I really liked this game! I'm not much of a chess guy. I've tried it and it was too difficult. I do, however, really enjoy what has been done with this game. I can understand it certainly more than chess. Sometimes, you just have to get lucky.
You have lots of room to experiment. While not a platformer, you do have good mobility. It seemed like it got easier on some levels. Of course, I guess with many games that's inevitable. The music was nice and calm too.