Rex (1900)

Rex was published by "Rex-Verlag Rudolf Schilling" in Frankfurt am Main, Germany in 1900. It can be described as a mixture between Salta from 1899, since the pieces of each player have to cross the board to the other side, and Chess, for the pieces have different value and represent General, Horse, Soldier etc.

Unlike Chess, captured pieces are of a certain value (between 1 and 40!), and pieces all move in the same way (one step along the lines) crossing a grid of diagonally linked points in alternating dark and light rows. To start, pieces can jump from the "encampment" onto each of the points in the first row. Only pieces on dark points can be captured - obviously only by pieces on light points. After crossing the "battlefield", they "jump off" into the opponent`s encampment, where they are safe.
The game ends, if one player cannot do a legal move anymore. The player with less lost points wins the game. But aware: Not only captured pieces score negative, also the pieces still in your own half (now the opponents`) are considered "captured".

There were different editions of the game, a more expensive one with 3-dimensional figures and a cheaper one with flat stones instead.

In 1902 there was a second edition with simpler rules.