William: I have no objection to an entry fee of zero. However, it is
perhaps appropriate to note that open championships in virtually every
competitive discipline routinely charge entry fees.
Roberto: The choice of games for list 1 is certainly something I would
want discussed. I would not want to see list 1 larger than three or four
games, as one of the perceived difficulties with the multivariant concept
is being =required= to learn a whole bunch of variants to compete.
On the list 1 suggestions: I looked for games that broadly sample the
different directions of chess variants, while being recognized for
excellence in their own right.
CWDA brings many different pieces into play.
Extinction provides a different way to win.
Grand is a modern great or extended chess, a thousand-year tradition.
Progressive is the quickest multiple-move variant.
There are certainly other candidates.
On the philosophical question of Shogi and Xiangqi as variants: I would
avoid both on list 1, but would look at variants of either. (Five-Minute
Poppy Shogi comes to mind.) As for a player listing Shogi, Xiangqi, or
Western chess on their personal list...that's fine with me.