Single Comment

RE: The comment by M. Winter

Though M. Winter now has tried to back down a little bit with regard to his initial statement that even Burmese Chess is supposed to be 'better' than Thai Chess - not to speak of all the other variants of chess that are discussed at www.chessbase.com - that initial statement stands as it stands.
And that very statement is totally unacceptable, there is no way to justify that. And of course that initial statement has nothing to do with a somewhat 'scientific' discussion of that topic:   i f   M. Winter's approach would have been a scientific one he would never have made a statement like that - that other chess variants than Thai Chess are supposed to be 'better' than Thai Chess - , since, provided M. Winter's approach would have been a scientific approach, then he would never have used a terminology like that in this very context.
Just a few words: Thai Chess is the No.1-chess variant in Thailand and Cambodia. The Western Chess - of which many 'farang' (foreigners) wrongly assume that that variant of chess (which is a more or less new variant of chess) is the only valid variant of chess - is just a variant of chess for a very small group of players.
Thai people would be suprised if they would learn that M. Winter pretends that Thai Chess is too drawish and therefore not worthwile the effort to be played  - he can just travel over there and try to reach a draw against a player of Thai Chess, and he will soon learn how fast he will get beaten up in that supposed to be 'drawish' variant of chess.
And even if Thai Chess would be a drawish variant, it has a great cultural and historic value anyway - since Thai Chess is that variant of nowadays chess that is closest to ancient Shatranj. So, by playing modern days Thai Chess, you get an idea how it would have been like to play the ancient Shatranj.
The position of M. Winter is just the usual expression of arrogant euro-centrism - and it is surprising that such a position has been put forward with regard to a variant of chess like the Thai Chess that is the revered variant of chess by millions of players in Thailand and Cambodia.