Chicken Chess was invented at lunch one day in late 2005 by the scheming minds of racy and surfnsuds. They dreamed up the idea of playing Antichess with Benedict characteristics. The resulting variant proved manic, fun, and hard to predict. Making that first crucial move feels a little like the old game of Chicken ("You go first" "No, you" "No, you!") Thus the name...
Game rules
The game starts from the standard chess initial position. All the pieces move as in standard chess. And:
When a piece is moved, it flips all threatened pieces (as in Benedict).
If a piece can capture an opponent's piece, it must do so (as in Antichess). After the capture, all newly threatened pieces are flipped (as in Benedict).
Winning is accomplished by losing all your pieces first (as in Antichess).
If you stalemate (no legal move) your opponent, you win if you have less material (as in Antichess), lose if you have more, and draw if the material is equal (less material means smaller number of pieces, whatever their value is).
En Passant is legal (as in Antichess). Castling is legal, and may be done anytime the intervening squares are unoccupied (as in Benedict). Note that when castling, only the King is considered to have moved and hence to attack adjacent squares. The Rook does not attack as a result of a castle. Pawns may promote to any piece, including king (as in Antichess). Promoted pawns flip opposing pieces in the move that the promotion takes place (as in Benedict).
Game hints
Never forget the pieces flipping colour rule, and make sure when planning moves you know exactly how many pieces you are causing to flip colour, missing pieces that do flip can cause a well planned line to be ruined!
Strategy is similar to Antichess, but with many extra techniques. Sometimes flipping opposing pieces to your colour can have benefits for you. (I'll leave you to work out how!)
The final very small tip, but often helps win games, do not forget en passant is still legal, this has many benefits in endgames involving pawns!
Example games