Marseillais Chess, also known as Double-Move Chess, is an intriguing chess variant where players make two moves per turn instead of the traditional one. The game’s rules were initially introduced in the local newspaper Le Soleil in Marseilles in 1925. As the variant gained momentum, it grew in popularity during the late 1930s, attracting the attention of numerous skilled chess grandmasters.
As the double-move rule brought plenty of unusual situations, it was necessary to set additional rules:
- Players can either move a single chess piece twice or move two distinct pieces during their turn.
- Castling is considered a single move.
- If a player delivers a check with their first move, they forfeit their right to make a second move during that turn.
- When a player’s king is in a check position, they are obliged to prioritize resolving the check by moving their king out of danger on the first move of their turn.
- A player is prohibited from deliberately placing their own king in check on the first move of their turn, intending to subsequently move the king out of danger on the second move.
- En passant capture remains permissible, even if the opponent moved the respective pawn on the first move of their turn. However, the en passant capture must be executed during the first move of the current player’s turn.
Let’s take a look at a sample game. The double moves are separated by slashes (/) in the notation:
1. ♘f3/e4 (According to some analysts, this move combo enforces a sure win.)
1. … d5/dxe4 (Black sees an opportunity to capture the unprotected e4-pawn. However, this maneuver instantly loses.)
2. ♘e5/♗b5+ (In a classic illustration of a double attack, an inattentive opponent finds themselves in a challenging situation. Black is confronted with both a check and a two-move threat to capture the queen, leaving them in significant trouble.)
2. … c6/♛c7 (The only way to save the queen.)
3. ♕f3/♕xf7+ (The infamous attack. What can Black do about it? As we know, capturing the queen by the king, and moving the black king to safety in the second part of the double move is not allowed, as the king would be put to a check by the white knight.)
3. … ♚d8/♛xe5 (Black resolved the check, and got rid of the annoying knight. Was that sufficient?)
4. d4/♕xf8+! (Black is forced to resolve the check and save the queen, allowing White to wreak havoc on the rest of the black forces. White wins.)
To prevent an overwhelming advantage from White’s first move in standard chess, a “balanced” version of the game is commonly adopted. In this balanced variant, White is restricted to making only one move on the first turn. This rule was introduced by Robert Bruce in 1963 and has been widely embraced ever since.
Marseillais Chess quickly gained popularity, leading to its fashionable status. The inaugural tournament was held in Paris in 1926, followed by another significant event in Hamburg the subsequent year. Many renowned players of that era embraced this variant, and the list of notable personalities associated with the game included Alekhine, Réti, Znosko-Borovsky, and Chéron, among others. The Italian analysts, with Alessandro Castelli being particularly prominent, made substantial progress in advancing the theory of the game, dedicating their efforts to extensively studying the openings in Marseillais Chess.