Chess, with an economy
Both players begin with a lone king and three coins. Your purse builds the army; your position wins the game.
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1
Take one action. On every turn, either buy one piece, move one non-king piece, or move your king. There is no pass or hold action.
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2
Earn. A purchase or a non-king move keeps your king in place and banks +1 coin. Moving your king earns nothing.
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3
Deploy. A purchased piece appears on an empty standard starting square: pawns on your second rank, knights on the b/g files, bishops on c/f, rooks on a/h, and the queen on d. The purchase ends your turn, and the new piece can move on your next turn.
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4
Choose freely. Outside check, you may make any legal move—including moving your king—or buy any piece you can afford. In check, every action must leave your king safe, including a purchase used to block the attack.
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5
Finish. Checkmate wins. If the player to move has no legal action and is not in check, the game is a stalemate draw.