From the Manufacturer

How do you improve one of the world's oldest and most popular games? Just ask Lex Parker, Dragon Master of Dragon Chess Inc., which is releasing a new chess game that incorporates a powerful new player on an expanded board."Dragon Chess changes moves that have been practiced and remembered for hundreds of years," says Parker. "It puts the novice and the master on equal terms. Everyone starts fresh so it's your brain working, not just your memory."The new player - called the Dragon - is second in power to the Queen and sits on the far side of each Castle. Like the Queen, the Dragon may move in any direction but advances up to three squares at a time in line. All other players remain in their traditional positions with their normal powers.The extra piece expands the traditional chessboard from 64 to 100 squares, with additional fields of 12 squares flanking each side. Four extra pawns guard the Dragons at the set-up."The beauty of Dragon Chess, which uses the same rules of historical chess, is that it keeps it simple," says Parker, who says Dragon Chess has been in development for over four years. "It's not a whole new learning experience but it is an entirely new game."According to Parker, Dragon Chess represents the next evolution of chess, which has undergone numerous changes since its birth in India in the 6th century. The modern chess played today was invented just 500 years ago, when more power was allotted to the Queen and Bishop."Since the 15th century, inventors have been trying to come up with the next variation on chess that preserves the balance of all the existing players," Parker says. "We believe Dragon Chess is able to accomplish that goal while improving the complexity, dynamics and strategy of the game. We predict a wave of enthusiasm by millions of chess players, young and old."