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Modern Chess. Variant on a 9 by 9 board with piece that combines bishop and knight moves. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

M Winther wrote on Wed, May 23, 2007 06:39 AM UTC:Poor ★

Modern Chess was invented by Gabriel Maura in 1968. In 1972 a controlling body (FENDAM) was formed with delegates representing 16 countries. The first Modern Chess World Championship was held in Puerto Rico 1974. The World Correspondence Championship of Modern Chess was held in the years 1976-1983. Organized events seized in 1983.

Although a fully playable variant, it is curious why 'Modern Chess' attracted that much attention. If the Prime Ministers (Cardinals) are exchanged, what remains is a slow and drawish version of orthochess. The pawns cannot meet immediately in the middle of the board. The fact that the bishops move on the same colour depletes the strategical content, I suppose.
/Mats

Jose Carrillo wrote on Wed, Mar 5, 2008 04:26 PM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

Excellent Antoine! Thanks!

Does it enforce that only one Bishop can castle per side?

Jose Carrillo wrote on Wed, Mar 12, 2008 12:59 AM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

Thanks Antoine.

= = =

I just received today in the mail an original Spanish copy of Gabriel Vicente Maura's 1973 3rd edition 'Mathematical Thesis for Modern Chess including the Prime Minister'!!!

I found it in a Library of Antique Books in Madrid, Spain.

Nice little book (it's only 48 pages long).

It has Gabriel Vicente Maura's 'mathematical' explanation of why the chess board needed to be increased in size to 9x9, why a new powerful piece needed to be added to the game, and why that piece needed to be a Prime Minister (Bishop + Knight).

Interesting 'mathematical' theory.

I'll digest it first, and post a summary of his theory.

Simon Jepps wrote on Thu, Jan 1, 2009 10:11 PM UTC:Good ★★★★

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?

John Smith wrote on Thu, Jan 1, 2009 11:19 PM UTC:Poor ★

White has the advantage of a more quickly promoting centre Pawn but it is balanced somewhat by the reverse symmetry. The imbalance between the colours, both in terms of the board and the armies, makes the game ugly, as does the Bishop Adjustment Rule. This is one of the reasons I created Modern Makruk. The most obvious solution would be to include a Marshall, but that would just be another Carrera variant, which may be one of the reasons for the creation of this. I, however, consider the Marshall the lesser of the two evils. Shogi does not suffer from either of these flaws because symmetrical centre Pawn play is disadvantageous for the first player and the Bishops are naturally unbound both by promotion and drops.