Comments by SimonEJepps

@Danil: Not quite - but when inventing Trojan Chess, I did come up with an idea of having one extra Knight per player, with some extra ability thrown in, and which sits behind King and Queen, on the line between the D/E files. So occupying 2 squares in initial set up. It could be attacked on either square and move from either square.

But probably not even remotely close to what you are talking about.

I was wondering if anyone knows of where to buy 10 x 10, 100 sq boards online? The only ones I have found are by Masters Games, but they are quite expensive.

If anyone has any links to suppliers of either plastic ones or wooden ones, all links would be much appreciated.

That's an interesting game, but I agree that it would be more interesting with a chess set that has many more pieces and squares. But yes, otherwise very nice.

Nice touch.

If you have not heard in a couple of days I'd email them and let them know the issue.

@Flowerman:

If you've invented a variant it would be much more appreciated if you sent it into the staff and became a member - since no-one can review it here in this topic - and anyway, this topic is about the site or operation of, and not a place to introduce new variants.

Fergus, that's a neat little variant. I had a similar idea back in 2008, but not quite this extensive. I find all the notation and multiple merging a little bit of a mouth full, but all the same Fusion Chess is a great game to add to the list.

Thanks, Jose. ;)

Actually another option would be to place the Minister where the King side Bishop usually stands - since it is also a Bishop you wouldn't be changing anything - then you would have the opposite coloured Bishops.

You then put the King side Bishop where the Queen is and put the Queen on the other side of the King as in normal Chess.

So like this:
R N B Q K B M N R

But yeh, 9x9's are irritating. lol.

Interesting. Personally my way of approaching the queen loss problem is to add an additional piece that can compete against a queen, but without being as powerful as queen. Say about 6.25 in value. However, your game here is a good approach to that queen loss problem without introducing new pieces or requiring larger boards. The rule does make check mate harder, and perhaps giving the king an extra move instead of some other 'move-distribution scheme' won't go down well with other players - but all the same, as a variant it stands ok. ;)

Actually I will express another criticism, and that is, not only does the Champion not have enough range but it is placed right on the edge farthest from anything, making it even longer for it to become useful. Furthermore, I find it is the only piece that suitably protects the end pawns and so you can't really develop it even if you wanted to because you'll leave your side ranks exposed to attack. If anyone can dampen my firey claims please feel free to.

Considering that I have found it hard to gain traffic to my website, mainly for lack of marketting skill, and considering Ganeshan Chess can be a mouthful at a first glance, I have decided to discontinue the website for now... but will instead be writing a book about the game and which will include example positions, useful tactics and indeed the first opening studies. It will be an in depth introduction to the game.

Hopefully published next year sometime.

Thanks Joe, I'll look into that. Meanwhile the new combined movement of Dababba and King seems to satisfy my original thesis.

I was wondering:

1. Are there any websites dedicated to Modern Chess... I mean do people actually play it?

2. It's tempting but I don't like the Bishop adjustment thingy. Unless perhaps, would giving the Bishop the option to utilise one opportunity per game to move one square in any direction be good?

3. Is it one sided playing an odd number of squares? Does Black or White have a distinct advantage on a 9 x 9 square board?

4. Where can I buy a 9 x 9 board?

The Fool move has now been depricated (not removed), to just the following:

'Ganapati can only move like a Fool if otherwise stranded and with no other move available.'

Regards, Simon.

Interesting. I'm not sure about taking your own pieces, but I like the concept.

'...' Please remove this comment.

Mr Muller,

You're very good at carpentry! The only thing I don't like about Seriawan's elephant is how fat it is. Not all elephants are quite that fat. Indeed, the size of a large elephant is very artistic in representing an elephant's power and strength, but I see no reason why it couldn't be trimmed down a bit. Still it should be the widest piece, being an elephant, but not too wide. That said I won't have held a Seirawan Elephant yet, until possibly the end of the month!

However, the image I'd like to portray, particularly in Ganeshan Chess, is the moment of alertness/assertiveness, that being the open ears, open/bloomed and facing forwards. You've made a step towards that I can see from your design, keep trimming it about, and you could have something sellable there.

Actually there is an official chess set/variant whereby the pieces are two-tone, both black and white. Each player's pieces are recognised by which side of the piece (black or white) faces away or towards the opponent. I can't remember the name of this variant, but that would certainly compliment your own.

It is also therein named because Ganesha is representative of ourselves. Together in life a true counterpart will always be remembered for the Friend he was and at other times the Fool we laughed and played with. Ganesha is a mystical character, and not absolute, and so in this game he merely represents that. He is the 'ideology' of people, and how they are interpreted. Meaning, in the hustle and bustle of life, where being rightious is of the utmost importance, being silly every now and then isn't terribly wrong and in fact, recreation is a vital refreshment. His playful presence represents that pardon, but as I said earlier, in a good way. In Hinduism, Ganesha is the one children first recognise themselves with most because of his strange and entertaining appearance. What you are forgetting is that Ganesha is a God on the board, and so in this instance he merely signifies an authority over such psychology; where Ganesha also moves like a Fool, that move is in fact a statement saying 'So you like to be a Fool eh? Well I know all about Fools.' Which indeed, a God would.

How to trick a Fool? Befriend him.

It' a good concept, it augments the entertainment value, but for me setting up the pieces at the beginning is enough... let alone all the squares too! Not for me, but neat.