VARIANTS

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As mentioned in the preface, in the meantime exists quite a variety of different versions for 3D-Chess. To list all variants would go beyond the scope of this page. In consequence I name here only some rules which can be easily addopted to the Tournament Rules for Three-Dimensional Chess or replace paragraphs without problem. Based on your personal preference you may combine different variants. But it is recommend to stay to "basic" rules for tournament purpose.

Variants for Attack Board Rules

V.A1. Rook and King - Forced Mate - Variant by Ralph Peters

It seems like in "Tournament Rules" for STAR TREK 3D-Chess a single King can not be forced mate by an opponent Rook and King alone.
This is probably changed by modifying article 3.6. - the movement of attack boards:
Occupied attack boards can only move forward or to the side. Empty attack boards can only move backward or to the side.

V.A2. Rotating Attack Boards

It is possible to exchange the clear ('white') and coloured ('black') squares by rotating an attack board 180 degrees. This wouldn't change anything if an attack board is empty, but might be quite interesting if the attack board is occupied by one piece. So, the rule is:
An attack board occupied by one piece may be rotated 180 degrees.
This is especially interesting if that piece is a pawn on file z or e, as the rotation would 'free' that pawn without a 'side-move', which leads to the next variant.

V.A2.1. "Adjacent pin" means in reach of two squares

By this variant in contradiction to article 3.6.: "Adjacent pin" means in reach of two squares. Eg. adjacent pins for QL3 are QL2 or QL4 and QL1.
This makes side-moves impossible, which makes a combination with variant "V.A2." necessary.

V.A2.2. Upside-down Attack Boards

Some rules allow to rotate an empty attack board around the main board or let's say to put the attack board upside down.
This wouldn't have any effect in a game by Tournament rules, as long you don't put two attack boards at the "same" pin. So it is not recommend to use that rule with Tournament rules.
Nevertheless it might be quite interesting if the movement of the pieces is changed completely.

V.A3. Promote Pawn to Attack Board - Variant by Jens Meder

In this variant if a pawn promotes on a1, d1, a8 or d8, the player can choose an additional attack board instead of a piece.
This leads to five, six or more attack boards, which was shown in some episodes of STAR TREK.

V.A4. Six Attack Boards, No Waiting - Variant by Andrew Bartmess

There is also a known board variation using six attack boards. The two additional attack boards begin the game located attached to KL3 and QL4, and are refered to as "Neutral Attack Boards". They start the game as unclaimed attack boards, and cannot be moved by either side. The first player to move a chess piece onto either board takes possession of that attack board.

V.A5. Three Pins each Rule by Ken Dayson

Each player may move only its own two attack boards. Each attack board may move up or down one main board at a time, remaining on the same relative corner, when empty or occupied (only by one of the player's own paws if that pawn does not move backwards). Such limit each attack board to three pins, eg. QL1, QL3 and QL5.

Variants for Piece Movement

V.M1. Real 3D

There exist quite some variants which should give the piece a more "real" 3D movement. For more information about that, please search the internet yourself.

Variants of Initial Positions

V.P1. Exchange Bishops and Knights eg. by Jeremy Trylch

This enables the bishops to move out to the fourth rank on their initial move.

V.P2. King and Queen to the Center eg. by Larry L. Smith

V.P3. Another King and Queen to the Center eg. based on a variant by Franz Wurmser

V.P4. Unconventional Setup eg. by Larry L. Smith

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