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Braves' Chess. Solves the problem of draws in chess. (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Rich Hutnik wrote on Thu, Apr 17, 2008 10:02 PM UTC:
And again it is 'draws are not a problem'.  Well, the highest level of chess represents chess played at an optimal level, right? If it is drawing at that level, what impact does it have on the game?  I can also break out Connect 4, for example, and among inexperienced players, and even average players, they won't always win if they play in the middle.  For them, the game is fine.  But if you were to play Connect 4 on the highest level, then what?  One player always wins by starting in the middle, so I guess maybe less experienced players should play?  Is one also going to slap tournament checkers on the wrist for changing how it does things?

I would argue that it is relevant for chess that there is greater granularity in scoring.  Shatranj had this granularity in the past.  It got taken out under the presumption that the power pieces would make draws far less relevant.  Well, on the highest levels, which is normally what draws media attention, there is a high degree of draws.

And if people think this isn't a problem, I suggest they take a look at the current state of chess associations.  Things are not good.  People say it is just politics, but is it?