Comments by Michael Schmahl

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Pocket Mutation Chess. Take one of your pieces off the board, maybe change it, keep it in reserve, and drop it on the board later. (8x8, Cells: 64) (Recognized!)[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Fri, Mar 19, 2004 08:01 PM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

Is mutuation when pocketing a piece from the eighth rank optional or
mandatory?  For example, White pockets a KnightRider from a8 -- does he
have the option of retaining a KnightRider or is he forced to 'upgrade'
to a Cardinal or SuperRook.  White may find the NR ability too useful to
give up.

What if you added a new Piece, the 'SuperKnightRider', or 'KingRider',
which moves as King or KnightRider?  Would this be approximately the right
strength for a Class 4 Piece?  If you think it is too strong, perhaps a
FerzRider or WazirRider would be better.

Hanga Roa. A chess variant inspired by the people of Easter Island. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Fri, Mar 26, 2004 10:43 PM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

It's a very interesting game. I wonder if it would be better if the Ariki moved like Kings (still throwing stones any distance, though), and the Mato'Toa moved like Queens.

Clockwork Orange Chess. Captured pieces are replaced with non-capturing counterparts. (8x8, Cells: 64) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Fri, Apr 2, 2004 07:41 PM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★

Promoted pawns retain their promoted status after being captured, I assume?

Catapults of Troy. Large variant with a river, catapults, archers, and trojan horses! (8x11, Cells: 88) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Sun, Apr 18, 2004 12:17 PM UTC:

The rules aren't explicit, but I assume a catapult launches a piece occupying it to an empty square on the same rank or file?

Football Chess. A Football/Soccer game played with Chess pieces. (9x9, Cells: 81) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Tue, Apr 20, 2004 01:25 PM UTC:

If I read the rules correctly, a Knight (and only a Knight) can get the
ball off the side or out of the corners.

+---+---+---+
|(O)|-N-|   |
+---+---+---+
|   |   |   |
+---+---+---+
|   | * |   |
+---+---+---+

The Knight kicks the ball (marked O) to the square marked by the
asterisk.

Catapults of Troy. Large variant with a river, catapults, archers, and trojan horses! (8x11, Cells: 88) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Wed, Apr 28, 2004 02:19 AM UTC:

What happens if a Catapult moves to the last rank, carrying a pawn (rather than launching it)?

Poll number Preference Poll for Third Game Courier Tournament. Sign up for the 3rd Game Courier tournament by voting in this poll.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Mon, Jul 17, 2006 06:48 PM UTC:

In response to 'no one''s comments, the Condorcet (MAM) voting method
will not 'split the vote' between the very-similar games pointed out by
Fergus.  The method satisfies the following criterion:

     [from http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~seppley/]
     independence of clone alternatives (ICA, promoted by TN Tideman): 

     If there is a subset of alternatives such that no voter ranks any
     alternative outside the subset between any alternatives in the
     subset, then the election outcome must not change if a strict subset

     of that subset is deleted from the votes and from the set of
     nominees. 

A sample election, where B and B' are the 'clones' (they may be from
the same party, or just be very similar in some way):

40%: A > B > B'
30%: B > B' > A
30%: B' > B > A

In a plurality voting system, such as you might be used to, A would win
over B and B'.  But in any Condorcet method, B would win, because B would
win in an election against any single opponent.

Game Courier Logs. View the logs of games played on Game Courier.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Michael Schmahl wrote on Sat, Oct 14, 2006 07:05 PM UTC:

There is an error in the short rules description for Chu Shogi. The Reverse Chariot promotes to a Whale (which is correct), but a Whale moves orthogonally forwards or backwards, or diagonally backwards. Thus, the piece icon is correct, but the text description is wrong. Similarly for White Horse (promoted Lance).

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