Questions tagged [chess-variants]
Questions about variants of normal chess including bughouse, Chess960 (Fischer Random), atomic chess, racing kings, crazyhouse, antichess, etc.
234
questions
2
votes
2answers
102 views
Is an early “normalization” of the position in Chess960 a sign of good quality game?
First let us start with two definitions.
Definition #1: A position is said to be normal if there exists a sequence of legal moves from the classical starting position which lead to this position.
...
3
votes
1answer
79 views
Are there any tri dimensional chess rules utilising traditional starting positions?
I have a tri dimensional chess game for my phone which let's the player select different rule sets to play by.
They all start with the king and queen on the attack boards which I find incredibly ...
13
votes
3answers
4k views
Would bishops be stronger or weaker on the same coloured squares?
Assuming one or both players makes a mistake and transposes a bishop and the adjacent knight when setting up the board, would this help or hinder them?
The answers to this similar question suggest it'...
1
vote
1answer
180 views
How can I load a position without kings into an engine?
I would like to be able to do load a position into a whatever possible (advanced) engine without kings. For example, the goal of the game would be to annihilate all the possible pieces instead of ...
4
votes
0answers
205 views
What are the origins of Hand & Brain chess?
I was recently leafing through Pritchard's Encyclopedia of Chess Variants when I noticed that the variant Hand and Brain which has recently become popular, in which one player states the piece to the ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
In Hand and Brain chess, is the stronger player generally preferred to be the hand or the brain?
Exactly what it says on the tin, as the British say:
In Hand and Brain chess, is the stronger player generally preferred to be the hand or the brain?
And secondarily:
Is the answer to the previous ...
2
votes
3answers
163 views
How do convert/parse/extract data from a PGN into a spreadsheet/google sheet/excel file?
Sequel to this question: Live statistics chess960 from chess.com?
So suppose I go to like
https://api.chess.com/pub/player/gmwso/games/2020/12
or
https://api.chess.com/pub/player/gmwso/games/2020/12/...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Chess480: Why 480?
From wiki:
Lewis has named this chess variation "Chess480"; it follows the rules of Chess960 with the exception of the castling rules. Although a Chess480 game can start with any of 960 ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
Live statistics chess960 from chess.com?
Cross-posted stackoverflow, but nothing.
Both lichess and chess.com have the feature to play the variant chess960 live. However, only lichess has a graph showing how your live chess960 rating has ...
0
votes
0answers
53 views
Are there Chess variants or problems using this particular piece?
The piece I am asking about is the combined jumper (0,2)(0,3)(2,2)(3,3) or the combination of Dabbaba, Threeleaper, Alfil, and Tripper. It is used under the name Hawk in the recent Chess variant ...
2
votes
0answers
79 views
Winning percentage in chess 960 in 2021
How does the winning percentage (white win/draw/black win) in chess 960 (Fischer random) compare to that of regular chess?
The above was asked here. I would like to re-ask this question with the ...
0
votes
0answers
157 views
Where are all 100 block-board and pieces, excavated from Indus valley kept?
There are 100 square block-based stone boards that were excavated from a 5500 year old site. There were some pieces and broken stone board recovered. This ancient game it for was called Shadyantra. I ...
3
votes
1answer
148 views
5D Chess - Why is white king not in check in this position?
Why cannot black rook on c5 in the bottom timeline capture the king on c5 in the top timeline? Why is the king not in check?
8
votes
1answer
2k views
Can you solve this chess problem of a lone knight against numerous opposing pieces?
[FEN "8/1nq5/bppp4/1p1k1K1N/1rrp3b/2pp2p1/8/n7 w - - 0 1"]
I found this interesting and unique chess problem online.
Disclaimer: This is not necessarily a position from a game. It's just a ...
5
votes
1answer
294 views
Would move sealing make sense in chessboxing? Or do the chessboxing people explain why they don't have?
In chessboxing, I think that every switch from a chess round to a boxing round is kind of an adjournment. Yet, I notice chessboxing doesn't have move sealing. Some ways a switch is not quite an ...
0
votes
1answer
52 views
Looking for a simple GUI for variants of chess
I am currently coding an engine for a variant of chess called Monster Chess. I was wondering if there a GUI existed that would simply take pieces from a square to another (eg e4 to e5) without ...
2
votes
2answers
232 views
What is the solution to single-check chess?
Single-check chess is a variant where the first person to give check wins. There is a website that claims it has been solved, with white winning in four moves; however, I cannot find the moves ...
4
votes
1answer
789 views
Are there any official rules for Bughouse?
I came across this question - Formal rules for two-player bughouse without a clock - which asks if there is a formal way of breaking deadlock situations where one player on each side doesn't want to ...
4
votes
0answers
50 views
What site/s has/have different ratings for different time controls for Chess960?
Lichess and chess.com and have ratings for Chess960, but this is regardless of time control and bullet/blitz/rapid(/classical) in Lichess. Please recommend a site that has different ratings for ...
1
vote
1answer
150 views
Patterns in Chess960 positions
I have two questions.
Where can I find more studies like this Lichess one, please? I got it from this answer elsewhere on this site.
The Lichess study is talking about this position
[White "...
4
votes
0answers
105 views
Relation between ratings for Chess960 and standard chess
Is there any relation or any attempt at discovering a relation between Chess960 ratings and standard chess ratings? This can be for GMs, for (any)M's, for pro players, or for all players on lichess/...
1
vote
0answers
193 views
Why Chess960 and not Chess959?
This question asks if Chess960 is really Chess960 and not Chess959, i.e. the dice are really not re-rolled (positive, instead of normative). The answer is yes, it really is.
However, why is Chess960 ...
-2
votes
1answer
128 views
Chess training to get to 2000 rating [closed]
I have been playing chess (sometimes a lot, sometimes none) for a very long time.
I want to become an international master in 4 years, or have a rating of 2000.
I am 15 right now and have a rating of ...
2
votes
0answers
146 views
Response in antichess to 1. e3 b5 2. Bxb5 Bb7
I've been playing a lot of blitz Giveaway Chess (aka Antichess, etc; a chess variant in which capturing is compulsory, the goal is to lose all the pieces or be stalemated, there is no castling, and ...
13
votes
1answer
1k views
Can you castle twice in Chess960?
Consider this Chess960 game.
[FEN "rnkqbbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKQBBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]
1. d4 Na6 2. e4 Nb8 3. Ba5 Na6 4. Bb5 Nb8
5. Qh5 Na6 6. Nh3 Nb8 7. Na3 Na6 8. O-O-O Nb8
9. Rd3 ...
25
votes
3answers
4k views
On an infinite board, which pieces are needed to checkmate?
Most of the winnable endgames require cornering the opposing king to checkmate, often using zugzwang. However, if you have an infinite board (infinite in every direction), you won't be able to corner ...
2
votes
0answers
123 views
Why isn't chess played white 1 move, black 2 moves, white 2 moves and so on?
In turn based games like chess, the player playing the first move has an advantage the whole game. One way to "remedy" this is to let the player starting the game make one move (and have the ...
14
votes
2answers
561 views
How many moves of head start does white need for a guaranteed win?
As we all know, it is not known whether white can always win in chess with optimal play. If, however, white got to make two moves before black made their first move would they be able to win with ...
3
votes
1answer
102 views
What rules are known for Chaturanga?
In the ancient Indian game Chaturanga, what rules are known, and how does it vary from modern chess? Also, is it a solved game?
4
votes
1answer
537 views
Controversy over the Xiangqi cannon piece?
When reviewing the nature of the pieces of various chess variants, namely the xiangqi cannon, I asked about its history. I was surprised that the dates of its mentions did not match 8th century ...
2
votes
1answer
222 views
Material value of the Berolina pawn
The Berolina pawn is a fairy piece that moves like a normal pawn, but can move two (and one in all other cases) steps diagonally and capture one forward. How much better (or worse) is this piece ...
5
votes
1answer
154 views
Is there a forced win in CastleChess?
Is there a forced win for White or Black in the chess variant CastleChess? The rules are explained in this post on an obscure blog named “Cinquante signes”, although it is originally from ...
7
votes
1answer
382 views
(Unbalanced) Double-Move chess - can white force a win?
I'm not talking about Marseillais chess (which is similar, but rules are added to reduce the advantage of the white), which is sometimes also called "balanced double-move chess".
In a Double-...
3
votes
1answer
104 views
How big is the advantage for white in the “back-rank-game”?
Consider a chess variant in which normal chess rules apply, with one exception. The player that is able to bring a piece or a pawn onto the opponent’s back rank, which would be the 8th rank for White ...
1
vote
1answer
223 views
If there was a perfect play from both sides, but each player was allowed to do 2 moves every time, would white win?
Imagine a game where players are allowed 2 moves instead of one. If there were perfect play from both sides, would White win?
11
votes
2answers
650 views
What is Indian Castling exactly?
Western castling doesn’t exist in historical Indian Chess (Chaturanga). Instead, in some versions, there is a cool move whereby each king can once in the game make a knight's move.
I read that it is ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
New Chess Variant
If in chess, pieces have the option instead to not move, then how would the game change? I have looked through a few positions and I see that zugzwang doesn't work at all. What else would be changed?
2
votes
3answers
731 views
Can 5D chess be solved?
An interesting new variant of chess has emerged, showing that chess will always be fresh-5D chess.
I mostly play the 5x5 version, but the positions do not rocket out of control like in the standard ...
2
votes
1answer
91 views
A castling variant-how would it change the game?
In chess, castling can't be done if the king or relevant rook have moved. How would the basic strategy of the game change if the king and rook could castle after moving? Also, how would the game ...
-1
votes
2answers
224 views
Chess variant-Is it strategically good?
In this chess variant, the number of moves made both chess players are 1 & 2 alternatively. Here is a showing of it.
White Black
1 2
2 1
1 ...
10
votes
2answers
484 views
Are there any inherent problems with point-symmetric random chess?
The regular setup of chess is mirror-symmetric: If you mirror the positions of all figures on the equator of the board (between the fourth and fifth rank) and swap the colours, nothing changes. It is ...
1
vote
0answers
81 views
Why don't chess sites offer best of X match formats? [closed]
I believe chess sites should offer best of 3/5/etc match formats, rather than a one-off game. Basically, if you enter such a game, you don't "win" by just winning 1 game, you have to be the ...
9
votes
1answer
340 views
How much material is needed to force the capture of a lone queen (for example in horde chess)?
In horde chess, the following starting position is used:
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/1PP2PP1/PPPPPPPP/PPPPPPPP/PPPPPPPP/PPPPPPPP w - - 0 1"]
The goal of White is to checkmate Black; the goal ...
4
votes
1answer
382 views
Which chess GUIs support the chess variants Atomic and King of the Hill?
I want to play against Stockfish offline because I'm going on a trip. I downloaded the compiled exe from GitHub since my laptop will have limited Internet connection. After loading it into the Arena ...
4
votes
1answer
401 views
What is the correct name for a part of a chessboard: 'square' or 'cell'?
I play shogi (Japanese chess) and there is a word "マス" to call a cell of a square lattice not only used in shogi and chess. As far as I have read the article about chess in Wikipedia, it seems that "...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Would a piece that moved like a king – but could be captured (and could be moved en prise) – be considered a major or a minor piece?
I could be wrong, but it seems like the major determinant of whether a piece is a major piece or a minor piece is whether a king and one of that piece can force checkmate on a lone king. Would this be ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
Why the extra rank on each side in 4 player chess?
Why do we have an extra rank (the red lines below) on each side in 4 player chess on? What could be the possible logic?
(screenshot is taken from chess.com)
1
vote
1answer
51 views
What arrangement of 8 each of these 4 different compound leapers has the “strongest coverage properties” on a 16x16 board?
The 4 compound leapers I'd like to look at are:
(1,2), (0,3), (2,2); knight+threeleaper+alfil
(1,2), (0,2), (1,1); knight+kirin
(1,2), (1,3); knight+camel
(1,2), (2,3); knight+zebra
What arrangement ...
19
votes
5answers
4k views
Can one side force a loss in regular chess?
Chess is unsolved, so there is no known optimal strategy for one side to force a win or a draw.
However, is there an optimal strategy to lose? Consider a variant where checkmate results in a loss, ...
6
votes
1answer
273 views
Gyula Breyer joke composition cooked?
I recently bought the delightful book Outrageous Chess Problems by Burt Hochberg, which among other things contains some interesting joke compositions. I have a question about Problem 102 (diagrammed ...
