Comments by andy_thomas

yes, the pawn can capture sideways... once it has crossed the river...

I have created a new variant called, 'Sino-European' Chess.

There are a zillions (.zip) entry, plus an html page. It isn't precisely
clear to me how to link the uploaded zillions .zip into the html. 

I would like to thank Fergus Duniho, inventor of Eurasian Chess for the
inspiration in creating this variant. 

Thanks for your consideration,
Andy

with a cursory glance, i haven't been able to figure out how to update the
zrf here. in any event, there is an updated zip/zrf over at the zillions
site. 

it has larger graphics.

the only real change which has occurred to me might be in making the
castles and wall like a single, large zone, so the respective kings could
traverse the wall and into their opponent's castle.

i think it could at the very least be stated that, in general black and
white play differently from one another.

one way of alleviating this 'problem' - without the use of simultaneous
movement, or in always allowing black 'one last move' - in a given game,
would be to have a chess variant such that the two sides are for all
intents and purposes identically placed at setup, yet the 'black' side
has one piece 'pre-moved' in some kind of logical, standard manner. this
might make up for any real or imagined imbalance.

for example, if you applied this idea to FIDE chess, you could have black
begin with 'king's pawn at 4' (rather than 2) as part and parcel of the
opening setup, yet white would move first.

i have updated this variant a bit. the kings can now move within their own
castles, and along the wall, and inside the opponent's castle as well.
the castles are also now 3x3 thus in that regard resembling the palaces in
xiang qi. also, the bishops can move not only up to and along the wall, but
throughout the castles as well. they are yet prohibited from moving to the
'opposite side of the wall.' in any event, this should all make for less
draws.

3 of the pawns have been set back to the 3rd rank (all 5 were on the 4th
rank before), and the cannons begin on the 2nd rank. in the original, the
pawns were 'too close' at the start. 

since there is no 'implied across the board check' between kings as in
xiang qi, this new rule of allowing them to 'storm across the wall' and
into the other player's castle is a sort of compromise between chinese
chess and fide.