This is standard chess with all normal rules, but displayed as a single 1D strip of 64 squares. Moves are still validated using real 8x8 chess logic, and you can optionally view the synced 8x8 preview board.

Other than "why not?", comments on Hacker News by traderj0e and highphive, arguing that chess technically is a 1D game, were a direct inspiration. It might also help with blindfold-style board visualization training... or at least that is the theory. I am around 1500 on LiChess, so please treat this as "enthusiastic field research," not grandmaster-certified science.

This uses js-chess-engine in the browser for legal move validation, game-state checks (check/checkmate/stalemate), and the optional AI opponent with selectable levels 1-5 from Beginner to Expert.