Comments by nwolff

Hey Greame!

Very interesting looking variant.  The fact of having a lot of familiar pieces makes playing this game seem easier to me.  It could probably be a great 'gateway variant' for those not yet introduced to our world.  The only thing I would suggest is maybe a triple step pawn rule.  Otherwise, play could start fairly slow and pawn structures could remain unchanged for the most part.  Are you putting out a preset for it?  I'd give you a game.

-Nick

As a bystander, I just want to offer some outsider perspective:

Charles: Honestly, I have tried to read your articles, but they intimidate me.  Sometimes, I get a little lost reading them, but I don't by any means consider them to be horrible or pointless.  I put a lot of effort into things that my own wife finds useless, but that does not deteriorate the value that it has to me.  I commend you for all of the effort that you have given into this.  

As for your variants, I do notice that you have many of them, and that many more have variants that can be derived from other variants that you have created.  12 Sharp Chess is a great example of this.  I, however, have found many of your variants interesting and have even implimented a few onto Game Courier myself.  You provide many new perspectives into the game and I only wish I had the opportunity to try them all.  This remains true for almost every variant I find here, though.

Fergus:  I have never gotten the idea that his articles are the reflection of this site, and even if I did, I would not have held anything against it nor its editors.  To me, I see this site as a tool to provide a reflection of many inventor's ideas.  A way to express ourselves openly, if you will, in a world where the intellectual or not all the time the welcomed ones.  My wife would rather I play sports than learn how to program, play chess and its variants, invent variants or other games, or create piece graphics.  This place has served as my get-away from life and I appreciate you allowing me to experience this.  Of course, I am no editor, but in the eyes of a 2 year veteran of the site (and one who didn't even discover the forum side of it until a year after he joined), I do not find any fault with Charle's ramblings.  

Not sure if that will provide any help or insight, but I think the opinion of an outsider might help the situation.  Thanks!

Best,
Nick

Hey all!  I hate to jump on the bandwagon with this, but I need to
withdrawal.  I am going through a VERY taxing divorce right now and may not
even be able to make moves on my regular games, let alone add so many and
finish that preset.  I apologize for the very late notice.  Please keep
your thoughts and prayers right now.  Things are getting very ugly for
me...

-Nick

All: My wife closed my window with my preset that I was making, so I have
to rebuild it, I think.  I apologize for this.  Once I actually get the
time, it shouldn't take me too long.  Perhaps this weekend.  Thanks,
Antoine, for the uploading and thanks, Carlos, for the compliment!  I hope
it is a tournament favorite :)

Thanks, Antoine!  Once those get added, I'll be complete.  I appreciate
your help.

Carlos: The original version is too unbalanced and doesn't really allow
for movement for all of the pieces.  My preset is complete, except for the
upload of the pieces.  Once those are done, I can add them and be finished.
 2 minutes of work is all that I have left.  Once that is done, I'll post
the game.  Here is the link for the rules.  I may have mistyped it:
http://wildestkingdomchess.webs.com/.  It adds the porcupine (as
invented/suggested by yourself) and I think it is pretty solid.  Of course,
I will take any questions there are.  

When is the start of this tournament?
I emailed Antoine, so I hope he is the one to upload.

I have never seen so much drama regarding chess variants!  Oy!  Anyways, I
am personally one of those chaotic players, taking up the challenge on
almost any type of variant out there, even if it is less variant-like than
most.  With that being said, I'll stand by Joe and Carlos' tournament
idea, unless they change it.  As far as themed variants go, I try to shy
away from those.  I like variety.  Nothing against it, and I still may
join, but its not my 'cup of tea'.  The inventor's tournament was a good
idea with a flaw that Fergus corrected.  For instance, I really have one
variant that I have created that I would even deem worthy of a tournament;
however, I don't even have a working preset for it and the rules were
still up in the air on a few parts for it.  Thus, I would be out of the
running.  If we did a selection of games, though, we can STILL run into the
issue that started this all.  Joe, I am not singling you out, but I want to
use you as an example.  Joe (and I, coincidently) seem to be avid players
of chaotic variants.  Joe has proven this with his 'Hypers', his
'Chieftains', etc. etc.  (Jeremy Good was one, too, I believe).  I like
the bigger variants too (Taikyoku Shogi, etc).  If Joe (or I, or Jeremy)
came up with a list that looked like Taikyoku Shogi, HyperChess, 3D Hyper
Shatranj, Chieftain Chess, then Fergus or Mats or everyone for that matter
would be forced to play one of those anyways.  Back to square one.  I guess
I'm on stand by until this all gets resolved.  I'd love to play in a
tournament, but my schedule can only handle one.  Hope we can all decide
together though.  I love competition and a tournament with 4 players
sometimes doesn't provide enough.

I would be interested, but I do not wish to enter any of my variants.  I
have not created a final preset to WKC III and do not have the time to do
so.  If I may, I'd suggest Smess.  It isn't too long of a game, not
complicated, and not invented by anyone on the site, leaving it fair that
one person doesn't have more than one variant in play.  If you will accept
this condition, I will gladly play.  This time control will also be
workable for me and my demanding work schedule.  Thanks!

Mats,

I agree that the game itself is complicated, much like many variants found on this site, but I hardly think it is apalling.  Mankind naturally gravitates towards bigger and better things.  Considering that this was played in the 1600's, it probably was eccentric for its time, but I think after its rediscovery in 1997, it has put a spark in at least some people, including myself.  To play and finish a game on the world's largest board game would be the equivalent of a runner training for a marathon, which less than one percent of the world has completed.  Apalling... I wouldn't classify it as that.  Eccentric... even now, to a degree.  Complicated... undoubtedly.  Intriguing... to me it is.

Hey Jose!

I did some research on this game and I find many discrepancies between rules of different websites (including yours).  Can you please answer some questions for me?

-Is castling allowed?
-Can knights give mate?
-Some sites claim that a bodyguard blocks ALL sliders (including your own).  I think your way is better.
-I read a rule that if a piece resides next to a bodyguard and tries to move away, it can only move one space.  I think that if this rule was true, it would only affect the pieces that the bodyguard would normally affect (question #3).  I do not think it would affect knights.  Can you address this, too, please?

I think that is it.  Thanks!

Best,
Nick