Zombie Crickets

Revised version of #621

based on the grasshopper-induced feature. Two added grasshoppers make the game more complex. I haven't found any obvious advantage for either side, unlike some other accepted WoFs. Even a position that looks completely winning may turn out to be losing on close examination.

In this variant, crickets are represented as black (transparent), reflecting their natural appearance. On the server, they appear grey, which implies they should be dead, however, they are zombie-like. After each turn, the script recalculates the influence of all grasshoppers, and if it detects a new hop to the king's square, it treats it as a check.

The goal of this variant is to score points for checkmates. Points are awarded as follows:

1st checkmate: 48 points

2nd checkmate: 32 points

3rd checkmate: 24 points

You can checkmate the kings either by reducing their lives to zero or by stepping onto the hill. However, eliminating your opponent's king does not award points for any remaining immune zombies. The hill squares are locked under zombie pawns, and to reach them, you must first kill the corresponding zombie.

Player strategies

Be active and positionally dominate your opponent.

Stay out of conflict and strike during the final checks.

Pay attention to your grasshopper, as its presence on the board might allow you to avoid zugzwang.

After earning 48 points for the first zombie checkmate, sacrifice your king to prevent your opponent from reaching the hill and scoring 32+24 points for checkmating the remaining zombie and your king.

With only one or two lives left, you can try to force the zombie to checkmate you, resulting in a draw with no points awarded. This is an intended feature of the (chess) game.

The immune F-Checker does not move randomly at all but follows a set of priorities. It seeks to check as many opponents as possible (even by using zombie crickets), only resorts to checkmating or capturing a king when no other checks are available, and prefers moves or captures closer to the edge of the board.

Sample games showing some tricks:

g#74785410

g#74785410

g#74785347

g#74785250

g#74783023

g#74781738

g#74781596

g#74780720

g#74780231

g#74678462

This variant shares some strategic elements and mechanics with these WoF variants:

Do Not Be Captured

https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/ncp-do-not-be-captured

Escape the Light

https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/wof-escape-the-light

Grasshopper Soccer

https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/wof-grasshopper-soccer

Survival Box

https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/wof-survival-box