Each card sits on a space in an imaginary 3x4 grid. Cards can move and attack within this space, but cannot leave this area unless they have been destroyed.

Choose 3 cards from your hand and place them in the row next to the center face down. 

Both players reveal the 3 cards they placed simultaneously.

Draw back up to 5 cards from your own draw pile and place 3 more cards of your choice face down in a row behind the previous row you placed (not underneath). 

Before drawing the rest of the cards, both players reveal a card in their hand to decide who goes first. 

The player who reveals the higher worth card goes first: 

King > Queen > Rook > Bishop > Knight > Pawn

If both players reveal the same card, reveal the other card. If they are both matching, whoever finished playing their cards first goes starts.

Reveal the back row of cards that you placed down and draw the remaining cards in your deck.

During your turn perform 1 of these actions:

• Move and possibly attack with a card in play

• Place a card in an empty spot in the back row

Placing a Card

If there is an empty spot in your back row you may place a card from your hand there face down as your turn. On your next turn, flip the card over and take a normal turn. Cards that are face down cannot be attacked.

Ending the Game

Check or Checkmate does not happen in Pigeon Chess. A King can be lost and the game continues.

If a player has only one card left on the playing field and no cards in their hand, they have the option to end the game before they take a turn. If neither player can make a move or when each player has one card on the field and no cards in their hand, then the game also ends.

Count the number of cards in your points pile and add 3 if your King is still alive. Whoever has the most points wins!

Moving & Attacking

If a card is attacked it is immediately removed and placed in either the group discard pile or the attacker’s point pile, depending on if the card was attacked by a pawn or not. Attacking cards stop and occupy the space of the card they attacked. Cards cannot move through each other (besides the Knight). You cannot have your cards attack each other.

No cards can occupy the same space. Attacking is not necessary for a card to move.

Pawns: Moves a single space forwards at a time unless attacking. Can only attack diagonally forward. Successful attacks do not earn a point. Place attacked cards in the group discard pile. If the Pawn reaches the opponent’s back row, then it scores a point. Put it in your point pile if your pawn reaches the other side.

Knights: Move in an “L” shape, two spaces vertical then horizontal or two spaces horizontal then one space vertical. Knights are the only card that can hop over other cards. If they land on an opponent card, put that card in your point pile, scoring 1 point.

Bishops: Can move and attack any number of spaces diagonally, scoring 1 point. Place the attacked card in your point pile.

Rook: Can move and attack any number of spaces vertically and horizontally, scoring 1 point. Place the attacked card in your point pile.

Queen: Can move and attack any number of spaces diagonally, vertically, or horizontally, scoring 1 point. Place the attacked card in your point pile.

King: Can move and attack a single space diagonally, vertically, or horizontally to score 1 point. Place the attacked card in your point pile. If the King is still alive by the end of the game, that player earns 3 bonus points.