Shatra (1960)

Shatra (шатра), also known as Altay Shatra (Алтай-шатра), is a cross-over between chess and checkers, which is based on a traditional game of the Altay region whose exact rules were lost. It was re-created in 1960 by Saveliy Yakovlevich Pahayev, a professor of the Gorno-Altaisk Research Institute of History, Language and Literature. In 1974, some reasearchers of this institute "improved" the rules and, in the following year, the first tourna­ment was held in the capital of the Altay Republic. The game soon became a popular mindsport in the Altay region and is also play in Khakassia, Tuva and Buryatia. There were over-the-board tour­na­ments in Russia (Besh-Ozek (Altay), Chernogorsk (Khakassia), Elo (Altay), Gorno-Altaysk (Altay), Kosh-Agach (Altay), Kyzyl (Tuva), Onguday (Altay), Shebalino (Altay), Ulan-Ude (Bur­yatia)), Ust-Kan (Altay), and Yabogan (Altay).

In addition, there is another "Shatra", which is a little bit more chess-like and, which is mostly played outside of Altay. It was invented by Vladimir Leonidovich Taushkanov in the 1970s who helped to finalize the Shatra rules in 1974, but went a step further. The older variant popular in the Altay region can be called "Shatra I" and the slightly newer variant, which is today almost exclusively played outside of the Altay region (mainly in the European part of Russia) "Shatra II". There is also a four-sided variation of Shatra I that can be played by four players.

The goal of the game is to mate the opponent's king (biy). Besides the king, Shatra I has 16 pieces, which move like Russian checkers men. In Shatra II there is a king (biy), a queen (batïr), two rooks (tura), two bishops (jalkïn) and 11 pawns (šatra). Capturing is in both variants mandatory and by jumping similar to checkers. The board has a very unusual shape and was influenced by Chinese Chess (the autonomous Altay Republic borders to China). It has a battlefield, a ditch, a gate and a fortress.

Shatra I can be played online at Abstract Games (a Russian site) and Shatra II at Chess Variants Game Courier. Recently a book was published about Shatra I. Draws are possible and might be substantial similar to checkers and chess, particularly in Shatra I, if the game is played by masters. However, in Shatra I tournaments at Abstract Games, which are played among weak amateurs from Russia, Belarus and Germany, only every 15th game ends in a draw. In Shatra I, there are 400 possible board positions after ply 2. The branching factor is similar to chess.

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