Kevin Pacey wrote on Mon, Jan 10, 2022 02:35 AM UTC:
Omega Chess is an interesting case, aside from being (I'd guess) something of a commercial success. 10x10 (instead of 104 cells) would be what a purist would wish for, and that size might look better on someone's coffee table (I should have mentioned in my previous post an obvious point [to be clear], that a replacement CV(s) for chess would do best if it could be played on a physical set).
Omega Chess also has the known drawback that K+R normally cannot mate lone K due to the extra corner squares off the edge. However, this incidentally gives me the idea that since Omega Chess could be played on a 12x12 board (with many squares covered up, except the corner squares), 12x12 physical sets may look okay (even on coffee tables), besides 10x10 ones - it's just a question of whether 144 cells, rather than 100 or 104, is too much for many people's mental grasp (though 12x12 Gross Chess is one possible counterexample, that has had quite a bit of testing, at least on Game Courier).
Still, I have the feeling that 100 cells is already a size allowing for more than enough extra pieces in a setup, for a given CV never to be exhausted in terms of opening theory (as FIDE chess now may be in danger of). A problem, though, is that unlike 8x8, on 10x10 already bishops would be normally significantly stronger than Kts, if both types are in a CV. Plus, pawns may already take longer to promote on such a longer board, which could slow things down. However, any attempt to vary from FIDE Chess will always involve tradeoffs, even if the CV invented is very interesting.
Omega Chess is an interesting case, aside from being (I'd guess) something of a commercial success. 10x10 (instead of 104 cells) would be what a purist would wish for, and that size might look better on someone's coffee table (I should have mentioned in my previous post an obvious point [to be clear], that a replacement CV(s) for chess would do best if it could be played on a physical set).
Omega Chess also has the known drawback that K+R normally cannot mate lone K due to the extra corner squares off the edge. However, this incidentally gives me the idea that since Omega Chess could be played on a 12x12 board (with many squares covered up, except the corner squares), 12x12 physical sets may look okay (even on coffee tables), besides 10x10 ones - it's just a question of whether 144 cells, rather than 100 or 104, is too much for many people's mental grasp (though 12x12 Gross Chess is one possible counterexample, that has had quite a bit of testing, at least on Game Courier).
Still, I have the feeling that 100 cells is already a size allowing for more than enough extra pieces in a setup, for a given CV never to be exhausted in terms of opening theory (as FIDE chess now may be in danger of). A problem, though, is that unlike 8x8, on 10x10 already bishops would be normally significantly stronger than Kts, if both types are in a CV. Plus, pawns may already take longer to promote on such a longer board, which could slow things down. However, any attempt to vary from FIDE Chess will always involve tradeoffs, even if the CV invented is very interesting.