Ever wondered whether a particular Anime, Manga or Videogame character could defeat another or how it would turn out?

Then head to Manifest Cosplay Chess, the game where two teams of cosplayers, led by rivalling strategists, replace Chess Pieces and clash on a checkered fighting ground in a battle of wits!

Should you have any queries about anything, including the rules, or wish to participate in the game, please email Byron Lee at manifest.cosplaychess@gmail.com

or post on the forums at HERE.

To participate in Cosplay Chess:

For Potential Captains/Players:

  • It is preferred that you have experience in playing Chess.
  •  Should there not be enough players, then the host (or hosts) will take over any vacant positions.
  •  Captains/Players will be allowed to choose a name for their team (the default, if you don’t have any preferences, is Team Salt or Team Peppa).
  •  Captains/Players need not cosplay, but in the spirit of it all, it is encouraged.
  •  Captains/Players will be required to familiarise themselves with the Captain’s Punishment/Captain’s Assist rules (see below for details).
  •  While it’s not a prerequisite, it would be more fun if Captains/Players think of a pre-battle routine of some sort to make your team’s presence known e.g. one year a team did the haka while the other team retaliated with the Hare Hare Yukai (i.e. the dance at the end of each episode for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya). Please keep it family-friendly though!
  •  If you’ve a loud voice, you can call out your moves (e.g. “Queen, move forward two spaces and left two spaces!”). However, if you don’t or vocally-impaired on the day (e.g. have a cold, etc.), we’ll do the shouting for you.

To apply as a Captain/Player or Vice Captain, please email the following:

  • The nickname you’d like to use on-the-day.
  • Team Name (leave this blank and the default name will be the team that you’re part of)
  • Character (if applicable)

For Potential Vice Captains:

After trialling out this position at Minifest 2008, the Vice Captain is now a permanent fixture. They will be the main person that the Captain/Players will turn to for advice when the C/Ps invoke a Captain’s Assist (although the Chess Pieces can also help); it shouldn’t be a surprise that, like the C/Ps, it is preferred that V/Cs will require experience in playing Chess (and know how the Captain’s Punishment and Captain’s Assist rules work).

Also, like the C/P’s, it is not a prerequisite to cosplay, but in the spirit of things, it is encouraged. Also worth noting, if the C/P does not turn up, the V/C may be promoted to Captain/Player. Should one team be missing a V/C, the host may fill that spot.

If a Captain/Player has no preference for Vice Captain, other people may apply for the position or one may be assigned to you.

For Potential Chess Pieces:

  •  If you wish to apply for a Chess Piece position, it is strongly recommended that you cosplay as a character from an anime & manga or videogame (regardless of which country) series.
    Japanese fashion (e.g. FRUITS, Goth/wa/sweet loli, Decora, Ganguro, etc.) is only allowed if you can prove that it has been worn by a character from any of the categories listed earlier.
    Cosplayers of characters from an anime/manga/videogame series will receive higher priority/preference in Chess Piece selection than non-cosplayers or modifications of said characters.
    This is, after all, Cosplay Chess.
  • If Chess Pieces require a ‘Fighting Assistant’ because they don’t (normally) fight, they may bring one as long as the character/Fighting Assistant is from the same series (e.g. Mamori Anezaki from Eyeshield 21 can get any of the Devil Bats to do her dirty work); the Fighting Assistant will be on the sidelines until called up to enter battle.
  • If more than one character from a particular series appears in the team lists, said characters may be placed in the same team (unless Chess Piece applicants specifically request otherwise) or opposing teams if they are enemies in the series (e.g. the Soul Reapers and the Arrancar from Bleach).
  • Chess Pieces need not know the rules of Chess, but it may work to their team’s advantage (see the ‘Captain’s Punishment and Captain’s Assist Rules’ below).
  • During match play, Chess Pieces are encouraged to act out their attacks/defeats as how they would act. However, when attacking, please act in a safe manner (such as not actually making contact with other Chess Pieces with your weapons, especially if they’re heavy – almost like Pokemon Stadium).
  • If/when you are Defeated and are to be taken off the board, a volunteer may ask if you ‘need a hand’ (don’t worry; it’s all part of the acting) to leave the battlefield/board (e.g. assisted walking while they’re under your shoulder).
    Of course, you don’t need to accept if you wish to depart by yourself.
  • NOTE! When submitting a picture of your character/cosplay, please store it online onto your Photobucket, Flickr, DeviantArt or similar account. Most sites these days have measures to prevent or discourage people from linking to pictures on their sites (and therefore using their bandwidth).

To apply as a chess piece, please email the following:

  • The nickname you’d like to use on-the-day:
  • Character:
  • Series that it appears in:
  • Preferred Piece:
  • Fighting Assistant (if required):
  • Character Picture (for reference; please submit a link):
  • The Team that you’d like to be part of:

For the Spectators:
While the spectators are encouraged to have a good time, please behave yourselves, because anybody caught doing the following may be asked to leave the immediate area:
- Heckling the Captains/Players, Chess Pieces or Volunteers,
- Throwing anything around (even if it’s lollies),
- Entering the Cosplay Chess play field; only the Captains/Players, Chess Pieces, Volunteers and Host are permitted inside.

If you wish, you may take photos/videos at any time. At the conclusion of each game, there will be opportunities to take photos of the cosplayers.

Captain’s Punishment and Captain’s Assist rules
In Manifest’s first Cosplay Chess game (in 2006), two issues (the length of time moves took before they were implemented, and the lack of rules about the advice from Chess Pieces for moves) were observed.

Thus, two rules were created to offset/prevent the effects of such issues from spoiling the experience for everyone: the Captain’s Punishment, and the Captain’s Assist.

Captain’s Punishment:

The ‘Captain’s Punishment Rule’, which was introduced at Minifest 2007’s Cosplay Chess game, prevents slow play by penalising Captains/Players who take too much time making a move:

  • Captain’s Punishment. lasts for the duration of the match.
  • Captains/Players are required to make a move within thirty/30 seconds (there will be a ten second countdown near the end of the C/P’s turn).
  • Should the C/P not make a successful/legal move after the ten second countdown, the Host will invoke Captain’s Punishment and issue the C/P with a pair of dice (a D20 and a D8/4, depending on the affected piece – see below) to determine which randomly-selected Piece (chosen via the D20) to move and where it will move (chosen via the D8) – the C/P may choose how far the selected piece will move.
  • For each Captain’s Punishment issued, three seconds will be cut from the affected player’s move time for a maximum of five times (except during Captain’s Assist). That is, a player’s move time can be as little as fifteen/15 seconds.
  • Captain’s Punishment will ~not~ force illegal moves. If any given roll does not offer any legal choices, the player must roll again (but incur no further penalty for that turn).

There are some instances where Captain’s Punishment will not run its full course/can be over-ridden:

  • If a player is in Check, the player has one minute (regardless of Captain’s Punishments already issued) to make a move with the usual ten-second countdown.
    If, after the minute, the player has not made a move, the Host will make a recommendation.
    If, however, the Chess Pieces have an idea for a possible move, they may voice it to their Captain without using up any of their Captain’s Assists.
  • During the use of a Captain’s Assist (see below in the appropriate section).

While Captain’s Punishment is in use, the preceding number corresponds to the number on the D20, with the piece represented by the number listed next to it, plus some notes about the piece in brackets including the use of a D8):

  • 1 King (may roll again if the King has not yet castled but still wants to)
  • 2 Queen (use a D8. ‘1′ refers to ‘forward’ direction, with the increasing numbers following a clockwise direction)
  • 3 Left Bishop (use a D4. ‘1′ refers to ‘forward left’ direction, with the increasing numbers followling a clockwise direction)
  • 4 Right Bishop (same as Left Bishop)
  • 5 Left Knight (after a Knight is selected, use D8 to determine position – see below)
  • 6 Right Knight (same as Left Knight)
  • 7 Left Rook (use a D4. ‘1′ refers to ‘forward’ direction, with increasing numbers following a clockwise direction)
  • 8 Right Rook (same as Left Rook)
  • 9 to 16 Respective Pawns (when in starting position, use any die, where an even roll determines that the Pawn moves two spaces. Otherwise, automatically go forward or take any available piece)
  • 17, 19 Any Pawn (see above)
  • 18, 20 Any Non-Pawn Piece (see above)

Approximate Knight Positioning with D8 after being selected with Captain’s Punishment:
….2…..3
1…………4
…….K
8…………5
….7…..6

Captain’s Assist

The ‘Captain’s Assist Rule’ encourages teamwork between the Captain/Player and his/her Chess Pieces should the need arise:

  •  This rule offers a temporary reprieve from Captain’s Punishment by extending the move time to three/3 minutes regardless of the number of Captain’s Punishments issued.
  •  It also gives the Chess Pieces an opportunity to advise their C/P of any strategies/moves they may have. They must, however, finish any discussions/recommendations within the three minutes that the Captain’s Assist is implemented otherwise Captain’s Punishment proceeds as it normally would.
  • Only Captains/Players may invoke a Captain’s Assist (but fellow Team members may appeal to their C/Ps if they have a recommendation) as long as they do so within their current move time.
  • Either team can use a Captain’s Assist up to five times.