Answers.Body: <p>Andrew Bartmess was the first Star Trek fan to reverse-engineer the game of tridimensional chess from the TV series (which never explained the rules). He sells his version of the rules for $9.95: <a href="http://www.yestercade.net/tactical.htm" rel="noreferrer">Tri-D Chess Rules.</a></p>
  
  <p>In the most popular version of Tri-D chess (which Andrew calls the “The Federation Standard 5.0” rules), the game is played on seven boards, three of which are the “main” boards and four of which are “repositionable attack boards”:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jgKok.png" alt="Sheldon plays Star Trek tri-dimensional chess"></p>
  
  <p>Players can reposition one of the four attack boards by repinning them to the static boards at different points, provided that one of their pieces occupies that board (and no other piece occupies it). This is instead of moving a piece in that turn. The boards are, in effect, treated as mobile “attack craft”.</p>
  
  <p>The notation system uses a z-index from 1-7 to indicate which board the piece is moving to:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/m5fd7.gif" alt="Tri-D chess board notation"></p>
  
  <p>Unfortunately there’s no free version of Bartmess’ rules available online.</p>
  
  <p>Jens Meder maintains an alternate but free online version of <a href="http://meder.spacechess.org/3dschach/chess3d.htm" rel="noreferrer">Tournament rules for Three-Dimensional Chess</a> which are inspired by Star Trek and tied more closely to standard FIDE chess rules than Bartmess' version, albeit with the same wonderful board stand and complex notation:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Kn1dG.gif" alt="Three-dimensional chess stand"></p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/CY1bz.gif" alt="Three-dimensional chess notation"></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-05T12:55:25.957Z
Answers.Text: You might want to add that the TV show game did not have rules. It was a prop and plot device.
Answers.UserDisplayName: newshutz
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-09-22T00:36:08.863Z
Answers.Text: selling `his version of the rules` sounds so ridiculous.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Salvador Dali
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-01-09T12:13:32.397Z
Answers.Text: Seriously? Buy "rules"?!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Wais Kamal
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-03-03T17:06:14.690Z
Answers.Text: It should be noted, Bartmess' Federation Standard rules employ a 'higher board' movement rule, which gives the white player a distinct advantage. Members of the 'Big Bang Theory' production staff were also members of the World Tri Dimensional Chess Federation and ensured the W3DCF rules were adhered to during the shooting of the television program. They can be found, for free, at http://w3dcf.com/information/laws
Answers.UserDisplayName: sanepete
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-05T12:47:35.183Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-05-05T15:05:28.810Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-05-05T15:05:28.810Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Nick
Answers.Body: <p>The World Tri Dimensional Chess Federation use a <a href="http://w3dcf.com/information/laws" rel="nofollow noreferrer">set of rules</a> developed by a fighter pilot to improve three dimensional awareness and tactical maneuvering in modern aerial combat on the same Star Trek style game board.
  This seems closer to the spirit of the original concept.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-05-12T16:58:34.813Z
Answers.Text: I added a link to the laws of the W3DCF. Please check if that is correct.
Answers.UserDisplayName: lodebari
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-05-13T21:15:23.763Z
Answers.Text: It certainly seems to be.
Answers.UserDisplayName: charliechess
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Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-05-12T16:57:30.543Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-05-12T16:57:30.543Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: charliechess
Answers.Body: <p>I have release a free Android version of Star Trek chess.  It uses the “The Federation Standard 5.0” rules.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=awfsoft.app.TriDChess" rel="noreferrer">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=awfsoft.app.TriDChess</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-03-03T17:08:14.140Z
Answers.Text: It looks suspiciously like @Fred is an advert bot.
Answers.UserDisplayName: sanepete
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-09-12T05:16:01.603Z
Answers.Text: VERY INTERESTING! Is there a version for Windows 7 , I don't have Android.
Answers.UserDisplayName: user128932
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-09-12T05:18:52.823Z
Answers.Text: Could a game of chess be played on a 4 by 4 by 4 , 3-D board set up like the 3-d tic-tac-toe game?
Answers.UserDisplayName: user128932
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Fred
Body: <p>They play a type of 3D chess on Star Trek ( the 60's series) not on a 8x8x8 3D board but on some smaller variation. Yet the game as they have it is supposed to be complicated. Are there real rules and a 3D board set-up for this?</p>
  
Tags: <rules><chess-variants>
Title: About the 3D chess they play on Star Trek
ThreadText: # About the 3D chess they play on Star Trek
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-05)
  
  They play a type of 3D chess on Star Trek ( the 60's series) not on a 8x8x8 3D board but on some smaller variation. Yet the game as they have it is supposed to be complicated. Are there real rules and a 3D board set-up for this?
  
  **Tags:** rules, chess-variants
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_8 on 2014-09-11. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  I have release a free Android version of Star Trek chess. It uses the “The Federation Standard 5.0” rules.
  
  <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=awfsoft.app.TriDChess>
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: VERY INTERESTING! Is there a version for Windows 7 , I don't have Android.  
  > **username_0**: Could a game of chess be played on a 4 by 4 by 4 , 3-D board set up like the 3-d tic-tac-toe game?  
  > **username_5**: It looks suspiciously like @username_8 is an advert bot.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2014-05-05. Score: 15
  
  Andrew Bartmess was the first Star Trek fan to reverse-engineer the game of tridimensional chess from the TV series (which never explained the rules). He sells his version of the rules for $9.95: [Tri-D Chess Rules.](http://www.yestercade.net/tactical.htm)
  
  In the most popular version of Tri-D chess (which Andrew calls the “The Federation Standard 5.0” rules), the game is played on seven boards, three of which are the “main” boards and four of which are “repositionable attack boards”:
  
  ![Sheldon plays Star Trek tri-dimensional chess](https://i.sstatic.net/jgKok.png)
  
  Players can reposition one of the four attack boards by repinning them to the static boards at different points, provided that one of their pieces occupies that board (and no other piece occupies it). This is instead of moving a piece in that turn. The boards are, in effect, treated as mobile “attack craft”.
  
  The notation system uses a z-index from 1-7 to indicate which board the piece is moving to:
  
  ![Tri-D chess board notation](https://i.sstatic.net/m5fd7.gif)
  
  Unfortunately there’s no free version of Bartmess’ rules available online.
  
  Jens Meder maintains an alternate but free online version of [Tournament rules for Three-Dimensional Chess](http://meder.spacechess.org/3dschach/chess3d.htm) which are inspired by Star Trek and tied more closely to standard FIDE chess rules than Bartmess' version, albeit with the same wonderful board stand and complex notation:
  
  ![Three-dimensional chess stand](https://i.sstatic.net/Kn1dG.gif)
  
  ![Three-dimensional chess notation](https://i.sstatic.net/CY1bz.gif)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: You might want to add that the TV show game did not have rules. It was a prop and plot device.  
  > **username_3**: selling `his version of the rules` sounds so ridiculous.  
  > **username_4**: Seriously? Buy "rules"?!  
  > **username_5**: It should be noted, Bartmess' Federation Standard rules employ a 'higher board' movement rule, which gives the white player a distinct advantage. Members of the 'Big Bang Theory' production staff were also members of the World Tri Dimensional Chess Federation and ensured the W3DCF rules were adhered to during the shooting of the television program. They can be found, for free, at http://w3dcf.com/information/laws  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2021-05-12. Score: 4
  
  The World Tri Dimensional Chess Federation use a [set of rules](http://w3dcf.com/information/laws) developed by a fighter pilot to improve three dimensional awareness and tactical maneuvering in modern aerial combat on the same Star Trek style game board.
  This seems closer to the spirit of the original concept.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: I added a link to the laws of the W3DCF. Please check if that is correct.  
  > **username_6**: It certainly seems to be.  
  
  ---
  
  