FREE Gle'x set > Scroll down to the bottom of this page 

(see the rules below)

Z-Chess video Part 1 (in English):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MrUuWUAi-o&list=PLIgzdcqItt2gptYzzKj3ufikpC-S-30T8

Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb2J_Vzf3cU&list=PLIgzdcqItt2gptYzzKj3ufikpC-S-30T8&index=2

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Z-Sakk video magyarul (in Hungarian):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcP167fqGIM&list=UUag6huXQBqyqtpoYXsNA7Kw&index=1&feature=plcp

A Z-Sakk szabályai magyarul a következő honlapon olvashatók:

(Rules of Z-Chess in Hungarian on the following website) 
http://www.sakk.van.hu

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An original Gle'x set
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Click on the following link to see a computerized version of the game
on the "zillionsofgames" website.

The programming was done by L. Lynn Smith
http://zillionsofgames.com/cgi-bin/zilligames/submissions.cgi/27724?do=show;id=429
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Click here for a different image:
http://www.abstractstrategy.com/glex.html:

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The Rules of Gle'x:

START POSITION
White pieces: A1-A5-A9-B2-B8-D2-D8-G5
Black pieces: I1-I5-I9-H2-H8-F2-F8-C5
THE GOAL
The GOAL is to occupy the END POSITION (the H and I files with the White pieces, the A and B files with the Black pieces).
THE WINNER
The WINNER of the game is the player who first occupies the END POSITION with all his/her remaining pieces - with a minimum of 4 pieces.
OTHER WAYS TO WIN:
- As soon as a player reduces the number of the opponent's pieces to 3, he/she is the WINNER.
- A WIN can also be accomplished by SURROUNDING all pieces of the opponent in such a way that the opponent is not able to make a single move. (This is not likely to happen but it's theoretically possible.)
STARTING THE GAME
The player with the White pieces starts the game, moving one of his/her own pieces. (It is possible to make 2 moves when starting - see FORMING RED TRIANGLES).
Then, it's the opponent's turn to move. 
One move can be any number of circles in any direction along a straight line (e.g. G5-E3 or C5-C1 or A5-B4) as long as no piece blocks the way and there is no piece in the circle of landing. (It's also possible to jump over pieces or to remove the opponent's piece from the board when moving into an occupied circle. For these EXCEPTIONS see RULES OF THE CENTER, FORMING TRIANGLES and PLAY IN THE HOT ZONE).
MOVING ON THE SHORT HORIZONTALS
On the B, D, F and H horizontal files one move can be only one circle at a time (e.g. B4-B2).
NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES (TURNS) BY THE SAME PIECE
For example: the same piece is not permitted to make either the regular or the BONUS move of the 6th move (of a game) if it made either the regular or the BONUS move of the 5th move, or it can not be the one to make the BONUS move after it moved to form a TRIANGLE (see BONUS moves in FORMING TRIANGLES).
(For EXCEPTIONS see PLAY IN THE HOT ZONE.) 
Example:
White pieces: A3, A9, C1, C5, C7, F4, G1
Black pieces: H2, H8, G5, F2, F6, E1, D4
(Black to move)
1. ---, D4-E3 RT/E1-A5
2. A9-A7, H2=F4 RT/E3-D4
The E3 piece can not move so the E3-D4 move is not possible.
RULES OF THE CENTER
No Player can move into or move/jump over the E5 center circle before forming a SMALL or a LARGE PURPLE TRIANGLE!
(EXCEPTION: when the opponent's play forces a piece to move into or over E5 - see PLAY IN THE HOT ZONE.)
- The PURPLE TRIANGLE has to be formed only once. 
Once a Player formed a PURPLE TRIANGLE, he/she may move into or move/jump over E5 for the rest of the game.
- If the PURPLE TRINGLE is the result of a BONUS MOVE (see FORMING TRIANGLES), it does not count. 
EXCEPTION: the PURPLE TRIANGLE that is formed for the Player by his/her opponent as a result of PLAY IN THE HOT ZONE, it qualifies the Player to enter, move/jump over the E5 center. 
If Player "A" has a piece in the E5 blue center circle, Player "B" - once he/she qualified - can:
a/ take that piece off the board when moving to E5
b/ jump over that piece (not taking it off). 
FORMING TRIANGLES
TRIANGLES are formed when 3 pieces of one's own color are moved to the tips of a TRIANGLE of the same color (e.g. C1-C9-G5). The TRIANGLE is considered formed when the 3rd piece moves into the formation (or the last piece when forming MULTIPLE TRIANGLES, e.g. E1-E9-A5-A7-B6... (Only newly formed TRIANGLES count when forming MULTIPLE TRIANGLES). 
It does not matter whether or not there are any other pieces of any color in the circles along the straight lines between the pieces that form the TRIANGLES.
There is a BONUS move for forming a TRIANGLE.
Only one BONUS move per TRIANGLE formation.
FORMING RED TRIANGLES:
- When a player is able to form a RED TRIANGLE, he/she may - only right after the move that forms the RED TRIANGLE - make a second legal move (BONUS) by one of the pieces that form this new TRIANGLE (or TRIANGLES in case a MULTIPLE TRIANGLE is formed). Observe the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule!
(For all cases of FORMING TRIANGLES: the piece that moved to create the TRIANGLE is not allowed to make the BONUS move.)
It is not mandatory to make the additional (BONUS) move.
FORMING SMALL PURPLE TRIANGLES:
- When a player is able to form a SMALL PURPLE TRIANGLE, he/she may - only right after the move that forms the SMALL PURPLE TRINGLE - move a second time. If the right to this BONUS move is exercised, the move has to be a JUMP over one of the opponent's pieces into an UNOCCUPIED circle. (For EXCEPTIONS see PLAY IN THE HOT ZONE.) The BONUS move must be by one of the pieces that form the new TRIANGLE. Observe the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule! The BONUS move is not mandatory.
FORMING LARGE PURPLE TRIANGLES:
- When a player is able to form a LARGE PURPLE TRIANGLE, the same applies as for forming a SMALL PURPLE TRIANGLE, except the jump can be over either 1 or 2 of the opponent's pieces.
FORMING SMALL OR LARGE PURPLE TRIANGLES:
When a player is able to form a SMALL or a LARGE PURPLE TRIANGLE, and he/she already has at least one piece advanced to the last horizontal file (of the END POSITION), he/she may - only right after the move that forms the TRIANGLE - move 
a second time, moving (NOT JUMPING!) a piece on that last horizontal file to an OCCUPIED circle ON THAT SAME LAST HORIZONTAL FILE taking the opponent's piece off the board. Observe the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule! The BONUS move is not mandatory.
FORMING YELLOW TRIANGLES:
- When a player is able to form a YELLOW TRIANGLE, he/she may - only right after the move that forms the YELLOW TRIANGLE - move a second time, moving (NOT JUMPING!) to a circle OCCUPIED by a piece of the opponent, taking that piece off the board. (EXCEPTION: jumping over a piece in the E5 circle is allowed according to the RULES OF THE CENTER if it is possible to take off one of the opponent's pieces after the jump – on E3 or on E7.) The BONUS move is by one of the pieces of the newly formed TRIANGLE. Observe the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule! The BONUS move is not mandatory.
FORMING BLUE TRIANGLES:
- When a player is able to form a BLUE TRIANGLE, he/she may - only right after the move that forms the BLUE TRIANGLE - move a second time, moving (NOT JUMPING!) to a circle OCCUPIED by a piece of the opponent, taking that piece off the board. (This rule applies in the HOT ZONE as well, overriding the rule of DISPLACEMENT.) The BONUS move has to be by one of the pieces of the newly formed TRIANGLE. Observe the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule! The BONUS move is not mandatory. 
If the E5 centre circle is occupied by Player "A" when Player "B" moves there to form a BLUE TRIANGLE - which results in Player "B" taking his/her opponent's piece (from E5) off the board - the BONUS move (taking a second piece of Player “A” off the board) is not permitted.
ABOUT THE BONUS MOVES:
The BONUS moves can not be substituted. If the option is not exercised, or if it can not be exercised, it is then the opponent's turn to move.
After the BONUS move, it is always the opponent's turn to move - SECONDARY TRIANGLES (TRIANGLES CREATED WITH BONUS MOVES) DO NOT COUNT AND YIELD NO ADDITIONAL BONUS MOVES!
JUMPING:
It is not allowed to jump over one's own piece(s).
EXCEPTION: since jumping over the opponent's piece(s) and displacing an opponent's piece at the same time is possible (e.g. moving to C1 to form the C1-C9-G5 LARGE PURPLE TRINGLE and making the BONUS move from C9 to the F6 HOT ZONE circle, jumping over 1 or 2 pieces of the opponent on D8 and/or E7), the opponent's displaced piece has to move (jump) from F6 to C9over piece(s) of its own. 
Jumping is never possible on the B, D, F and H horizontal files.
FORMING MULTIPLE TRIANGLES:
When forming MULTIPLE TRIANGLES by a single move, and the TRIANGLES are different (e.g. a YELLOW and a RED TRIANGLE), the player must chose one and play according to the rules that apply to that TRIANGLE. If, for example, a PURPLE and a RED TRIANGLE are formed by one move, the PURPLE TRIANGLE counts only - for any purpose - if the BONUS move is not made by a piece of the RED TRIANGLE. 
PLAY IN THE HOT ZONE
The HOT ZONE is made up of 4 circles around the center: D4, D6, F4 and F6
When Player "A" has a piece in the HOT ZONE, Player "B" may DISPLACE that piece by moving into its place: Player "B" then has to put the opponent's displaced piece into the circle where his/her piece moved from. In writing: e.g. B4=D6
- The piece that displaced the opponent's piece (or took the opponent's piece off the board from the HOT ZONE – with a BONUS move from E5 - after forming a BLUE TRIANGLE) can not be displaced by the opponent immediately in the next move. However, it can be taken off the board in the next move as a result of a BLUE TRIANGLE formation.
- The piece that displaced the opponent's piece (or took the opponent's piece off the board from the HOT ZONE – with a BONUS move from E5 - after forming a BLUE TRIANGLE) is not restricted by the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule. It may even complete additional displacements on its turns. 
- The piece moving into or within the HOT ZONE - not displacing another piece - can be immediately displaced (or taken off the board). This piece will be restricted by the "NO TWO CONSECUTIVE MOVES BY THE SAME PIECE" rule.
- A displaced piece can not be moved right after the displacement (a one move freeze).
- The displaced piece can not be displaced again right after the first displacement. However, it can be taken off the board immediately with the BONUS move (for a YELLOW or BLUE TRIANGLE formation), or as it applies in the RULES OF THE CENTER.
When Player "A" displaces one of the opponent's pieces and the displaced piece happens to form a PURPLE TRIANGLE for the opponent, that PURPLE TRIANGLE is valid. (In writing the SPT or the LPT will be in brackets, e.g. 8. -, C9-F6 [LPT] RT. However, Player "B", when getting a "free" TRIANGLE - any triangle -, is not entitled to any BONUS moves.

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Gle'x mentioned in Lord of the Rings:

Lord of the Rings magazine cover:

L. Lynn Smith's article on Gle'x:
- the article is more legible here: http://zeechess.mysite.com/about_1.html

The original design of the board:

"In Gle'x, Zoltan Bartok has created one of the most fascinating games this writer has 
encountered in a long time."
                                                                                            L. Lynn Smith
See the 4-page article in Abstract Games Magazine (Issue 11 - August, 2002)

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Z-Chess

Click here to see Z-Chess in the "zillionsofgames" website:
http://zillionsofgames.com/cgi-bin/zilligames/submissions.cgi/27724?do=show;id=948

Print and then enlarge the board on a copier machine.
Use the pieces of your conventional Chess. Of course, you need 2 Queens.
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​
The pieces
 Name of piece...Short...Number of pieces

King...............K........1 White + 1 Black
Queen............Q........2 White + 2 Black
Rook..............R........2 White + 2 Black
Bishop............B........2 White + 2 Black
Knight.............N........2 White + 2 Black
Pawn..............P........8 White + 8 Black

The short form is used when writing the game.
 

THE START POSITION
White pieces:
Ka9-Qa7,a11-Ba5,a13-Na3,a15-Ra1,a17
Pb2,b4,b6,b8,b10,b12,b14,b16
Black pieces:
Ki9-Qi7,i11-Bi5,i13-Ni3,i15-Ri1,i17
Ph2,h4,h6,h8,h10,h12,h14,h16
 

HOW THE PIECES MOVE

KING
The King moves one circle at a time in any direction. It can not move to a circle occupied by a piece of the same color. It can not move to a circle under attack by an enemy piece. It takes the undefended enemy piece off the board when moving into its place.
When writing the game, "-" is a plain move [eg. Pb2-c3], "x" is a capture, taking that enemy piece off the board [eg. Ka1xb2].
The King may Castle to either side.
Write the move of Castling left: 0-0-0(L)
Write the move of Castling right: 0-0-0(R)

QUEEN
The Queen can move any number of circles along a straight line either horizontally or diagonally.
It can not move to a circle occupied by a piece of the same color. It can not jump over any piece(s).
It takes the opponent's piece off the board when moving into its place.
ROOK
The Rook can move any number of circles along a horizontal or a diagonal + horizontal line. It can not move into a circle occupied by a piece of the same color. It takes the opponent's piece off the board when moving into its place. It can not jump over any piece(s).
SINCE THERE ARE NO VERTICAL LINES, THE ROOK ADVANCES OR RETREATS USING THE DIAGONALS. 
- WHEN THE ROOK STARTS MOVING ON A HORIZONTAL LINE, IT MUST STOP ON THAT SAME HORIZONTAL LINE... [IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO TURN ONTO A DIAGONAL]. FOR EXAMPLE: A1-A7 or E13-E3
- WHEN THE ROOK STARTS MOVING ON A DIAGONAL, IT MUST CONTINUE ITS MOVE ON A HORIZONTAL LINE... [IT CAN NOT STOP ON THE DIAGONAL]. FOR EXAMPLE: A5-(E1)-E9 or A5-(E1)-E17 or A5-(E9)-E1 or A5-(E9)-E7
Other examples: 
The Rook is on A5. The A5-E1 diagonal is free of any pieces. There is an enemy piece on E3. In this position, the enemy piece on E3 is under attack by the A5 Rook along A5-(E1)-E3... If the Rook is on E3 and the enemy piece is on A5, the Rook is not attacking the piece along the E3-(E1)-A5 path BUT it is attacking the A5 piece along the E3-(A7)-A5 path.
A PINNED ROOK IS ALLOWED TO TAKE THE PINNING ENEMY PIECE OFF THE BOARD EVEN IF FIRST MOVING OUT ON A DIAGONAL TEMPORARILY EXPOSES THE KING.
KNIGHT
The Knight can not move into a circle occupied by a piece of the same color. It takes the opponent's piece off the board when moving into its place. The Knight is the only piece that can jump. 
It may jump over any piece of either color. 
It always moves 2 circles at a time, turning at the first circle. In writing, eg. Na7-(b6)-c7 or simply written: Na7-c7.
IT CAN NEVER TURN IN SHARP ANGLES! The following moves, for example, from E5 are not possible: E5-(E3)-D4, E5-(E3)-F4, E5-(D4)-D6, E5-(F4)-F6, E5-(D6)-D4, E5-(F6)-F4, E5-(E7)-D6, E5-(E7)-F6.
The possible moves from E5 are as follows: E5-(E3)-D2, E5-(D4)-D2, E5(-E3)-F2, E5-(F4)-F2, E5-(F4)-E3, E5-(D4)-E3, E5-(F4)-G5, E5-(F6)-G5, E5-(F6)-E7, E5-(D6)-E7, E5-(E7)-F8, E5-(F6)-F8, E5-(E7)-D8, E5-(D6)-D8, E5-(D4)-C5, E5-(D6)-C5.
BISHOP
The Bishop can move back and forth any number of circles straight along a diagonal (it can not turn as part of the same move). It can not jump over any piece(s). It can not move into a circle occupied by a piece of the same color. It takes the opponent's piece off the board when moving into its place.
PAWN
The Pawn can move only diagonally forward. It can never move horizontally or backward. It can move 1 or 2 circles from the start position, then only 1 circle at a time. It can not jump over any piece. It can not move into a circle occupied by a piece of the same color. It can capture the opponent's piece (taking it off the board) when the opponent's piece is diagonally ahead of it in the next circle (left or right), that is blocking its way. [No en passant in this game!]
 When a Pawn advances to the last horizontal file, it has to become a Queen, a Rook, a Bishop or a Knight.
 

THE GOAL
The Goal is to capture the opponent's King (check-mate).
 

WINNING
The Winner of the game is who first captures the opponent's King. A player also wins when the opponent resigns.
 

DRAW
When there is not enough material to check-mate the opponent's King. 
In case of a stale-mate (one of the players can not move).
When the opponents agree to end the game in a Draw.
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 Webmaster: 
Zoltan Bartok
zbartok@gmail.com

Test or increase your IQ playing the game of Gle'x! 
Print the image of the board from HERE. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the board that was published on the back cover of Abstract Games Magazine.

You'll also need 8 light colored and 8 dark colored pieces (pawns from your chess set or black and white beans, etc.) I publish this game here free only for entertainment so don't even start thinking about opening your store to sell Gle'x sets. (: (See Copyright note.) It might take some time before you can play this game flawlessly without reading the rules but don't give up, make your brain cells work a little harder, that's the idea of playing Gle'x

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