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Symgi. A Shogi variant with back ranks filled with symmetric pieces. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
George Duke wrote on Fri, Jun 15, 2012 05:10 PM UTC:
This Gilman has several piece-types with the three-square leaping radial-directional options in compounds under discussion. Both the words Tripper and Trebuchet appear descriptively for optional move of a compound. (Bison+Tripper+Trebuchet = M&B 'Beaver') is indeed there in Operational Chess by normal interpretation of the wording defining piece-type General. About the same Operational Chess II has (Tripper + Trebuchet = M&B 'Trilby') in piece-type Three-Star General. There should be no quibbling, where is the King, in some of these war games cited, for they are cvs too, as much as a Battle Chieftain or Maura's Omega or Lavieri's Travelers etc.

Charles Gilman wrote on Mon, Jul 24, 2006 06:31 AM UTC:
A solution to what, I wonder. There isn't an issue of having equal numbers of each piece left and right of the King, as there is only one aside of most. There only ARE two Fezbabas, and likewise two Tribunes, because they have different bindings. Making everything promotable is an idea, but would detract from being able to represent 7 back-rank array piece types using a standard Shogi set. A subvariant with more promotability and two of everything using two distinguishable Shogi sets is a possibility - but should that have a bigger board? It will be ironic if there is demand for a Dai Symgi after all!

Larry Smith wrote on Sat, Jul 22, 2006 11:54 AM UTC:
Another solution for the Fezbaba is to allow it to promote, adding the
simple orthogonal step. This would free it from the diagonal pattern.

This way, they could be returned to their 'original' starting positions.

The initial play of the game would have all these pieces on the same
diagonal pattern. This would make for an interesting opening game dynamic,
as the players vie to free one of these pieces from its pattern. And the
capture and re-introduction would offer the potential of gaining the other
diagonal pattern.

This promoted piece would also aid in mating of the King.

This same form of promotion could be applied to the other currently
non-promoting pieces. Those that leap to the third cell would be allowed
to move to each of the three positions of their movement. And these
promoted pieces could be allowed to leap to any of those cells.

With this particular rule, the pieces might be restricted to their
un-promoted state when they are re-introduced to the playing field.

Just a thought.

Charles Gilman wrote on Sat, Jul 22, 2006 05:22 AM UTC:
I have corrected the error and ambiguities. Such are the hazards of cutting and pasting. Thanks to everyone who pointed that out.

Jeremy Good wrote on Fri, Jul 21, 2006 06:30 PM UTC:
Probably Charles meant to say that the Fezbaba moves one diagonally or two orthogonally, as you suggest, esp. since just above that he rightfully ascribes the one orthogonally and two diagonally movement to the Waffle. Now that we have twisted pieces (as in Atlantean Barroom Shatranj and some of Lim Ther Peng's variants), it is probably also safer to specify that 'or' is meant rather than 'and.'

Andy wrote on Fri, Jul 21, 2006 02:50 PM UTC:Average ★★★

Not a bad idea, but with nothing analogous to the gold general, defense is going to be tricky, especially in the leaper variant. I don't think this game is as good as shogi. I'm not crazy about the piece names. And 'The FEZBABA (3) moves one step orthognoally and two diagonally. It is colourbound, and two start together to the King's left. The name is an amalgam of its components the Ferz (1) and Dabbaba (1) ' is a misstated because as named the 'fezbaba' (yuck) should go one diag plus two orthog.


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