Jeksey is a board game similar to chess, played on a red and white checkered board. There are four types of game pieces, and one side plays red, the other black. The object of the game is to get the Messenger to the other side of the board.
History
The game was invented by Seygrid Jek in the time of the Befores. The intent was to use the game board itself as a means to encrypt messages. Jek penned his poem Ballad of Tulneth West to be used as the key. The game has since been forgotten by all but a few scholars, and the cipher (which was called the Jekseyan Cipher) has also nearly passed completely into obscurity.
Game Pieces and Movement
There are thirteen game pieces per side:
- Messenger x 1 - can move one space in any direction, cannot capture
- Litus x 3 - can move diagonally up to three spaces, can capture
- Caval x 4 - can only jump one square in any direction, can capture
- Ward - x 5 - can move forward/backward and side to side up to 3 spaces; can only capture by one space side to side
If the Messenger is captured, it starts over from its own starred tile. All other pieces are removed from the game.
Setup
Each side sets up all their pieces within the first three rows on their side of the board. The Messenger must start on the starred tile.
Special Moves
There is only one special move, which is called a Jekstrum. Once per game, each side may swap any two pieces for position as long as there is clear line of sight.
Winning Conditions
The game is over in either of the following:
- either side maneuvers the Messenger to the opposing side's starred tile
- there is a stalemate situation