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Wow! this topic has generated not only discussion, but controversy! I'm
impressed. People are dropping in and dropping out. We've got discussions
on players and pawns and what makes a chess game chess all going on. People
are bringing their own points of view, and mixing it up rather well. It
seems the title of this topic was more apt than I realized...

Hi, Christine! Hi, Greg! Welcome back. Nick, Greg, glad to have you in.
Christine, Fergus, Mats, sorry you're not. Maybe next time, maybe not.

What chamged? Control. Some people like more, some less. I confess I don't
see the problem in playing a game I like half the games, and seeing what
other people like, one game at a time. I find it fascinating that people
feel they will play more games they like, and fewer they don't, in a
standard-format chessvariants tournament. Most of the games I played in
tournaments have been new to me. The only time I've ever played Extinction
or Janus or several other games has been in a tournament. To each his own.

I'd planned to post a comment saying that I would let Carlos and someone
else decide whether or not Chieftain should be played. I understand how new
or unusual games can intimidate people. But I was slow in getting this
comment up, and there has been a considerable response to my suggesting
this one game. In light of this, I am uninclined to change my offering, but
I will still abide by Carlos' decision. I would suggest Greg and Nick,
since they have said they're in, also weigh in with Carlos, giving 3 votes
for Chieftain's inclusion or exclusion. I tend to be flexible, but slow
[as Fergus can attest, in our present game.] Should I have suggested a
purely traditional CV, like Hyperchess?

A lot of good topics have been brought up for discussion. Those I'm
interested in. One question is what makes a chess variant. Are pawns
required for a game to be chess? The general consensus is/has been that the
real requirement for a game to be a chess variant is that it must have a
royal piece. There was extensive discussion on this in the CVwiki a while
ago. While some of the comments are mine, there are some comments readers
may find interesting or enlightening. And the comments are not closed - for
those of you who have a view, please join in. Always happy to have more
participants.