This game is an attempt to harness two horses to one cart: LARP and CHESS into something new. We are inspired by a few previous attempts: Dancing Chess" (Nausika 2018), "The Rocky Road to Checkmate” (Larpifiers 2019), but this time we want to go one step further. The movements of chess pieces are preserved, but personal objectives of the players should modify the strategy towards the psychological and narrative dimensions.

The constructive idea of LARP CHESS is to base the narrative story on popular culture-texts (books, songs, games, myths) in order to make it easier for the players to feel their narrative roles and get a bit immersed into the imaginary world while remaining focused on the strategic part of the game.

The game combines strategic thinking with acting and negotiation. Chess skills are not obligatory to play the game, however, it would be more fun for the players who at least know the moves of the pieces and have played chess a couple of times. The acting part demands no preliminary skills. Communicative level of common language is obligatory.

Each scenario has a precisely designed number of players, around 8-12 people, which is the optimum (less would be not enough to role-play group decisions and more would take too long to let everyone speak.

New authors are welcome to join and add more scenarios! The rules of the game may be developed and expanded. New authors will be included in the Credits and receive the right for non-commercial use of all scenarios of LARP CHESS.

Designed by: Zbyszek Janczukowicz

Copyrighted by: Zbyszek Janczukowicz, Nausika Educational Foundation

Play-tested:

2020-08-20 - Rabka-Zdrój, Poland (“DiveIn Larp Project, Erasmus+ strategic partnership)

2021-08-19 - Rabka-Zdrój, Poland (“Compos Mentis” Project, Erasmus+ training course)

2021-09-10 - Athens, Greece (Portal 9 Larp Convention)

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