Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati
Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati (3 September 2002 – 15 June 2021) was an Indian student who invented a six-player variant of chess at the age of 9 with assistance from his father.[1][3] He earned a patent for his invention in 2012, making him the youngest patent-holder in India at that time.[1][4][5][6] For his invention Bhati received the CavinKare Ability Special Recognition Award[7] and the Sri Balaji Society's Child Innovator Award.[8][9] He since designed and received patents for twelve- and sixty-player versions of his game, with his boards capable of 100 distinct variations altogether.[10]
Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 15 June 2021 18) | (aged
Nationality | Indian |
Known for | Inventing six-, twelve-, and sixty-player circular chess variants[1][2] |
Besides circular chess, Bhati developed a ramp system enabling easy access to vehicles for disabled people.[11] In 2014 he was presented a Dr. Batra's Positive Health Award by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.[12]
Bhati had Duchenne muscular dystrophy and used a wheelchair. He credited his passion for invention to his admiration of British physicist Stephen Hawking: "I want to be like Hawking who became a famous scientist despite suffering from motor neuron disease."[1] Bhati died of cardiac arrest on 15 June 2021.[13]
Six-player circular chess
Bhati's version of multiplayer chess is played on a circular board with 228 black and white cells (or spaces). The 12 red spaces are not used. Up to six players in teams of two or three can play. Bhati's design employs all the standard chess pieces and their moves.[14][15] Individual armies are distinguished by colour.
Rules
Each player starts the game with the same number and types of pieces as in standard chess. Non-pawn pieces start in their normal positions on the back ranks (the 8×1 extensions at the board perimeter), with queens always placed to the left of kings. Pawns are placed on the rank in front of the pieces as in standard chess.
Red spaces cannot be occupied or passed through when moving or capturing. The multicoloured central area can be passed through but not occupied. It is considered a single "null" space, so a cell bordering it is considered adjacent to the cell on the direct opposite side of the null area. (E.g., a pawn on a cell bordering the null space that moves one step straight forward, will end its move on the opposite side of the null space on the same-coloured cell.)
The king, knight, and pawn have their standard chess moves, unaffected when crossing the central null space, where a cell directly across is considered adjacent. A pawn promotes as normal when reaching any player's back rank. A rook moves horizontally along concentric rings of cells, and vertically along files, including crossing the central null space and continuing along the same file in a straight line. When moving horizontally, a rook cannot end its move on the same cell it started from. The queen moves horizontally and vertically the same as a rook. When a queen or bishop moves diagonally and then crosses the central null space to the opposite side, it must continue from a cell of the same colour it started from: it is moved one cell clockwise or anticlockwise after passing the null space, consistent with whether it began its diagonal movement in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction.
When a player is checkmated or resigns, all their remaining pieces are removed from play.[16] In games where teams compete, the last team standing is the winner.
See also
References
- Singh, Ajay (30 March 2012). "Youngest patent-holder on wheelchair". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- Today, Mail (26 June 2013). "Jaipur: Child Prodigy adds new twist to the game of chess". Mail Today. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- Wunderkind (30 March 2012). "9 yr old develops circular chess". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- Mishra, Sudhanshu (1 April 2012). "Jaipur: Boy builds multi-player chessboard". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- "SOCIETY". September 2013. p. 4. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- Khabar, NDTV (30 March 2012). "जिंदगी की जंग का हौसला..." NDTV India (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- "A chess prodigy with a difference". The Hindu. 10 March 2013. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- Business, Standard (10 May 2012). "9-year-old differently-abled boy gets child innovation Award". Business-standard.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
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has generic name (help) - 24X7, NDTV (10 May 2013). "9-year-old differently-abled boy gets child innovation Award". ndtv.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- "11-yr-old with fatal disorder makes a name in chess invention". Z News. 15 September 2013. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- "Boy builds disabled-friendly vehicle entry system". Business Standard. 14 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "12-year-old awarded for disable-friendly innovation". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- "India's youngest patent-holder Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati dies of cardiac arrest at 19". Gulf News. 16 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- Express, Financial (29 March 2012). "Disabled Boy Gets Patent for 6 player chess". Financialexpress.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- IBN, Live (29 March 2012). "9 yr old disabled boy gets patent for 6 player chess". Ibnlive.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- Singh, Harsha Kumari (30 March 2012). "Physically challenged boy invents a game of chess for 6 people". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.