George Duke wrote on Sun, Sep 9, 2007 08:00 PM UTC:
JJoyce for one has misapprehension about 'Mad Queen' and phrase 'Mad
Queen is Dead' repeated. He is in good company one supposes because it
had to be explained to FDuniho years ago. Italian 'Regina Rabiosa' (and
Spanish 'Reina Loca' we have also seen) was simply the Latin-area name
from the outset for the 64-square Chess following Shatranj. 'Regina
Rabiosa' does not refer to the Queen per se, but to the game. See
HJRMurray reference 'History of Chess' 1912. So, 'Mad Queen' is
synonymous with OrthoChess(DPritchard's favourite usage), FIDE Chess,
Orthodox Chess -- all the same. We left out the history lately because
Comments already covered it twice. Their revolution in the 1490's was to
bring on board 'Modern' Bishop, 'Modern' Queen, and Pawn two-step option. Much later in 1800's came more standardized Rules for Castling and En Passant. Even play of varying forms of this same 6-piece-type RNBQKP with Passar Bataglia or Italian free castling, we would tend to call Mad Queen Chess from its original name. Even FischerRandom we are inclined to call Mad Queen, being basically the same ancient form. To drive home its antiquity, initiation of Regina Rabiosa, following Shatranj, goes back to before either Shakespeare or Pocahantas were born. [WShakespeare's 'The Tempest' with setting in Caribbean America has the famous scene of Ferdinand and Miranda playing Chess including her line 'O Brave New World that has such people in it', (over Chess)]