it would sure make for some intresting time. if only it had some more publicity...
Is 960chess better than regular chess?
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Nov 26, 2014
0
#3
Yeah, it would definitely improve chess at the top level. When you watch GMs play, you can see how memorization has taken over. We sub-2400 scrubs can continue to have our tournaments using the normal starting position - that way we won't have to burn all the opening books - but let the GMs show off their imagination by playing from a starting position they have never seen before. From what I hear, GMs are actually in favor of Chess960, so why not make a rule change that is sure to produce more decisive games?
Nov 26, 2014
0
#4
I like Chess360- for the same reasons you stated. I just recently discovered it, and i'm becoming addicted.
I'm curious about 960.
At one time I thought it was the future of chess because of all the opening memorization required to play at the top levels. But people have been complaining about that for decades and chess is as vibrant as ever.
One thing I'd bet, if 960 became the way chess is played, we'd all get better at endgames!
I would be riveted to see a world championship match if the
players didn't know the starting position until they sat down.
It would be game of skill from move 1 and a fascinating spectacle.
As a very casual player myself, never having studdied openings or
any theory, 960 chess for me would be pretty much the same as
regular chess...
Maybe FIDE could intersect the new 2 year cycle and have a 12 game
960 world championship one year and then the regular world championship
the next year.... I think that would please everyone.
Nov 26, 2014
0
#7
I recall reading somewhere that for some positions, the advantage of white's first move in Chess960 could be noticeably larger than in regular chess. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a couple of Chess960 positions where black could be better. This could be why it would be harder to have Chess960 tournaments past amateur levels.
What is a tournament game of 960 like?
I rather imagine the opening would be played more slowly than regular chess. And the middle games must be hard too.
The only familiar relief a player might experience would be in the endgame.
MervynS wrote:
I recall reading somewhere that for some positions, the advantage of white's first move in Chess960 could be noticeably larger than in regular chess. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a couple of Chess960 positions where black could be better. This could be why it would be harder to have Chess960 tournaments past amateur levels.
I completely agree with this after playing it many times. Sometimes you will have 2 weak squares to try defending as black. It is nearly impossible. If your attack fails as white in one of these scenarios, you are usually doomed, more so than regular chess.
It would be possible to weed out such positions and also to let fate play it's hand, just like the luck of the draw in tournaments.
DrCheckevertim wrote:
I never thought about it much before, but now I have. I think 960 is better. Maybe it's one thing Bobby Fischer got right at the end of his "career."
Opinions aside, there's one thing we can agree on: it's less predictable. It's less formulaic. This would be an advantage for some, and a disadvantage to others.
To me it just seems more fun, fresh, and interesting.
For those of you who like to compare chess to "real life" or "real war" -- 960 is closer to that than regular chess. Armies (and things in general) don't always start in the same predictable arrangement.
I like 960 because, it does a better job of pitting the raw skills of the opponents against one another. It doesn't have any opening theory or database to be a crutch for anyone.
MelvinDoucet wrote:
960 is a fun experience at first but it quickly becomes less and less interesting. It's useful if you have trouble with openings but it doesn't require opening knowledge and your opponent can't use a database to play the best moves. The catch is, the game always ends up transposing to a position that could've been reached in a regular chess game, after 15 moves usually I would say. So is that gonna benefit your middlegame and endgame play more? Surely it's not. Also, some starting positions in chess960 are just plain stupid. It's a real pain to start with your knights on a1 and h1. The only squares they can develop to are b3 and g3, which aren't good spots. I always have to invest several tempi to get them a meaningful, centralized position. The starting position in regular chess is much more logical and easy to play.
I disagree with this idea (highlighted above). The positions tend to but, it isn't always convenient and your opponent doesn't always allow you the luxury of getting your pieces into the optimal positions that you encounter in standard games. If you are always managing to do this, tell us your secret. If you allow your opponents to do so, perhaps you should take a closer look at your play...
MelvinDoucet wrote:
Also, some starting positions in chess960 are just plain stupid. It's a real pain to start with your knights on a1 and h1. The only squares they can develop to are b3 and g3, which aren't good spots. I always have to invest several tempi to get them a meaningful, centralized position.
See to me that's just more fun. It's something new that both players must grapple with and find the solution over the board.
For tournament play in chess960, 2 games would be required, one for each player to be black and white so that the massive advantage that either side could have would be eliminated.
Can somebody show a 960 position where one side has a massive advantage?
It's true. It's more like life
Its a nice variation but its not the real game.
Another fun variation is duck chess. That may actually be my favorite variant; a simple change that makes the game even more interesting and challenging, or at least different in a fun way. If I was somehow forced to change chess rules, I'd go for duck chess instead 960.
I never thought about it much before, but now I have. I think 960 is better. Maybe it's one thing Bobby Fischer got right at the end of his "career."
Opinions aside, there's one thing we can agree on: it's less predictable. It's less formulaic. This would be an advantage for some, and a disadvantage to others.
To me it just seems more fun, fresh, and interesting.
For those of you who like to compare chess to "real life" or "real war" -- 960 is closer to that than regular chess. Armies (and things in general) don't always start in the same predictable arrangement.