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First move advantage in Western Chess - why does it exist?[Subject Thread] [Add Response]
Joe Joyce wrote on Sun, Aug 26, 2012 07:46 PM UTC:
Okay, we actually have 2 questions going here simultaneously, and they are
the initial one - why first move ad in FIDE, and secondly, does Chief have
a 1st move ad? 

We may be coming to agreement on one aspect of the first question, that its
small board size affects FIDE's 1st move ad. The 16x120 and 8x80 boards
have pretty much settled that, no? Any objections? If not, then the
potential for promotions is a source of White's first move advantage, how
important yet to be determined. 

Do you think it fair to say that promotion potential is at least somewhat
based, then, on mobility? Promotions need to occur reasonably fast to be of
value.

On the second question, is it possible that black's skipping one turn in Chief does not seriously - that is, do something like give white a 30% win advantage in games that are not drawn - affect black's winning chances? Is it possible that with a one or even two move advantage, white only wins 20%
more, or even 10?