Kibbitz Listing
I will add here, if people don't like the rooks being threatened by the Bishops, then one can play this with the rooks dropped back one row. Only the Knight's pawns are threatened, and not the Rooks.
The way more advanced players can play Near Chess in other ways are one of
these ways:
1. Play it against Normal Chess in Near vs Normal.
2. Use a 960 shuffle, or alternate turn drop of pieces into the first or
second row.
3. Introduction of Capablanca and other fantasy pieces.
Playing it on 8x10 board is cool for people who want to play a larger
board variant. Such a board is hard to come by for most people though.
It also isn't Near Chess. If someone has a better name for it, please
come up with it. Maybe Expanded FIDE perhaps. I also can't vouch for
the amount of draws that would occur in Expanded FIDE, but I know the
number of draws in Near Chess is greatly reduced.
I will stand on this game being a good intro game for newer players.
When I say 'easier to learn for beginners' this doesn't mean it is not
meant to lack depth, just that it has less rules and is simplier to get
started. It is easier to learn than chess as the opening is more
restrained to it, and the pawns are better defended. By dropping En
Passant, and Castling, that streamlines it even more.
Of course, there is Simplified Chess, which happens to eliminate rows in
the back. My feel is that waters down Near Chess, but still has its
place.