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Bland Chess 46. Orthogonal moves only on a board with 46 squares. (6x8, Cells: 46) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

💡Gary Gifford wrote on Thu, Oct 11, 2007 07:45 AM UTC:

(zzo38)A.Black, I kindly disagree with two features of Bland 46, as it currently stands....which I think should be changed.

(1) You have f4 and f5 squares removed and state: 'There are 2 missing squares. Rooks are allowed to move through the missing squares...'
Problem: White can play 1. f3, 2. f3-g3 and he now has an open f-file with Rook control. Black can do nothing about that potentially important control.
Black also has no similar file control option.
Solution: I see three possible solutions: (a) Do not allow Rooks to travel through f4 and f5 or (b) add the f4 square and remove the a4 square (or add the f5 and remove the a5 square); (c) implement both (a) and (b).
I can change the preset if (b) or (c) is decided.

(2) It is stated that the pawns are able to capture forward.
Problem: It is not so much a problem as it is an inconsistency between Bland Chess and Bland 46 Chess. Because in normal Bland Chess, pawns 'do not capture.'
Solution: I recommend that Bland 46 uses 'Bland Chess Pawns' (that do not capture). They should be bland. However, I do not mind the following statement, if employed:

'Bland Chess Pawns' cannot capture, but can promote to a Bland Chess 46 piece that can). An exception is allowed only for the setup in which one or both players use two War Machines. If a player uses two normal War Machines, his pawns can capture one space forward. This ability continues even if his two War Machines should be captured.'

That rule would:
a) Keep traditional Bland Chess Pawns employed for games where players use at least one Knight or Modern War Machine in place of a normal War Machine.
b) Make for an interesting game where a side with two War Machines and forward capturing pawns fights against a side with, for example, 1 Knight, 1 Modern War Machine and no capturing pawns. Such a game would be unbalanced and might prove challenging for players of different strengths playing against each other.

Note: I think that the forward capturing pawns aspect was added to avoid a traffic jam when knights were replaced by normal war machines. Because the game is now flexible (with Knights and Modern War Machines possible) I think the the normal Bland Pawns need to have an opportunity to be back in their Bland Chess environment.

Best regards,,,, g