Senterej

Senterej is the form of chess played in and around Ethiopia. It is sometimes simply called Ethiopian chess. As in international chess, Senterej is played on an 8x8 (but non-checkered) board, and each player has an army of 16 pieces: 8 Medeq (pawns), 1 Nagus (king), 1 Fers (counselor), 2 Saba (elephants), 2 Ferese (horses), and 2 Der (castles). Except for the Fers and Saba, all pieces move and capture as in international chess. The Fers moves one square diagonally; the Saba jumps two squares diagonally. In addition, pawns do not make initial two-square moves, castling is permitted only on the right side, and promotion is limited to previously captured pieces. Ethiopian chess has a unique Ta'biyat (mobilization) phase, in which players simultaneously make moves at high speed until the first capture. After the first capture, the mobilization phase ends, and players begin to move alternately.