Recent explorations on Mars have not yet uncovered life, let alone board games. I doubt Pathfinder will discover such a game, so it's lucky that I'm up on my Burroughs. This `Martian Chess' is called Jetan, and the rules are given below. This game, like last months SABACC is playable, fun and not to frustrating.

This game, which represents a war between the yellow and black races of Martians is played on a board of 100 orange and black squares (10 rows, 10 columns). You can make this board easy enough, it's just a chess board with two more rows and columns than our own.
(As a side note, the board is usually set up with the Orange pieces advancing from the North.)

Pieces: Each player is given the following pieces. (Each piece's allowed moves are listed)

• One Chief
- May move three squares in any direction or combination of directions, orthogonal or diagonal. It cannot jump over intervening pieces.
• One Princess
- May move three squares in any direction or combination of directions,orthogonal or diagonal, but can also jump over squares that contain a piece. The Princess cannot take other pieces. The Princess may make once during the game an escape move: which means it can move to any unoccupied square on the board.
• Two Fliers
- May move hree squares diagonally or in a combination of these diagonal directions. They may jump over intervening pieces.
• Two Dwars
- May move three squares horizontally or vertically or in a combination of these directions. They cannot jump other pieces.
• Two Padwars
- May move two squares diagonally or combination of these diagonal directions. It cannot jump.
• Two Warriors
- May move two squares horizontally or vertically or in a combination of these directions. It cannot jump.
• Two Thoat
- May move two spaces, one straight (orthogonal) and one diagonal in any direction. As clearly stated on Chapter 2 of Burroughs' book: IT MAY JUMP over intervening pieces.
• Eight Panthans
- May move one space in any direction except backward: this is understood as one square straight forward or diagonally forward or sideways (5 directions).

Standing rules concerning wins and loses:
1) The original rules are: The game is won in two ways: either you take the Chief of the opponent with your own Chief, or you take the Princess of the opponent with an arbitrary piece.
2) The game is a draw in the following cases: when both sides are reduced to three pieces, or less, of equal value and (A) The game is not won in the ensuing ten moves, five apiece or (B) When a player takes the Chief of the opponent with a piece, different from his own Chief. (Let me clarify this a little. This does not mean that if you take your opponents Chief with your Padwar half way through the game the result is a draw. It only refers to these final 10 moves. During regular game play there is no more consequence than the capture of the Chief which is lost for its player.)
3) Pieces move in `combinations of directions': this means that a piece can change direction during the move as long as all directions used belong to the set of directions the piece can use.
4) No piece can cross the same square twice in a single move.
5) The number of allowed spaces for a given piece must be understood to mean an exact number: moving three squares, means moving three squares. Not one square, not two squares not 147 squares. Three.

Before you can start to explore this game on your own, you need only know one more thing. How to set up the board.
Front row (Facing your enemy) From left to right:

• Thoat, Panthan, Panthan, Panthan, Panthan, Panthan, Panthan, Panthan, Panthan, Thoat
  *hehe* That makes me remember playing "Duck, duck, goose"

Back row (closest to you) From left to right:

• Warrior, Padwar, Dwar, Flier, Princess, Chief, Flier, Dwar, Padwar, Warrior

  I know this seems quick and basic, but really it's all you need to know. Just set up a board and go at it.

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  The One Handed Cut

  The one handed cut, is a simple, yet somewhat impressive move while shuffling cards. Generally a cut is done useing both hands to remove the bottom of the deck and place it on top. Yet with just a bit of practice you can do this with one hand and the cards never touch the table. The pictures below will give you a visual reference as I go along.
  1) First hold the deck in one hand as shown. The higher you can hold the deck off the palm the better.
  2) Holding the top half of the deck with your thumb, let the bottom half drop to your palm, forming a sideways V shape.
  3) Using your index finger, push up on the lower half of the deck to form the upside down V shape as seen in the picture.
  4) Now let your other three fingers relax just a bit, so that the top edge of the top half of the deck slides off the top edge of the bottom half.
  5) Finally, relax your thumb and push the halves together with your fingers. (This is actually the hard part. If you start pushing with your thumb, you'll likely push most of the deck right out of your hand and scatter them around you on the floor or table. That doesn't look impressive, it looks like a comedy act.)
  

  
  

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  Th-th-th-th-that's all folks. Now go play some Jetan and practice your shuffle. You've got 30 days and counting to get them down pat, because next month I'll be back with a different game and a new card technique for you to learn.

  Until next time,
  Good luck and have fun,
  Lt Comm. Gremlin, the Dark