Gary Gifford wrote on Thu, Apr 17, 2008 11:59 PM UTC:
I believe chess would be no more popular if there were no such thing as draws. Of course, I have no way to prove that. I have seen chess clubs die out in this area; and at the club levels draws seem rare. I believe chess is not popular because intellectual games are not popular (at least in Western civilization). Monopoly and Hungry-Hungry Hippos are more popular.
I believe we can change the rules and come up with a truly fantastic variant (like Navia Dratp)... and yet still, it won't be popular (relatively) because it is 'intellectual' in spirit. That is why the late Donald Benge, creater of Conquest, advized me to never try to market a chess variant.
I believe we can change the rules and come up with a truly fantastic variant (like Navia Dratp)... and yet still, it won't be popular (relatively) because it is 'intellectual' in spirit. That is why the late Donald Benge, creater of Conquest, advized me to never try to market a chess variant.