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First move advantage in Western Chess - why does it exist?[Subject Thread] [Add Response]

H. G. Muller wrote on Sat, Aug 11, 2012 09:18 AM UTC:

> Is there anyone who would seriously argue that white
> retains any first move advantage? If so, how? Enjoy!

I see no reason why white would not have any serious first-move advantage
here. The game will be horribly drawish, of course, so any advantage is
likely to be small. In Shatranj the draw rate is about 70%, and has even
more pieces weakened, so you really need a lead of 3 or 4 pieces before it
becomes a winning advantage. Although the change w.r.t. FIDE that causes
most of the drawishness is probably that Pawns promote to a worthless
piece, and this is not made worse here.

But the basic mechanism remains valid. The initial position is not an
impenetrable fortress, nor can such a fortress be reached before the enemy
can engage you. If you just sit and wait, allowing the opponent to set up
his plan, he will be able to achieve a decisive break trough. That the
pieces move slowly hinders defense just as much as attack. If anything, it
makes the advantage of a tempo larger. If the opponent spreads out his
pieces, while you pile up your material just in front of his King, he will
be too late to involve the pieces on the wings in his defense, and will get
checkmated. If he contracts all his pieces around his King, you will direct
your attack to one of the wings, to create a breakthrough there and promote
a few Pawns. Pieces are still sufficiently stronger than Pawns that you
cannot afford to ignore promotion. So with nearly full material on the
board there is no static fortress that is impervious to attack.