This chess variant has been developed and tested over 7 years, based on studies of Viking culture and history and it incorporates their strategy and tactics with the use of longships. Below the king was the aristocracy of the jarl, equivalent to the anglo-saxon Earl. Jarls were territorial leaders in their own right each fielding a small army of bόndi (warriors who swore an oath of allegiance to their leader). The bόndis were freemen and usually tenant farmers who had the right to bear arms. The jarl could initially lead the bόndi into battle on the king’s behalf, or hold defensive positions at a later stage. The king had his own small army 'the hird' complete with some cavalry. Knights were not part of the scene until Norman times. Women held a prominent role in Viking society, hence the rise of powerful queens who could rule at home in a king’s absence. Vikings sometimes fought against other vikings as they were drawn from 3 main ethnic groups, Danes, Norse, and Swedes.
Scandinavian territory mainly consisted of dense forests with grazing land separated by rivers, fjords and high mountains. Battles were sometimes fought in a specially cleared site called a hazelled field, fenced by lopped hazel branches. Mutually and honourably, both sides would agree a date and time for battle on such sites. A mottled green and buff chequered board has been used to recreate these terrain features.
The longship’s construction gave it a low profile underwater (one metre) allowing it to move up shallow rivers. The innovation of two bowed ends allowed it to be reversed without turning in narrow passages. Each ship normally carried approximately 60 warriors and the largest 100 warriors. Viking naval battles were often held from ships roped together forming huge fighting platforms. Fighting tactics did not include ramming or the breaking of oar-banks on the side of ships, hand to hand battle mainly ensued. In design, longships were made of light construction and could be hauled overland on rollers to other rivers and waterways so becoming silent predators.
After much deliberation, I’ve intentionally included a ships sail for the longship chess piece, for the unwary player this can often hide a small ‘surprise bόndi’ positioned a square just behind the longship. One of the ‘drawbacks’ of orthodox chess is that every piece is always completely visible on the board.
Vikings didn’t build stone castles but preferred wooden structures instead. They made earth ramped circular stockades around strong wooden rectangular lodges. Stone built towers (or brochs) were sometimes captured and held during inland raids and land occupations (e.g. Mousa, Shetlands). This new board layout has four rearward squares each being only vulnerable from 2 other adjacent squares, these make for strong defensive positions to safeguard a king after castling.
Some of the inspiration for the tactics and pieces of this new chess variant comes from one of the Bernard Cornwell series of 4 novels which includes ‘The Last Kingdom’ through to ‘Sword Song’. Other research came from ‘The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants’ by the late David Pritchard.
The Unwritten Rule in Chess - all pieces are restricted to a maximum move of 7 squares a turn as in the original Chess game.