Castilian Shadows 2026

Castilian Shadows is a two-player abstract strategy game on a 4x4 board. All 16 pieces are initially hidden beneath neutral tokens, and neither player knows what lies beneath each one. The setup is Full Board Random — the 16 chess pieces (2 queens, 2 rooks, 2 knights, and 2 bishops per colour) are shuffled and placed randomly on the board.

Neutral pieces move and capture exactly like a king — one square in any direction. When a neutral moves (quietly or by capture), it immediately reveals its true identity and becomes the white or black piece hidden beneath it. From that moment on, it moves according to standard chess rules. A captured neutral leaves the board forever without ever revealing its secret.

The goal is simple: eliminate all 8 pieces of your opponent. White makes the first move. If 16 consecutive moves pass without any capture, the game ends in a draw. Every move carries risk — you may awaken a mighty queen or a useless bishop. You may capture an opponent's neutral, but its identity dies with it. Victory belongs to those who master uncertainty and cold calculation.

—description from the designer