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Alekhine ChessA Zillions-of-Games file . Named in honor of Alexander Alekhine, World Chess Champion 1927-1935, 1937-1946.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Greg Strong wrote on Sat, May 30, 2009 04:18 AM UTC:Poor ★
Waaaay to much power on the board.  

Take 'Capablanca' style 10x8 Chess, which has been invented over and over again, starting with Carrera in the 1600s, later Bird's Chess, later Capablanca's Chess and any number of modern variants.  It doesn't catch on because it's not a good game.  There's too much power on the board - resulting in too much tactics and not enough strategy.

This game takes it to another whole level.  I don't care that the board is wide.  The castling rule is such that you have to move out a million pieces before you move your king out of dodge.  And the center 8x8 section of the board has an Amazon, which has already been determined to be too power for any reasonable use on small board, two queens, two chancellors, and two archbishops.  In otherwords, WAY more power in the center 8x8 section of the board than in an entire 10x8 Capablanca game which is already too much.  And then there's normal, weak pieces waaaaaaaay out on the sides ...  In chess, the Rooks (powerful pieces) are in the corners so they develop slower, and the Knights and Bishops develop quickly.  In this game, they start out in no-mans-land.  Might as well not even have the sides of the board.  If those pieces even come into play, it's only because the other player has totally failed to use the power at his disposal.

Secondly, what's with the name?  Any reason to believe that he would like this game?  Is that based on anything at all?  Or are you just taking advantage of the fact that he can't denounce this crap because he's dead?  Even if you admire him and are trying to honor him, it's in serously poor taste.