Trichess was born from the will to keep the spirit of Chess, a thinking game where logic rules, on a gamespace open to three players
Of course, switching from two players to three players, from a dual relation to a triangular relation, implied adjustments. There was a need to propose new rules, because new data need new bases. It was especially important to neutralize the alliance game, in order for the strategy to be based only on logical developments, and not on political coalitions. Under no circumstances, should the three player game have been reduced to a diplomatic game, because it would have meant being apart from the spirit of Chess.
Firstly, there was a need to hold massive attacks from two players against one. In order to do that, a simple rule stands out: the non aggression rule. This rule has two advantages. It is protective and strategic at the same time:
- Protective: inspired by the notion of territorial sovereignty, it gives a weakened player a partial immunity in his own territory.
- Strategic: inspired by the notion of sacrifice in Chess, it allows a player to set an offensive or a counter-offensive by sacrificing a piece.
Secondly, there was a need to promote an honorable withdrawal for a player massively attacked by the two others. It is translated by the check and stalemate rule that puts the game on a merit base.
- The check and stalemate rule penalizes the player who precedes this check and stalemate. Among the two assailants, the player who precedes the check and stalemate strikes a second blow to the attacked player (or does not prevent the check and stalemate by moving the right piece) before this player can defend himself. This behavior is not worthy of a knight, so the player that preceded a check and stalemate and didn’t prevent it ends up a vassal.
- The check and stalemate rewards the attacked player who managed to find a favorable issue to an inequitable assault. Thus the player who is in check and stalemate finishes a knight, like the player who plays after him.
This two principles, the non aggression rule and the check and stalemate rule are in line with the noble lineage of Chess. They frame the play in a perspective of one player against two, by turning a numerical weakness into a strategical strength. This is the spirit of Trichess.
Si le 1 -réflexion- contre 2 -force- fonctionne jusqu’au bout, le principe est innovant, et fort.
D’après le philosophe Roger Caillois dans son livre “Les jeux et les Hommes”, les échecs répondent à la fonction psychologique de l’Agôn, la compétition. Ils permettent d’exprimer nos ressources personnelles dans un environnement où tout le monde part à égalité, ce qui n’est pas le cas dans la vraie vie. Les bénéfices psychologiques de cette compétition sont le dépassement de soi et, en cas de victoire, la valorisation personnelle.
Avec vos échecs à trois, on part à égalité et l’esprit le plus fort l’emporte sur les deux autres. En théorie, les bénéfices psychologiques devraient donc être multipliés par 2.