Pskov Checkers

As HexDame is a hexagonal adaptation of International Checkers, Pskov Checkers (or Pskovskie Shashki) is a Checkers Family game adapted to a hexagonal board, in this case probably Shashki, though no inventor or date of creation is currently known.

Pskov Checkers can be played on one of two boards, both of them regular hexagons comprised of hexagonal cells. The smaller board consists of 37 cells, four to each side of the larger hexagon. The larger board consists of 61 cells, five to each of the larger hexagon’s sides. Both boards are set between two players with a point closest to each player. On the smaller board, each player has 13 pieces, arranged on every cell of their half of the board, with a row of vacant cells in the middle. Likewise on the larger board, but with 24 pieces per player.

Other than the varying boards and arrangement of pieces, the difference between Pskov and Shashki is in the promotion of pieces; in Pskov Checkers, pieces can only be promoted on the farthest corner cell, closest to the opponent, rather than the furthest row as in Hexdame.