codex · nerf

Own Half Only

You can't move any piece past your own fourth ; the enemy half of the board is off limits.

At a glance

Type
Nerf
Tier
VIII. UnhingedUnhinged: the highest tier, a game-defining moment.
Focus
Movement, Positioning, Board Effects
Collection
Core
Appears in
Nerf mode
How it works
Passive and secret: it is always on, and your opponent cannot see it.

How it works

Own Half Onlyis one of Nerf Chess's secret handicaps. In Nerf mode you choose one of two nerfs before the first move, in secret, and carry it for the whole game.

The board quietly enforces it: any move it forbids is simply never offered, so you cannot break it by accident. Your opponent never sees which nerf you took until the game ends, so every move you make is also a clue they are trying to read.

Cross the line and you never come back, so no one crosses.

History

  1. July 5, 2026Added in the expanded-nerfs wave: 82 new handicaps across all eight tiers. (PR #144)

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