The game of Penultima is a chess variant that can accommodate 3-8 players. The recommended number of players for ideal play (as specified by the game designers themselves) is 5.

Only 2 of the players are actually referred to as "Players", with the rest being called "Spectators" - a misleading name considering that the "spectators" control the movement of the pieces as much as do the "players".

The game is played on the normal 8x8 checkered board with all of the normal piece figurines. The goal of the game is also the same: to check-mate the opponent's piece normally called the King.

At the beginning of the game, the 6 figure/piece types are allocated by some means between the spectators. The spectators take physical possession of all pieces of their type or types while they decide what rules shall govern their allowable movements, methods of capture, and any other consequences. These rules are kept secret from both players as well as all other spectators. The only constraint on the spectators' rules is that they must attempt to make the game playable. Once the spectators have made their decisions, they place the pieces on the board in the normal starting configuration (with some variation possible if the rules for a piece are incompatible with its normal starting position). Spectators then announce new names for their pieces. Names may be designed to try to help players guess the piece's rules.

In Penultima, black goes first. On a Player's turn, he or she can pick any of his or her pieces and move it anywhere on the board. Then the Spectator allocated to that piece will do one of three things:
1) They will allow the piece to remain where it is, declaring the move to be legal, but without consequence.
2) They may allow the piece to remain where it is, declaring the move legal, but will alter the positions of other pieces and/or remove pieces from play (and possibly say "check") to enact the consequence of the move. (As the game progresses, Players may learn the rules regarding capturing or moving other pieces and may act out these consequences themselves. If they act out a consequence incorrectly, the Spectator will correct the error.)
3) They will return the moved piece to its starting position, declaring the move illegal.

Penultima

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