Four-player chess for themselves. As with regular chess, four-player chess begins with fortifications and the of pieces, but opportunities for capturing pieces (and gaining points) come about at large as each of the three opponents likewise do attacks and make threats of capture. Therefore picking friends and enemies has a political quality; ultimately the impromptu teammates will have to combat each other as only one can win. The Cox-Forbes theory of the origin of chess, though debunked, asserts that a four-player version was the earliest form of the game. A description of a four-player chess game is found in an Indian text
Laura Ross (chess player) Laura Ross (chess player) Laura Smith formerly "Laura Ross" (born 1988) is an American chess player. She holds the title of Woman FIDE Master. , her FIDE rating is 2217. She is no longer an active player, but she does enjoy playing for fun. Laura also teaches private chess lessons. In 1998 she finished eighth in the World Championship Girls Under 10. Ross was the first US female to head a "Top 100 Players" list of both male and female players, as published by the United States Chess Federation. In April 2002 she became the highest rated 13-year-old, male or