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Comments by GeorgeDuke
Camel. 
An elongated Knight making a (3, 1) leap.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Piece value estimates here and under Legler's Ch do not operate independent of other features of each game: kind of Pawns(Berolina, Xiangqi, Cannon), board size, goal(generally checkmate). For ex., Camel and N both lose half-points as number of squares increase, relative to long-range units. Also simply the more compound riders, the less value each one has, compared to Pawns and leapers. Marshall and Cardinal probably fall off 0.5 from 8.0 and 7.0 standards for each 5% their types' numbers (including Queen) increase over 20% in a piece mix. Short of extensive playtesting, how to estimate PVs? Just by knowledge of many game-rules sets, visualizing positions, making tentative sets of values and sliding estimates mutually appropriate. Unicorn (B+NN) not always 9 pts, but typically 9, with a range maybe 5 for small boards to 12 where Shogi-type pieces predominate. Likewise Cardinal may be fully 8 pts. standard pawns and no Queen on 10x10.
Rose. Can make consecutive knightmoves in a circle.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Knappen's Nachtmahr covers all the different Nightriders including Rose. The trouble is that any extension of Knight can look like a Knight's Tour (problem theme) instead of a chess movement. The maximum-four-step Half-Rose making more sense, what is piece value? Comparable to Nightrider itself between 8x8 and 12x12, 4.5 points.
In 'More Halflings' Betza says 'A halfling is worth half as much as a normal piece' and 'Halflings are worth half.' Incorrect; estimates way off in case of Rose and Half-Rose, both agreed to be close to Rook value. Interesting piece Half-Rose can also perform double check across the four-step routes, but taking seven rows, rather unlikely where eight ranks. Maintained for twelve years as first of the four atomic chess pieces, Falcon triple checks when unimpeded; an intervening piece may still leave two Falcon pathways to King's position. Few pieces have multiple pathways like Rose and Falcon; one is Carlos Cetina's Sissa. Obviously, Sissa and Half-Rose make double paths only certain of their squares.
Sissa. Variant on 9 by 9 board with Sissa's. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Of course Sissa has two pathways to each square on any rectangular board, and either or both may be blocked. 225- and 315-degree angles throw one for a second, but Sissa is a two-path piece, like Eric Greenwood's Cavalier and Duke (both used before in Pritchard ECV games) and like Betza's Rose. I guess 'multiple-path' applies to two possibilities.
Article does not discuss multiple pathways. In fact, Sissa moves to squares of Rook plus those of Nightrider. What is name, as 'Unicorn' is B + NN? However, Sissa does not leap like NN or slide like Rook. Actually it moves to each 'N-Rider square' by two unique paths and 'Rook square' by four(4) routes. Four pathways may be cut to two only by proximity to edge. Still, intervening pieces may reduce any 4-fold way to 3-, 2-, or one, or prohibit move altogether; and any 2-fold way to 1 or 0. More interesting innovation than most CV games that come from new combinations or small change of old elements.
Quantum Chess 
. Commercial variant with new pieces on 10 by 10 and 12 by 12 boards. (10x10, Cells: 100) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Watt and Kapaa's Quantum Chess is based on their US Patent 5511793 issued April 30, 1996, and a (second)7.5-yr. renews it. Webpage has been down before, so it may return, having 10x10 and 12x12 boards. Patent is the longest games patent ever, awkwardly almost 100 pages single-spaced, rivaling recent biochemical patents, about only comparable. Falcon Chess USP5690334, 25.11.97, and Trice's Gothic Chess USP6481716, 19.11.02, both reference it.
Camel. An elongated Knight making a (3, 1) leap.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating](Camel + Wazir) looks like best (and simplest) compound to make Camel worthwhile chess piece, bestowing colour-changing potential without whimsically turning it into long-range piece. And (Zebra + Ferz) would balance with that in particular game, since Zebra already changes square colour each (2,3)move anyway.
Coherent Chess. Variant on 9 by 9 board with special knights. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]First used Cetina's Sissa is the 'Knight', actually moving to Nightrider and Rook squares, but not like they do. In Second Board above, 'Sissa', or 'Knight', on c3 may capture Rook on c5 by Four-Fold pathways: c3-d3-e3-d4-c5, or c3-d4-c5-d5-c5, or c3-b3-a3-b4-c5, or c3-b4-a5 b5-c5. No pieces intervene, but if they did, any one pathway would be sufficient to move and capture c5 from c3. Sissa's 'N-Rider' squares are reachable by two-fold pathways. No Bishops' conversion rule like in Sissa Chess.
Sissa. Variant on 9 by 9 board with Sissa's. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]In second drawing above, Sissa at c3 captures Queen at e7 by its 'modified Nightrider route' c3-d4-e5-e6-e7. The other pathway c3-c4-c5-e6-d7 is blocked by Rook at c5, but for two-fold-pathway square, one path is sufficient to complete move (and capture). Sissa goes to N-Rider squares by two-fold way, and Rook squares by four-fold way. Also making same distinction is the angled change of direction. When it turns 45 degrees, Sissa goes to N-Rider square; when 135 degrees, Rook square. It is not necessary, as in article, to think in terms of 225- or 315-degree changes of direction--a '315 turn' is just a 45-degree one the other way for Chess purposes.
The Game of Jetan. Extensive discussion of various versions of the rules of Jetan. (10x10, Cells: 100) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]My recent Comments under 'Sissa' and 'Rose' pursue theme of multiple-pathway pieces, including Falcon, Sissa, Rose and Half-Rose so far. Jetan here has several pieces that move to a given square in more than one way: Thoat, Dwar, Flyer or Odwar, and Chief or Chieftain.
Renniassance Chess. With 68 pieces on board of 12 by 12. (12x10, Cells: 120) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Edgar Burroughs' Jetan has many pieces with multiple pathways. Before returning to Jetan, Eric Greenwood's Renaissance Chess here and in Pritchard has relevant pieces. Both Cavalier and Duke [recently discussed by David Paulowich] are two-path long-range pieces. Any square each can move to has two routes, and when one is blocked by either colour, move may yet be valid by the other pathway. So, 'multiple-pathers' extend Falcon, Rose, Half-Rose, Duke, Cavalier, Sissa.
The Game of Jetan. Extensive discussion of various versions of the rules of Jetan. (10x10, Cells: 100) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Six of eight Jetan piece-types have multiple paths in both sets of rules in 'Chessmen of Mars', text and appendix, giving latter precedence as Burroughs' intended revision. In appendix Warrior moves two squares orthogonally with 90-degree change of direction allowed. So, Warrior's two-path squares are the diagonally adjacent ones, 'Ferz squares'. A second piece, Padwar moves two diagonal in any combination of directions. Therefore, when Padwar 'turns' 90 degrees, it is going to a two-path square. To CV researchers, Padwar multiple-, that is two-, path squares are 'Dabbabah squares'. Notice that Warrior's one-path squares and Padwar's two-way squares are the very same Dabbabah squares. Both types of arrival squares, one-way and two-way, can be blocked, but it takes at least two pieces (of either colour) so a two-way one. These are two of the six multiple-pathers in Jetan.
Commented lately under Sissa, Rose and Jetan (Larry Smith on Burroughs')are chess pieces with two or more (multiple) paths per square destination. No one has previously grouped the type together just as logically as say 'Leapers'. Jetan's five such piece-types originate by 1920s. Renaissance Chess' Duke and Cavalier arise in 1980. Falcon from Falcon Chess is documented from December 1992 and patent applied for 1996. Sissa, the half-Rook half-Bishop, hails from 1998, about the time Betza experiments with Rose and Half-Rose. In addition to Warrior and Padwar, as Paulowich points out the simplest multiple-path chess pieces, Jetan has Thoat, Dwar and Chieftain also meeting criteria fitting the bill. Thoat moves one straight, one diagonal, either order and any direction. Besides its TWO-WAY Wazir squares, of interest non-jumping Thoat goes to 'Knight' squares two different ways, following the move definition. With the five Jetan chess pieces--Dwar and Chieftain still to be explicated--added to the six previous above, eleven(11) multiple-route movers so far.
Tim Stiles' Wolf's squares not on Rook's path are more or less conventionally one-way. Wolf's squares along Rook's path are fittingly two-way. Insofar as as not blocked, Wolf reaches any possible Rook square beyond Dabbabah locations by two alternatives whilst not following Rook's pathway. Although Cetina's Sissa unimpeded moves (four-way) to any Rook square, the three pieces (R,W,S) all utilize entirely different pathways. The rule Burroughs lays down for Dwar, moving three squares straight (orthogonal) in any direction or combination, creates three types of squares, the cases alternately one-way, two-way and three-way. Dwar's Wazir squares are two-way, Knight squares three-way, and (0,3) Rookwise one-way.
Grotesque Chess. A variant of Capablanca's Chess with no unprotected Pawns. (10x8, Cells: 80) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Most outsiders would not know Guard and Equerry, having myself to click a few times to sort them out. Matter of particular array is relatively trivial compared to specific piece mix, since any initial position can be randomized. Fergus Duniho correctly points this assortment of pieces goes back 500 yrs.(Regina Rabiosa's debut), so hardly original. The form of castling is used also in Falcon Chess since 1995, and we still weigh whether King's moving liberally one or more would be more effective. Any other Rook arrival square than over and adjacent seems more like two moves.
The 'one or more' and 'two or more' options for King in castling are both in the 1996 patent claims themselves. [Falcon Chess did not originate with a Chess V.P. article in 2000.] See the other major Falcon Chess article from the next year 2001 on CVP, which was written in 1996 -- being the US Patent text itself -- based on inventors' notebook back to December 1992. Anyone can use this form of modified free castling, as I have called it, in any variant. I have no idea whether it was original with my Falcon Chess claims in 1996. Probably not. It is not crucial to the 8x10, 9x10, and 10x10 Falcon games; what made them patentable was the Falcon move itself in combination with other pieces in specific embodiments. I think both the castling forms are correct ideas in order to perfect large Chesses generally.
Where Grotesque's form of castling used before, from Falcon Chess Patent Text Excerpts copied on this CVP, the two sentences before 'Conclusions, Ramifications and Scope': 'Still another variation modifies free castling, whereby the squares on which the King can stop are one fewer in number excluding the square closest to the King's initial position. This arrangement is intermediate between free castling and orthodox castling.' Written in 1996, the idea may have been used in an earlier patent but not spilled over to Pritchard's 1994 ECV.
In effect David Paulowich has invented or covered in his Carrera Chess comment 21.9.04 all the possible arrays by 'Carrera Random Chess' and its obvious extrapolations. CVP 'Free Castling Rule' written by Roger Cooper explains the Italian Rules prevalent before 1900. Chess Cafe's Tim Harding, recently cited in 'underpromotion' discussion, has old Kibitzer column 1998 'Bring Back Free Castling.' They like to alternate among Fischer Random, Free Castling and such as different scoring systems for Draws, in order to put life back into 64-square 'Mad Queen Chess'.
Caïssa Britannia. British themed variant with Lions, Unicorns, Dragons, Anglican Bishops, and a royal Queen. (10x10, Cells: 100) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Charles Gilman's creative CV articles and games could be accessed more readily if he would take the suggestion Fergus Duniho made to him about a year ago to become a CVP member. As well, it would be easier for anyone to agree or to cite Gilman's generally interesting Comments. That way too Comments can be revised if necessary, obviating repetition and [in cases of some other commenters] enabling speed-reading through long-windedness.
Falcon Chess: Background and Patent Text Excerpts. With background summary of chess variants.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Not having found it in any prior art, I submit that 'Modified Free Castling' is invented and first appears in this methods Patent from 1997. Claim 6 reads: 'The method of claim 5 wherein said castling move allows said king to move two or more squares toward the rook and the rook to move over said king to the adjacent square.' Claim 7 reads: 'The method of claim 5 wherein said castling move allows said king to move one or more squares toward the rook and the rook to move over said king to the adjacent square.' Both Castling maneuvres thus restrict Rook's placement from the freer Italian Rules. Even today only one game duplicates the method for castling. MFC can be used in any CV, for it appears peripherally above as dependent claim. A related form is used in Super-Capablanca Chess(Pritchard's ECV) allowing King to move 2,3 or 4 on a larger board.[I approached MFC from a programming perspective C++ at the time, foreseeing problem of dual decision for placement of R and K]
RBFNKQNFBR (Ra Ra.), or Templars' Falcon Chess. The a- and j-pawns are doubly protected, and the centralized knights are something to see. Falcons themselves cannot cover pawns without gaps in one or both ranks. Other arrays that protect all pawns at the outset follow. FBRNKQNRBF, or Pyramids' Falcon Chess. FRNBKQBNRF, or Cheops' Falcon Chess. Fischer-Random-Chess-like, FC claims cover all 453,600 possible initial positions (not all of them named) of the established piece mix on 8x10, 9x10, and 10x10 and larger. The operable words in claim 9(d):'...all at predetermined locations each on one of the squares.....' Still more arrays protecting all Pawns switch K and Q away from e- and f-files. BRNKFFQNRB, or Horus' Falcon Chess. RNBKFFQBNR, or Osiris' Falcon Chess. Thus specific drawings from 2000 FC article in CVP are only prototypical.
Alice Chess. Classic Variant where pieces switch between two boards whenever they move. (2x(8x8), Cells: 128) (Recognized!)[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Are Chess and Chess Variants separate like Alice's 'Through the Looking Glass'? Has 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik even heard of Alice Chess, re-recognized now at CVP? Would #6 Peter Leko play Ultima? Contrariwise, are CVP readers even aware a World Championship match takes place now in Switzerland between Kramnik and Leko? Would perennial #1 Kasparov hold Recognized Chess Variant Kriegspel in high regard? Or #7 Michael Adams think RCV Avalanche Chess worth anything? Well there are Fischer and Random Chess, and a photograph in Pritchard's ECV of #9 Judit Polgar (and sisters) playing Intense C, being a variant neither known nor recognized here. Probably the realms will remain separate and unequal between Chess and CVs, at large most of the games played being Chess.
Game Courier Tournament #1. A multi-variant tournament played on Game Courier.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]Disagreeing with implied point of RLavieri, I am glad I decided at last minute not to participate in first tournament because of ridiculous way time controls worked out. I think a game should somehow be completed in couple weeks or month at most. Relatedly some non-tournament recreational GC games become unpleasant when an opponent makes several moves a day, then disappears for weeks. In other venues for Chess, games finish the same day. I have no idea who is 1st/2nd in your Tourn.#1, but not to be impressive when pace is slower than slow Correspondence Chess. No doubt there are other rewards for having participated, but such is perspective on Time Controls.
That last suggestion, Roberto, sounds right without its being 'Rapid Tournament'. Just controls in hours on specified day(or two), one game at a time. Not so limited time as orthodox chess today since CVs have not established openings, but like Chess tournaments 30 and 100 yrs. ago where a single game may take even two days. Then also there is more interest to view one in progress.
With 2000 games within CVP I think a tournament could evolve from a list of wholly new games, no duplications necessary at all. I don't see Modern FIDE Ch. on anyone's list, so why Shogi, Xiangqi, Alice again? This is supposed CV Page not orthodox. I like Antoine's extension of RL's blocks for moves, even if spacings stretch out to month, six, seven weeks for one game.
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