Big fan of the general idea here with non-violent chess strategy and units with a couple abilities each. But feels a little bit too cheesy/naiive at times (as opposed to happy snake stuff which feels more sincerely cute), and also too much short-term tactics... I would like it if there were less pickups, longer cooldowns, and more emphasis on getting pawns across or other long-term goals. Maybe fewer abilities for the first few levels, too? Level 1 shouldn't have me flooding the board with chips and sodas and scrambling to micro-manage four abilities! Perhaps give pawns a single ability? (You do say they are "simple".)
I love the timer mechanic, except I'm not able to see more than a sliver of the clock! I want to know what things take up time, and how much time I have left!
-Jeremy, from my developer account
Also: The music is nice, and I like getting to choose a playlist. Though I'm unsure whether I like mixing the music and strategic stuff. Perhaps have a hard mode that takes out those special abilities, for those who want music/gameplay segregation and fewer pre-game options? Though it is a cool mechanic, and it's neat how the music can remind you what strategic phase of the game you're on.