Regulations of the Dutch Open Championship Superchess

1. The starting situation is the well-known symmetric arrangement of the 32 chess pieces on an ordinary chessboard. On the fourth and fifth rank, 4 white and 4 black new superchess pieces are temporarily lined up. These are:
   • the Amazon (A , moves as Queen or Knight),
   • the Empress (Es, moves as Rook or Knight),
   • the Princess (Ps, moves as Bishop or Knight), and
   • the Veteran (V, moves as King or Knight; it cannot be checked or mated).
   
   These pieces will be deployed in the prelude, see point 3.



2. Before the beginning of the game the players go through the moves of these superchess pieces. Each player demonstrates his/her opponent the moves of the new pieces, as far as necessary.



3. The game starts with playing the prelude. During this prelude the chess clock will be used in the same way as during the rest of the game.
   
   Prelude
   
   
   1. White replaces on the King's wing, on rank 1: one chess piece by a (new) superchess piece at which the King remains on its square.
   
   
   
   2. Next Black replaces on the King's wing on rank 8 the corresponding piece by the same (black) superchess piece, such that the position becomes symmetric again. Subsequently Black replaces on the Queen's wing, on rank 8: one chess piece by a superchess piece.
   
   
   
   3. Next White replaces the corresponding white piece on his/her half of the board, such that the position becomes symmetric again.
   
   
   
   4. The actions described in 3a, b and c shall be once repeated.
   
   
   
   5. Finally Black is allowed to exchange two (new) superchess pieces on rank 8. Subsequently White makes the position symmetric again (if applicable).
   
   
   
   After this prelude White makes the first move and the game is played on like chess, except for the rules for promotion, see point 4. Castling is possible only with the King and a Rook, precisely as in chess.



4. At the promotion of a pawn the player must choose one of the (at that moment) available pieces. These are, with the exception of the Amazons, the pawns and the pieces that have been deployed again via promotion:
   1. the replaced chess pieces and
   2. the captured pieces.
   These available pieces must be arranged well visible next to the board, as from White's first move.



5. Except for the above rules the tournament will be played according to the FIDE-regulations.

Tip for beginning superchess players: Check whether all pawns are well-defended in the initial position created by the prelude.