Factsheet
Developer:
Zach Gage
Based in New York, New York
Founding date:
May, 1985
Website:
stfj.net
Press / Business contact:
zachstfj@gmail.com
Social:
twitter.com/helvetica
Skype
Previous Releases:
#Fortune
Ridiculous Fishing
SpellTower
Halcyon
Sonic Wire Sculptor
Bit Pilot
Unify
synthPond
Lose/Lose
Description
Really Bad Chess is just like chess, but with totally random pieces. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — why not?
Whether you play chess daily, or quit just after learning the rules, this small twist will open the door to an entire new world of chess.
History
Chess is one of those games I always wished I enjoyed, but its commitment to beauty, elegance, and perfect balance always turned me away. Really Bad Chess removes these boring restrictions and flips chess on its head.As much as random pieces change the game in some ways, I was really surprised to notice how much the game remains the same, and how powerful some pieces are — you've never truly struggled against a pawn until you've struggled against a pawn in the back row.
For chess pros, Really Bad Chess will give you a new type of challenge — the pieces & the moves are the same, but you'll have to throw out your openings and your understanding of normal patterns of play.
For novice chess players (like most of us), Really Bad Chess greatly opens up the game. Instead of starting by studying openings, in your first games you'll get to discover the joy (and challenge!) of learning how to checkmate.
I hope you have as much fun with Really Bad Chess as much as I did making it.
-zach
Developer Bio
Zach Gage is a game designer, programmer, educator, and conceptual artist from New York City. His work often explores the power of systems, both those created by social interaction in digital spaces, and those that can be created for others, through the framing of games. An Eyebeam Alumni, Apple Design and Game of The Year Award Winner, and BAFTA Nominee, he has exhibited internationally at venues like the Venice Biennale, the New York MoMA, The Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, XOXO Festival in Portland, FutureEverything in Manchester, The Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw, and in Apple stores worldwide. His work has been featured in several online and printed publications, including The New York Times, Art In America, The New York Times Magazine, EDGE Magazine, Rhizome.org, Neural Magazine, New York Magazine, and Das Spiel und seine Grenzen (Springer Press). In games, he is best known for SpellTower, Ridiculous Fishing, and Lose/Lose.
projects
Videos
Images
There are far more images available for Really Bad Chess, but these are the ones we felt would be most useful to you. If you have specific requests, please do contact us!
Logo & Icon
Team
Zach Gage
Artist
presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer)