vyūha — the battle formation of an army
India's ancient Chaturanga gave the world chess. Vyuhh grows a new branch from the same root — Durgs that never move, a Mantri who rises when a Rath falls, and a Raja who can summon his Rani.
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Some fifteen centuries ago India played Chaturanga — the game of the four limbs of an army: foot soldiers, horse, elephants and chariots, led by a Raja and his Mantri. Its descendants spread across the world. Vyuhh returns to that root and grows a new branch.
Sipahi, Ashva, Gaj and Rath — the four limbs of the army — around their Raja and Mantri.
Carried west along the trade routes and played at royal courts for centuries.
The counsellor became a queen, the elephant a bishop, and the game spread across the world.
A new branch from the same root: the old names, a 9×9 board, and the vyūha — the formation — at its heart.
The moves of the Ashva, the Gaj and the Sipahi will feel familiar. These four are where Vyuhh becomes its own game.
It never moves, yet it rules the ground
Each side has two Durgs that never move. An enemy can't stop on an empty square of a Durg's 3×3 zone, and a capture made inside an enemy zone costs the attacker its own piece too — unless the target is the Durg itself.
When a Rath falls, a Mantri rises
Lose your Rath and a Mantri enters on a free c, d, f or g square. He moves only diagonally, so the square you pick fixes his colour for good — and d or f costs you castling on that side.
A Rani held in reserve
The Rani isn't on the board at the start. Once four of your back-rank pieces have fallen, the Raja may summon her — once per game, at the cost of a whole turn, and never while in check.
Surya Sena and Chandra Sena
Two armies, two Rajas — one crowned with the sun, one with the crescent. The two may never stand side by side. Checkmate wins; stalemate is a draw.
New to Vyuhh? Play the computer on Easy — losing one game will teach you more than any page.