Strategic chess is a chess mod, as it were. It is very similar to standard chess. there is one main extra rule: during setup, each player is allowed to choose as many pieces as they want and place them wherever they want on the board, provided they fall within some limits.
Each player can only place their pieces on the four ranks closest to them. That is, white’s pieces can only be placed on ranks 1, 2, 3, and 4, and black’s pieces can only be placed on ranks 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Each player’s selection cannot exceed a sum chess relative piece value of forty-four. The recommended piece valuations are listed below, but these are subject to change.
Players cannot select more than thirty-two pieces. This should be clear as the pieces can only be placed on the first four ranks.
Each player must choose at least one king.
There are also some further rules of play:
There is no concept of check. You are allowed to leave threats to your king (or kings) without responding. This is of course because you may have more than one king.
The win condition is for all the opponent’s kings to be taken. You must go through with the taking. As mentioned in the previous point, checkmate is not enough.
The sum relative piece value is never allowed to exceed forty-four. This is relevant during pawn promotion.