# IDEA.md — blind_chess


## What is this?
Web-based two player chess game cleanly imlementing the game variation below, but where the physical separation is digial and the moderator is the computer.
Implements existing chess game open source code (research)

## Original game variation (real world)
2 players play chess, battleship-style, a moderator sits between them syncing boards and announcing if a proposed move is acceptable. Player 1 and player 2 cannot see each other's boards, but the moderator 
sees all.
The game depends on the moderator, who needs to understand the “hierarchy” of statements, for example:

 

That piece no longer exists

The piece has no legal moves

Illegal move

Moving that piece will not help you

White has moved

Black has moved and captured

White is in check

Black has castled

White has moved and captured en passant

The moderator has a full board of his own, and needs to make sure the player boards have pieces of his own color placed correctly

There are definite strategy points for the players.  It is very important that if a player touches a piece, and the moderator is silent, the player must move that piece until a legal move is completed.

## Problem it solves
This game is very cumbersome in real life and requires 3 people. Digitizing it eliminates all of that.

## Constraints / preferences
chess.sethpc.xyz -> two buttons (regular chess(vanilla) or blind chess(variaton) -> creates a hashed link for you to send to the other player. Only way to join a game is to follow that hashed link
OR propose a better method for low-friction p2p
Game follows verbage and rules of variation, but the moderator and moderator board are digitized. Each player only sees their pieces.

## Things to address
Does the sourced version highlight acceptable moves? if so, we should un-highlight illegal moves, and not reveal capture moves. Unlike normal chess, once you touch a piece you must move that piece, except 
if that piece has no legal moves.
Highlighting in general should be a per-game toggleable option at game rules start.