Comments by GaryK.Gifford

Josh asks, 'May A King Attack When it is in check?'

Answer: Certainly. Thus if your opponent's Queen moves next to your King
and checks it, your King can simply take the Queen (unless your opponent
has that checking square protected by another piece of theirs.  

Remember: Kings cannot move into check.  Nor can they castle while in
check, nor can they castle through a check. But they can certainly capture
other [unprotected] pieces while in check.

Chess is far from dead when it comes down to human beings playing against
other human beings.  In regard to computers... yes, the silicon brains, I
believe, do put a very dark cloud on many on-line games [both
correspondance and real-time].  But put 2 players face-to-face in a, tournament hall,
at a chess club, coffee shop, school chess work shop, or at a kitchen table and we 
have a great game which I imagine will
continue to be played, as it is now, for a long long time to come.

I had discussed contributing SHORANJI and SHORANJI Maximus with Joe -- those stand for 'Short Range Joyce Inspired' as his persistance led to their creation. Their predecessor is Six Fortresses Short Range - which Joe also talked me into creating... and no wonder, he plays it much better than I do. :(

Anyway, all 3 games are 'Short Range Projects' that you and Joe can use for inclusion in your project. Best of luck to you and Joe... and thanks to both of you in regard to your short range games dedication and endeavors. Sincerely, Gary

The work of the editors is very much appreciated, but I know it can
sometimes seem that your hard work and time spent is taken for granted.  I
can assure you, it is not.

Thanks to all of you for the great 2006 year..., and indeed, for the
previous years and years to come... your hard work is greatly
appreciated.

In closing, here is a little Latin verse that I think can be applied to
our world of chess variants, and to our lives in general:

        crescat scientia vita excolatur 

   which means: 'let knowledge grow, let life be enriched'

I like the idea of the crazy Kings very much - but, how is the game won?
Rule 3 states: 'The king may place himself in check, but NOT checkmate.'
If the King is placed in Check by its owner, can the other side capture the
King?

'Can a pawn promote to a Ferz or a Wazir ?'

Good question.  Yes. But I imagine such promotions will be seldom seen.

I read Jeremy's comment, i.e., 'The game listed as 'Cannons of
Estonians' charming as that is, is really, I believe, Gary Gifford's
Cannons of Chesstonia.'

Jeremy is correct.   Best regards, Gary

Thanks for the comment, Joe.  The comment about the last games being on stretched boards and this one having 'shrunk' pieces was interesting.  In regard to the game itself, as pointed out in my rule notes:
On 8 March 2007 Jeremy Good informed me that Heavy Gravity Chess is similar to Ralph Betza's 'Half Chess' [invented March of 2001]. And that game is similar to Mr. Betza's 'Halfling Chess.' I was aware of neither until after I made HGC. Ralph Betza kept the Knight move unchanged for his 'Hafling Chess;' but in 'Half Chess' replaced it with a 'Crab of DemiChess.' 
Aside from different Knights; Pawns and Kings are also different. Ralph's King and Pawns, as he stated, 'have their fighting power doubled, as compared to FIDE Chess.' In Heavy Gravity Chess, to be consistent with the concept of heavy gravity affecting all pieces, the King and Pawns have become weaker than their FIDE counter parts.
Before closing: A special thanks to Jeremy Good for creating the new 'heavy' 4-move pieces used in this game.  It is much appreciated.  I like them very much. - Best regards, Gary

I've been getting this message - looks like it has something to do with
the flying kittens game - can't get into check or make moves:

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on line 214