Chess Variants/Berolina Chess

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Berolina chess starting position. The Berolina pawns are represented as upside-down pawns.

Introduction

Berolina Chess is a variant named after its titular piece, the Berolina pawn (also known as the Berlin pawn or anti-pawn).

History

The Berolina pawn was invented by a German, Edmund Hebermann, and named after the German capital city Berlin. It can be assumed that Berolina chess was created at the same time.

Rules

Berolina chess is played just like the standard game, with one exception - all of the pawns are replaced with Berolina pawns.

When moving passively, the Berolina pawn moves one square diagonally forward. When it captures, it moves one square straight forward. (This is essentially the inverse of a standard pawn.)

On its first move, a Berolina pawn may move two squares diagonally forward. En passant is possible as well (see the diagram for details):

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

The Berolina pawns may move to the squares marked with dots, and capture on the squares marked with crosses. If the white Berolina pawn on f2 were to move to d4, the black Berolina pawn could capture it en passant by moving to e3.

When a Berolina pawn reaches the furthest rank from where it starts, it promotes just like a typical pawn.

Sub-variants

• Berolina Plus Chess uses Berolina Plus pawns, which move in the same manner as standard Berolina pawns, but may also capture one square sideways.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

The Berolina Plus pawn may move to the squares marked with dots, and capture on the squares marked with crosses.