Brayout

Brayout (Brajөꞇ)

A Zhengian master (on the left) defeating a Bogmian player (on the right) in a game of Dai shogi, one of the direct ancestors of Brayout
Years active	c. 17th century to present (predecessors circa 900 years earlier)
Genre(s)	Board game Abstract strategy game Mind sport
Players	2
Playing time	Casual games usually last 10 to 60 minutes; tournament games last anywhere from about 10 minutes to 6 hours or more, rarely even days.
Random chance	None
Skill(s) required	Strategy, tactics

Brayout (Zhoushi: Brajөꞇ, pronounced /braju͡oc/; historical Zhengian pronounciation: /ɓrajwəːɗ/) is a game that developed in Zhousheng and combines multiple aspects of Chess and Shogi

History

The game of Brayout developed in Zhengia during the so called "Zhengian Experiment", when the Bogmian settlers in Zhengia brought multiple Chess variants into the country which was predominantly playing multiple variations of Shogi, imported from Kasia.

B HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY) E C F P P F HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY) E

End of the first-ever recorded game Second player ending victorious Last moves:  R(I4-J4)   B̟(G7-I6)#

Despite the rules were generally not stable during most of its existence, during the creation of the Empire of Three Kings and especially during the Zhoushi Cooperation, the currently recognized Brayout rules were established and the new game quickly became one of the cultural symbols to the Zhengians, which later spread into all of Zhousheng and by proxy Monte Blanco, Qazhshava, New Sebronia, Prei Meas, Gadorien, Gabrielland and Kentalis, from where it got across the world.

After multiple semi-official tournaments, Zhengia established the International Brayout Federation (IBF), which served as a central organ and organized the championships. After a row of Zhengian-backed hostings, the championships spread across all of Anteria, with many countries hosting local as well as world championships.

In the present day, Brayout is one of the locally popular games, that is known, but not extremely popular worldwide, with its popularity being the greatest in Mustelaria and by extension southern and central Thuadia.

Current setup

B	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E
C											F
P											P
F	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E

Figure Code Name Note Movement Zhoushi Belgorian Common P Pєшag ⲡⲓⲉϣϫ Pawn If the figure reaches the other side of the board, it can be replaced with a capture piece P̟ Drag ⲇⲣⲁⲕ Dragon Promoted figure from the pawn. Can be exchanged for a captured piece V Vєʒ ⲯⲉⲇϭ Rook Can be promoted if they reach the enemy zone into a stronghold V̟ Tƿrz ⲣⲓⲉⲯⲛⲟⲥⲧ Stronghold S Stꝛiλaч ⲥⲧⲣⲓⲉⲗϫ Bishop Can be promoted if they reach the enemy zone into a serviceman S̟ Osadkan ⲕⲩϣⲛⲓⲓⲕ Serviceman K Kөƞ ⲕⲩⲟⲛⲓ Horse Can be promoted if they reach the enemy zone into a knight K̟ Ryꞇiꝛ ⲓⲁⲍⲇⲓⲉⲕ Knight B Bramojil ⲕⲁⲍⲛⲓⲓⲕ Preacher Can be promoted if they reach the enemy zone into a speaker B̟ Kazaꞇel ⲣⲉⲯⲉⲣⲉⲛⲇ Speaker I Raƌe ⲣⲁⲇ Advisor If they reach the opposite side of the board, they can be exchanged for any figure regardless of captivity D Kralovna ⲕⲣⲁⲗⲟⲯⲛⲁ Queen R ℞ Kral ⲕⲣⲟⲗ King In the case the king is attacked and has no way to avoid that attack, the game ends. The opponent's king may use a different style of the crown. This symbol is named the "Challenger's" crown and integrates a letter Ω (as the opposite side of the alphabet). It is used by the challenger if an authority is being challenged (such as challenging the current Brayout champion, but also for example teacher-student or manager-employee). Challenger is labeled as "℞" (or Rx or R̽), and always moves second.

Comparation chess setup

Here is a hypothetical table with the figures used in Chess in correspondence:

B	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E
C											F
P											P
F	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E

First movement of pawns

Pawns, to start the game faster, are allowed to move two spaces on their first move (as marked by the circle in their movement chart). Unlike in Chess, pawns in Brayout take the figures directly in front of them. This movement can not be used to skip a figure in front of the pawn or to take opponent's figure two spaces ahead of the pawn.

Horses and knights

Horses () and knights () are the only two figures which can get to their point even if it is blocked by a hostile figure. Preacher () and speaker () can skip to the spots that could be reached as a horse also.

Palaces

B	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E
C											F
P											P
F	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E

Palaces are located in the squares E1, E2, F1, F2 (one palace) and E9, Eᚴ, F9, Fᚴ (the other palace). If the king () is located in the palace they began in (not the opposing palace), they can do a move called "king's leap", which allows them to jump two spaces instead of one (as marked by the circle in their movement chart). That doesn't mean, that kings are not allowed to move in the palace normally, just that they can perform the jump.

This move can be performed unlimited number of times, as long as the king doesn't enter opponent's promotion area. The moment the king enters the opponent's promotion zone, the palace is considered "disbanded" and the king may not perform the move anymore. The king may not perform the jump from outside into the palace, only from inside out.

Promotion

The promotion of a figure is done by flipping it. The promotion of a figure can (but doesn't have to) be done when the figure enters the opposing player's promotion zone, which are the three last rows of the board.

B	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E
C											F
P											P
F	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E

The promotions are:

• Pawn → Dragon
• Rook → Stronghold
• Bishop → Serviceman
• Horse → Knight
• Preacher → Speaker

King, Queen and Advisor can not be promoted.

Once any figure is promoted, it can not be un-promoted (which may be eventual disadvantage in the case of a preacher/speaker)

Captivity

Just like in Shogi or Crazyhouse, captured enemy pieces may be introduced as your own piece.

B	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E
C											F
P											P
F	HOLDING SPACE (CAPTIVITY)										E

The difference with the above mentioned mechanics, in Brayout, that this system is merged with Chess promotion system. There is a total of 10 captivity slots. Due to obvious reasons, pawns, advisors and a king can not be taken captive, as they can not be used in this mechanic, which leaves 9 figures that can realistically be taken hostage. That leaves unavoidably one space on the captivity line unoccupied.

This rule changes, if enemy uses your captured pieces in their promotions, in which case you may capture more than 10 opponent's pieces. In that case, you must make a decision which of those captured pieces you wish to remove from the game forever (this action is called "killing the prisoners"). If you kill a less strong piece, you are risking, that later on in the game, if you place some of the stonger pieces on the board, it may be captured and used against you. If you kill a stronger piece, it may give you material disadvantage in hypothetical future situation.

If the taken figure is promoted, it will be placed back on the board in its unpromoted state and must leave and re-enter the promotion zone to get promoted.

Replacement of a pawn/advisor with a figure is not considered a move on its own and is done at the end of the player's move. Both pawns and advisors must be promoted once they reach the end of the board, no matter the captive slots.

Rules

The game begins with 7 pawns being thrown onto the board. The person throwing has the unpromoted () side, while the opponent has the dragon/promoted () side (similairly to Shogi). The person who gets more of their type (pawn/dragon) starts the game. Then the players do moves interchangably, each moving one piece at the time. Promotions and upgrades from captivity are not considered moves on their own and are done after the player moves one of its pieces.

The pieces are taken captive (or in case of advisors and pawns killed) when the opponent's piece enters the same square they are located in. Player can not take captive their own piece or have multiple pieces in one square. Unlike Chess, there is usually no timer, so some games may take up hours, if not days. Although there is no timer, "filibustering" (AKA putting the game on halt with no intention to make the next move in a reasonable timeframe) is not allowed and the player may not be allowed to leave the playing table or do anything unrelated to the game unless agreed by their opponent.

The game end when:

• There are only kings remaining on the board - ends with a tie

• A king is pinned in a position where it is under attack and has no way of avoiding the attack - equivalent to Checkmate in Chess - The attacked king's player loses the match

• A player can not do any moves because that would pin their king in a Checkmate - The player unable to move loses the match

This rule applies as well when the moving figure wouldn't be a king:

But doesn't apply if there is such a move that may be done and not result in a direct checkmate (that is a checkmate of your own king at the end of your round, not the opponent's round after)

• Both players agree to settle on a tie
• A player is caught cheating - automatic loss (unless previously agreed that cheating is allowed)
• Both players agree to settle on a status quo ante ludum - no points are given to anybody as if the game never happened

There used to be a option for players to preemptively agree on who lost and who won, but this option was abused by people filibustering the game and was removed by the International Brayout Federation in 1915.

Noting of moves

There is a system to denote moves, using multiple symbols to denote actions:

Notation	Meaning
(A1-B2)	Movement from position A1 to position B2
×A0	Figure is taken and moved to captivity place A0
+	Move ends with a king being in a check
#	Move ends with a king being in a checkmate
⁙	Move ends with a king being unable to move
½	Players agreed to a draw after this move
⧞	Opponent surrendered after this move
^	Special movement of the figure (for pawns and kings)
↑	Figure is promoted (if reaching the promotion zone)
⇑A0	Pawn is being promoted on the end of the board to the figure on place A0
⤊B	Advisor is being promoted on the end of the board to a Preacher

Order of the symbols

Figure code (P,P̟,V,V̟,S,S̟,K,K̟,B,B̟,I,D,R,℞) - Movement (e.g. A1-A2) - Taking (×) - Special action (^,↑,⇑,⤊) - Special state (+,#,⁙) - Status (½,⧞)

Examples of denotion

Notation	Meaning
P(F3-F4)	Pawn moved from F3 to F4
P(F3-F5)^	Pawn moved from F3 to F5, as it was their first move
P(F6-F7)×F0	Pawn moved from F6 to F7 and took a figure standing on F7, which was moved to a captivity spot F0
P(F7-F8)↑	Pawn moved from F7 to F8 and was promoted into a dragon
P̟(F9-Fᚴ)⇑F0	Dragon moved from F9 to Fᚴ and was in turn promoted to the figure in captivity on spot F0
B(H2-A9)×D0↑+	Preacher moved from H2 to A9, where it took a figure captive and moved it to D0, got promoted and ended the move with putting a king in a check
I(G9-Hᚴ)×E0⤊D#	Advisor moved frp, G9 to Hᚴ and was in turn promoted into a Queen, which caused a checkmate to the opponent
B̟(B7-D9)⁙	Speaker moved from B7 to D9 and in turn caused the opponent's king to not be able to make a valid move, ending the match
℞(Eᚴ-F8)×Cⵒ^	Challenger's king moved from Eᚴ to F8, using the king's leap, in turn taking a figure and moving it to captivity space Cⵒ
R(E1-F3)^½	King moved from E1 to F3, using the king's leap. After this move, players agreed to a tie

Champions

Year	Host country	Host city	World champion	Runner(s)-up	Won (+)	Lost (−)	Draw (=)	Format
Unofficial tournaments
1834	In the Polyashi Empire	In Preimand			4			Single-elimination tournament
1839	In the Polyashi Empire	In Nadgorica			4
1844	In the Polyashi Empire	In Ukadsk			3
1849	In the Polyashi Empire	In Ukadsk			4
1854	In the Polyashi Empire	In Kandan			7			Round-robin tournament
1859	In the Polyashi Empire	Nadgorica			9
1864	In Zhengia	Kandan			10
1869	In Bogmia	Zhousheng City			11
1874	In Zhengia	Ukadsk			8
Zhengian-backed host championship
1879	Zhengia	Ukadsk			9			Round-robin tournament
1884	Zhengia	Ukadsk			11
1890	Zhengia	Ukadsk			10			first-to-10 wins + tiebreak
1895	Zhengia	Ukadsk			10
1900	Zhengia	Kandan			10
1905	Zhengia	Kandan			10
1909	Zhengia	Ukadsk			10
1913	Zhoushi Union	Kandan			10
International championship
1918	Prei Meas	Dǒr Ōnŏtōra			10			first-to-10 wins + tiebreak
1922	Gadorien	Behmring			10
1926	Hatstheput	Victoria			10
1930	Qazhshava	Dolinagore			10
1934	Gabrielland	Sangur			10
1938	New Sebronia	Haæstre			10
1942	Monte Blanco	Pinžak			12			first-to-12 wins + tiebreak
1946	Riamo	Maremo City			12
1950	Gadorien	Colonia			12
1954	San Calia	Alstra			12
1957	Kentalis	Čuradin			12
1961	Bakyern	Kållaby			12
1965	New Sebronia	Pistora			12
1969	Template:Country data Layfet				12
1971	San Calia	Carlsbad			12
1973	Monte Blanco				12
1977	Zhousheng	Zhousheng City						best-of-24 + tiebreak
1981	Qazhshava	Belingil
1985	Monte Blanco	Montginia
1989	Kentalis	Apačin
1993	Template:Country data Layfet							best-of-20 + tiebreak
1997	Gadorien	Aȝoꭈsheim
1999	Gabrielland	Vailhims
2003	Bakyern	Östervask						best-of-16 + tiebreak
2006	Kentalis	Apačin
2009	Zhousheng	Kandan
2012	Qazhshava	Mishi kray						best-of-12 + tiebreak
2015	Prei Meas	D̐a Nt̩̐ả
2018	Kentalis	Polácica
2021	Mustelaria