George Duke wrote on Wed, Dec 4, 2013 05:54 PM UTC:
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" is English picturesque saying from 'Hamlet
1:4'. The expression can serve as metaphor for old guard f.i.d.e. Chess on
small 64 squares. Chess having worldwide reach, what are equivalent
proverbs as colourful in other languages? Then, what Excellent Chess
Variant from each country warrants attention over that computer-conquered
Orthodox standard? That is, the one Official Rules represented by this
recent Chennai, India, Carlsen-Anand match passionately adhered to by the
Hoi Polloi fundamentalists, who know no variant. Following are all real same-meaning proverbs recognizable by native speakers.
French: There is an eel under the rock: http://www.chessvariants.org/diffobjective.dir/giveaway.html.
Spanish: There is a cat shut up inside: http://www.chessvariants.org/historic.dir/acedrex.html; http://www.chessvariants.org/dpieces.dir/maxima/maxima.html.
Japanese: There is a worm in the lion's body:
http://www.chessvariants.org/shogi.html.
Arabic: There is a snake under the hay: http://www.chessvariants.org/historic.dir/shatranj.html. (For larger board see Great Shatranj.)
Russian: There is a needle in the bag: http://www.chessvariants.org/index/msdisplay.php?itemid=MSallpiecesofcla.
Chinese: I don't know what kind of medicine is inside this melon. http://www.chessvariants.org/xiangqi.html.
Malaysian: Just because the river is quiet, don't think the crocodiles have left. http://www.chessvariants.org/oriental.dir/thai.html. (Malaysia and Thailand border.)
That makes 8 ways to say Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark.
