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Symchess. Missing description (10x10, Cells: 100) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Sam Trenholme wrote on Tue, Mar 21, 2006 05:35 AM UTC:
First of all, I like the name of the variant. Second of all, I like the name Unicorn. These pieces have traditionally been named Camels, as you point out. A unicorn is also David Paulowich's monkier for the bishop + knightrider piece. Since the Bishop + Knightrider is been called a 'Paladin' in the Way of the Knight ZRF file, I prefer the name 'Unicorn' for the strong but colorbound Camel + Bishop piece.

I also like having the knights and bishops closer to the center. How about:

p p p p p p p p p p 
r c n b q k b n c r
- - a - - - - m - -
Where 'c' is the camel (what you called the 'unicorn' in this variant), 'a' is the archbishop (knight + bishop), and 'm' is the Marshall (rook + knight).

- Sam


David Paulowich wrote on Tue, Mar 21, 2006 10:10 PM UTC:
What's in a name? Unicorns are also known as Paladins. Fergus Duniho is strongly in favor of Paladin for the B+N compound, often called a Cardinal. My 2004-08-31 comment to the Piececlopedia page for this piece mentions the commercial game 'Cardinal Super Chess', where the Cardinal moves like a non-leaping Camel.

If you remove ranks 1 and 10 from this variant, you get the same setup as in Daniel Brown's 10x8 variant J-Chess, where the Camels are called Jesters. My TenCubed Chess uses Wizards (Camel+Ferz) and Champions along with the B+N and R+N compounds. I added a comment there giving a mate in four that works even if Wizards are replaced by Camels.


💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Wed, Mar 22, 2006 10:39 AM UTC:Good ★★★★
In view of principle of 'exception of two identical pieces in one number from three squares' is possible to offer 2 more variants of initial position in Symchess.(In view of preservation of the order R,N,B,Q,K,B,N,R).

o o o o o o o o o o-3rd row,

U R N B Q K B N R U-2nd row,

A(d1)..C(g1)-1st row (I variant)

o o o o o o o o o o-3rd row,

R N U B Q K B U N R-2nd row,

A(c1)... C(h1)-1st row (II variant)

First of them can be rejected from aesthetic reasons (normal castling impossible). The second has lack. Total of protection of pawns - it is minimal(2x4+2x3+6x1=20). Opening setup from Symchess and Sam Trenholmes` variant for Symchess are the optimal because, the total sum of protection of pawns is maximal(=22) and also all pawns are protected.


David Paulowich wrote on Wed, Mar 22, 2006 12:33 PM UTC:
1.g5 f7 2.Kg3 Qg7 3.Qf2 Qxg5 is a short mate

NOTE: Symchess has Archbishop-d1 and Chancellor-g1, but the diagrams in the comments show Archbishop-c1 and Chancellor-h1.


💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Thu, Mar 23, 2006 01:01 AM UTC:
Thanks for yours comments about arrangement of a Archbishop and a
Chancellor on squares c1 and h1. If we shall arrange them on squares d1
and g1 then,some pawns will be in general without protection. For this
reason in my second variant and  Sam Trenholmes variant A and C are
located on squares c1 and h1.For example:

o o o o o o o o o o
R N U B Q K B U N R
      A     C
In this case pawns protection -1 0 2 2 5 5 2 2 0 1(Ad1, Cg1)

o o o o o o o o o o
R U N B Q K B N U R
      A     C
In this case pawns protection -2 0 2 1 6 6 1 2 0 2(Ad1,Cg1)
and some pawns are not protected.In comments I have corrected a technical
mistake for first variant setup.

Sam Trenholme wrote on Thu, Mar 23, 2006 01:58 AM UTC:
Would it be helpful for me to whip up a Zillions rule file for this game (and all of the variants we have mentioned) to get a feel for how it plays?

- Sam


valeriy wrote on Fri, Mar 24, 2006 08:36 AM UTC:Good ★★★★
It is okey setup!

💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Sat, Mar 25, 2006 05:27 PM UTC:
After consideration 'fool mat' of David Paulowich for Symchess I have decided to write the small comic story on the basis of David Paulowichs mat. 'Foolest mat' - Once the King has decided to begin a war with neighbour. Despite of objection of the general and the queen, he has solved to throw in fight infantry. 1. g5 - The answer was a shy move of the opponent 1....f7 - 'My opponent obviously is afraid to me!' and with the purpose to embarras adversary, he has decided to go to fight himself. 2. Kg3 - But, the adversary unexpectedly conrary to the chess theory has engaged to action very strong piece. 2...Qg7 - The King was obstinate and also has ordered to borrow the throne with Queen while there is a war! 3. Qf2 - But the ending was unexpected sad for him. 3...Qxg5 Checkmat! For poor King the 'war' was not simple business.

Jeremy Good wrote on Mon, Mar 27, 2006 01:07 PM UTC:
In Charles Gilman's Ecumenical Chess, the camel-bishop compound is called a Caliph. In Mark Hedden's Ganymede Chess, the camel-bishop compound is called a Flying Dragon.

Anonymous wrote on Tue, Apr 11, 2006 01:45 PM UTC:Good ★★★★
I think idea of the central symmetry is a fresh idea

💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Thu, Apr 13, 2006 11:40 PM UTC:
For Game courer pre-set -Symchess -Mirror Symmetry: /play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess%26settings%3DSymchessUnicornGreat

Game preset for Symchess .-Central Symmetry: /play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess+with+Central+Symmetry%26settings%3DSymchess+with+Central


💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Tue, Apr 18, 2006 06:13 AM UTC:
Hi, Jeremy. Can you change of the places of pieces Archbishop and Chancellor only for white in Symchess (Mirror Symmetry) Preset for Game Courer? Because,in initial position they located on different positions.

Jeremy Good wrote on Tue, Apr 18, 2006 01:56 PM UTC:
That happened because in your Figure 3, in your diagrams above, they are in different places. This is also the case in your more recently submitted diagram for the s.i.p. variant. Is it meant to be so?

💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Tue, Apr 18, 2006 03:07 PM UTC:
Symchess has two variants of setup,now. 1.Mirror image variant and central symmetry variant.I would like to test both variants. Yours pre-set was for the 'mirror image' variant. It is o`key now. Thank You for help.

💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Mon, Apr 24, 2006 06:48 AM UTC:
New preset for Symchess (variant Sam Trenholme):

/play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess%26settings%3DSymsam

Mirror Symmetry: /play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess%26settings%3DSymchessUnicornGreat

-Central Symmetry: /play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess+with+Central+Symmetry%26settings%3DSymchess+with+Central

Symchess with Fils: /play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess+with+Fils%26settings%3DSymfils

Super version Symchess: /play/pbm/play.php?game%3DSymchess+Complex%26settings%3DComplex


💡📝Namik Zade wrote on Mon, Apr 24, 2006 06:52 AM UTC:
Hi,Sam. I did preset for Symchess (your`s variant). May be we will try 1-2 games?

Charles Gilman wrote on Tue, Apr 25, 2006 06:46 AM UTC:Good ★★★★
A further development of this would be a 10x10 version of my Ecumenical Chess, achieved by putting a Canvasser (Rook+Camel) behind the Queen's Bishop, a Gnu (Knight+Camel) behind the Queen's Knight, and Caliphs (Bishop+Camel, two because colourbound) behind the King's Bishop and Knight.

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