Astronomical chess

Astronomical chess or Astrological chess[1] is a game for seven players from the book Libro de los Juegos[2] (Book of Games), written under king Alfonso X the Wise in 1283.

[3] The board has seven sides for seven players; within, there are 12 concentric circles representing the geocentric model of the universe.

[4]: 628, 629  Each zodiac sector contains 28 spaces (1+2+3+4+5+6+7), making the board equivalent to a lunar calendar.

[4]: 630 Each player is assigned a piece by rolling a seven-sided die; the piece personifies a different heavenly body, starting at a specific constellation within that orbit, as marked on the board:[4]: 630–633 According to the source, players roll the seven-sided die to determine who moves first, then each rolls the seven-sided die again to determine the number of spaces they move, anti-clockwise, within their orbit.

If the number of spaces moved results in the player staying within a zodiac sector, they do not win or lose any money.