Rules & simplifications
Turn order: Draw → Action (cast cards / make your move, any order) → End. You draw a card only on every other one of your own turns (your 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.).
Movement is unrestricted — move any one piece per turn, following normal chess rules, including castling.
Mana is gained only by losing pieces (yours), equal to their point value: Pawn 1, Knight/Bishop 3, Rook 5, Queen 9. Mana is permanent — it never expires and carries over for the rest of the game.
Hand size limit: 10 cards. If you're over the limit at End Phase, you must discard down to 10 before passing play.
Win condition: checkmate. Check, castling, and en passant are all enforced; stalemate is a draw.
Gold border/glow on a square means something permanent is attached there — an enchantment, an equipped piece, or a curse — on top of whatever specific icon is shown.
Deck: 52 unique cards, one copy each, across Utility, Aggro, Tempo, Permanent, and Graveyard themes.