A method of playing a game by four players, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a game board having a first axis, a second axis generally perpendicular thereto, an inner zone centered at the intersection of the first and second axes, a first pair of panel zones disposed along the first axis on opposing sides of the inner zone, and a second pair of panel zones disposed along the second axis on opposing sides of the inner zone, the inner zone presenting eighty-one playing positions in a square array, each panel zone presenting twenty-seven playing positions arranged in a three-by-nine rectangular array, each panel zone corresponding to a respective one of the players and having respective forward, backward, lateral and diagonal movement directions, each forward direction being toward the respective opposing panel zone, the playing positions which extend along the first axis and second axis generally forming respective universal rows which intersect to divide the remaining playing positions into distinct quadrants, the playing positions within each quadrant alternating between having a first color and a second color in a checkerboard pattern, a majority of the playing positions within the universal rows defining universal playing positions;
- and
- supplying a set of eighteen game pieces for each of the players, each set of game pieces including a subset of citizen pieces and a subset of institutional pieces, each subset of institutional pieces including at least a government piece, an ideology piece, a media piece, a military piece, and a corporate piece, each subset of citizen pieces including at least an ambassador piece, a scholar piece, a reporter piece, an agent piece and an executive piece;
- initially positioning each set of game pieces within a respective one of the panel zones;
- sequentially alternating turns among the players;
- implementing rules of player game piece movement wherein:
- (a) each citizen piece may be moved with respect to its panel zone one playing position per move, the first two moves of each citizen piece being in its forward direction, and the moves thereafter for the respective piece being in either its forward or lateral directions;
- (b) each government piece may be moved with respect to its panel zone in accordance with the standard rules of chess for a king;
- (c) each ideology piece may be moved with respect to its panel zone in accordance with the standard rules of chess for a queen;
- (d) each media piece may be moved with respect to its panel zone in accordance with the standard rules of chess for a bishop;
- (e) each military piece may be moved with respect to its panel zone in accordance with the standard chess rules of chess for a knight;
- (f) each corporate piece may be moved with respect to its panel zone in accordance with standard chess rules for a rook;
- wherein the universal playing positions provide movement logic which allow a localized exception to strict diagonal movement of respective game pieces traversing one of the universal rows.