Historically, chess has undergone changes and developed into to the fine
game it is today. Castling, the pawn’s double step, the long-range
bishop, and the powerful queen, have been added to perfect the game. Have
the rules now become absolutely perfect, or can we still make small
improvements? For amateurs, the complexity is good enough; but there are
signs among super-GMs that things aren’t well, such as the current
use of tedious opening systems, and the Carlsen – Caruana World
Chess Championship 2018, where all games ended in a draw. We must be
prepared for a crisis of chess at high level. Kramnik has investigated nine
curious chess variants; Short has suggested abolishing stalemate; Seirawan
has proposed a variant with two extra heavy pieces. For evaluation, I here
present links to some of my proposals, which in my view are better
alternatives.
Pushpawn
Chess – a pawn can push back an enemy pawn.
A connected pawn on the fourth or fifth rank can push back an enemy
pawn that is placed before it, provided that the square behind the enemy
pawn is empty.
Frog King Chess – the king can capture by jumping.
The king can jump orthogonally over a friendly pawn to capture an enemy piece on the other side.
Relocation Chess
Variants – rearranging the initial array.
Diverse method of rearranging the initial array before play begins. Black
makes the first swap.
Improved
Chess – a new pawn move for blocked pawns.
The improved Pawn, provided that it is beyond the 5th rank and forward
movement is blocked, has the additional moves of a knight, but only in two
forward directions: east-north-east and west-north-west, and only to empty
squares.
Dynamic
Chess – a new pawn move for knight and rook pawns.
If positioned on a knight or a rook file, and blocked by an enemy pawn, a
pawn can jump like a knight to an empty square, east-north-east or west-north-west.
Valiant
Chess – a new pawn move for knight pawns.
Knight pawns on the fifth rank can jump like a knight to an empty square,
east-north-east or west-north-west. The pawn loses this capability when it
advances to the 6th rank.
Revised
Chess – introducing the revised pawn.
A pawn positioned on the seventh rank can capture northward.
Sentry
Chess – forward capturing pawn (with king behind).
A pawn that has advanced beyond the middle of the board can capture
northward if the king is directly behind it.
Castle Chess –
chess with extended castle.
When castling the king may jump three squares, but it can also jump two as
usual. The rook ends up on its usual square.
Fide-chess
2.0 – chess with extended kingside castle.
When castling on the kingside the king may jump three squares, but it can
also jump two as usual. The rook ends up on its usual square.
Adjutant
Chess – chess with empty extra corner squares.
Chess on the Gustavian board. When castling the king may jump three
squares.
Stalemate
Chess – stalemate wins sometimes.
Stalemate wins if the king is blocked by an enemy pawn on the seventh
rank.
Reformed
Chess – introducing swapping pawns.
A pawn situated on the sixth rank can change place with an enemy pawn
standing before it.
Immunity
Chess – a king cannot capture a 7th rank pawn.
A Pawn that has reached the seventh rank cannot be captured by the enemy king.
© M. Winther, 2020 December