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Improved Chess. An improvement of standard chess: a blocked pawn on the far side gets extra jump moves to empty squares (with zrf).[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Anonymous wrote on Wed, May 2, 2007 02:21 PM UTC:

Silly, slightly pretentious name for a chess variant.

Different yes. Less drawish? Maybe, maybe not. I can easily think of a won
position in FIDE chess that would be drawn in this variant. 

Improved? Not quite.

💡📝M Winther wrote on Thu, May 3, 2007 06:00 AM UTC:

No it is not silly. Comparatively, in orthodox chess a pawn is easy to block. This creates the marked drawishness of practical endgames. Therefore, most chessplayers prefer to keep the queen on the board, until they have created an advantage. I have tested this variant in a program, and exchanging pieces does not automatically lead to a draw. The tension often remains in the endgame. Unlike a regular pawn, the improved pawn is not that easy to block. However, its jump moves are not frequent (it must be blocked on the far side, or, alternatively, beyond the fifth rank) so it's not overly wild. Players can now exchange queen and enter a practical endgame. Unlike before the stronger player will win. This is, arguably, a significant improvement compared with orthodox chess (but much analysis is needed to establish this).

By the way, this pawn could be useful to chess variant constructors in that it enlivens the game, making it less drawish. Especially short-range pieces and slow variants could lead to drawish games. Compare with Makruk/Thai Chess. Its recent development in the hands of professionals has led to the conclusion that it's overly drawish. Obviously, this is a problem in many chess variants. Introducing a minor change which implies that pawns are less easy to block, changes everything.
/Mats

Derek Nalls wrote on Thu, May 3, 2007 07:55 PM UTC:Good ★★★★

Yes, the original pawns in chess are poorly designed and an improved buffer piece ('pawn', if you wish) will improve the game significantly. Winther's analyses are typically sound and I trust that he has accomplished 'improved chess' with the substitution of the 'improved pawn'.

There are many different ways to modify a pawn or design a buffer piece, though. I think some are even better than the way Winther has invented.

1. Please check-out the archived discussion entitled Alternative Pawns

2. Please download and study the variants of Opti Chess that feature 'ortho pawns' and 'lateral pawns' from Zillions Of Games

3. Please read The Reasons Behind Opti Chess
esp. from the 6th paragraph to its end where the value of pawn protection at the starting position to stable game design is explained.

Note that 'ortho pawns' and 'lateral pawns' improve game stability, increase the defensive strength of both players and reduce the first-move-of-the-game-advantage (for white) by protecting each other at the starting position.

Please consider admitting variants of Improved Chess that include 'ortho pawns' and 'lateral pawns'?