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Chess484. Before play, certain pieces are regrouped, creating natural positions. Castling is retained (+ zrf).[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

💡📝M Winther wrote on Wed, May 20, 2009 04:56 PM UTC:

Chess484 is an attempt at creating a randomized variant that includes Chess960 castling but allows non-mirrored positions. The reason why it probably works is because all positions are positionally stabile with rooks always on the corner squares and the bishops always on different colours on the four central ranks (i.e. never on the b or g file). Possibly, it is an alternative to Chess960. Only 22 of the positions are mirrored. I would argue that this form of randomization is ideal for computer chess engine matches. They would have to play the opening well, too, instead of only copying from the opening book.
/Mats