Walter Montego:

About CRC: CRC has been "invented" primarily targeting to create a new drosophila for computer - computer games. I am not sure, whether it would be too difficult to be played by human beings. But it is free to everybody who likes it.

About the Embassy array: as far as I know the castling rules of Embassy are different to all other 10x8 Capablanca piece set variants. Because of that circumstance I supplied SMIRF with an MBC related position, which is mirrored from the right to the left. That way it would be represented by the CRC array 25932 and it would be playable obeying the usual 10x8 castling rules.

[FEN "rnbackqbnr/pppppppppp/10/10/10/10/ PPPPPPPPPP/RNBACKQBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

Regards, Reinhard.

playBunny: the blame doesn't just fit on one foot.. it fits on all.. No one man should take full blame.. perhaps a bit of maturity and reasoning as well as respect towards another would best be needed.. but, then we all have cultural differences.. don't we.. WE aren't all raised with the same parents.. and while one country disapproves of a smile linking it to mean something more lustrious.. another merely means it in a friendly way..

My point is this.. Instead of reacting right off.. sit back and evaluate what all is said.. and try to see it from the other persons view.. realize also that heated arguments do get carried away.. more so with the male gender.. :)

have a nice evening..

Pioneer54:

Grand Chess is too unlike contemporary chess. The setup lacks symmetry, there is no castling, and the starting position is mildly chaotic.

The BrainKing community does not represent our target market, as we target consumers. We sold perhaps a couple dozen Gothic Chess sets on here, but over 63,000 worldwide since December 2000 (thanks mostly to large drop-ship orders to QVC and, oddly, correctional facilities in the United States.)

Each variant has their own lovers and haters, as was before Gothic, and will be after Gothic.

If you don't like it, don't play it, simple enough.

Just don't try to tell me it is not popular. I walked away from a $75/hour consulting job in the year 2000 because I was making more with Gothic Chess on the side.

Come to Bartell Hall in Kansas City next August. Watch over 4,000 high school kids play for the prize of having free college tuition for one year. The entrance fee is only $125.

Tell them how much you like Grand Chess, how much you dislike Gothic, and pay close attention to their reaction.

Fencer: I didn't realize that the site was unfriendly due to having Gothic Chess here??

Sorry.. that is my opinion..

Pioneer54: Yes. You must have misplace a slash somewhere. Check around the 'b" or in the < >

I've been wanting to play Grand Chess since reading about it a few years back. I have some games waiting if you'd like play a few. Also, the Marshall and Cardinal in Grand Chess are placed as in Embassy Chess were it not for the two extra rows. I have yet to have a game get to where promotion might happen, but it will be interesting when the time comes. I have the feeling it'll be a lot more common of a thing than in regular Chess or the other 8 X 10 variants.

Chessmaster: "CRC is a good game (actually GC is just a starting position of CRC) but any "Fischer/Capablanca Random" implementation of Chess or Gothic Chess is not in the same league with the original games, because of lack of opening theory,"

This proposition is irrational. The absence of opening theory does not detract from a game concept, instead it enhances it, especially in the area of tactical play.

Grandchess is an absolutely marvelous game that I have been playing for many years, and it is delightful that it has been added to the BK repertoire. It is much better than CRC and other games using the special combined pieces because of the expanded 10x10 board. Also, the special promotion rule gives it unique appeal.

Conversely, although I recognize that gothicchess has a large following, I never liked it and never accepted that the originality of the concept was genuine; holding patents does not necessarily prove anything, since many patents have been granted to those diligent enough to reapply for coverage of non-orininal ideas (at significantly higher fees, of course).

Gothic won't be that much missed, and I view it as an improvement (rather than a handicap) that it is slated for removal.

I think one problem with the random set up version of some games is just that, they're random! This might be fine for some people, but quite a few others like having the board set up the same each game and can then concentrate on how each game goes knowing that the pieces will be where they expect them to be. I doubt if I'd like a random version of Japanese Shogi Chess and I only just learned that game. I'm all for adding the Capablanca Random Chess, but I'd like a game similiar to Gothic, Bird's, or Capablanca's Chess that would have the same set up each time. I would again like to suggest Embassy Chess. The set up of the pieces is identical to Gothic Chess except that the Kings and Chancellors are switched in position. The Chancellor is called the Marshall and the Archbishop is called the Cardinal. The same names as in Grand Chess. The pieces are identical in all ways except the names. This board and set up are not patented and were proposed months ago when this patenting and licensing stuff first came to a head.

Black's side of the board.
8 RNBQKMCBNR
7 PPPPPPPPPP
6 ----------
5 ----------
4 ----------
3 ----------
2 PPPPPPPPPP
1 RNBQKMCBNR
--abcdefghij
White's side of the board.
M = Marshall - a piece that moves as a Rook or Knight
C = Cardinal - a piece that moves as a Bishop or Knight

This set up has the King and Queen together, all Pawns guarded, Bishops positioned for fianchetto placement, has the most Chesslike appearence of the four games in question, is not patented, does not require licensing, the Marshall and Cardinal may both move as Knights at the start of the game without blocking each other (compare to the Chancellor and Archbishop of Gothic Chess). These all seem like good reasons to have the game here. The opening theory should be very similiar to Gothic Chess. Embassy Chess will not have the drawbacks that Ed Trice has expounded upon in Bird's and Capablanca's set ups in his essay about how he decided to place the pieces for Gothic Chess and will have all the benefits of Gothic Chess, plus those I mention here.

Yes, I can see your point..
pretend it's a small "not".. :-)

rod03801: Ahah. It was the emphatic NOT that made it seem such a big deal to you.

Well.. blame isn't really the correct word... and I almost edited my post to reflect that.. lol.. but figured people would know how I meant it..

rod03801: Who's blaming Fencer?

Perhaps the creator of Gothic Chess should be blamed for its removal, and NOT Fencer.

Fencer has been patient long enough with this man.

Chessmaster1000: Ah, yes, I understand those reasons.

playBunny: Will Capablana Random be a worthy replacement?

No! Absolutely not.........
CRC is a good game (actually GC is just a starting position of CRC) but any "Fischer/Capablanca Random" implementation of Chess or Gothic Chess is not in the same league with the original games, because of lack of opening theory, due to many starting positions and because of the random factor inside them. Why these 2 things should be a disadvantage.......? Well it is........:-)

AbigailII: CRC and grand chess are both great replacements.

AbigailII: No, there won't be. The gothic start position will be excluded because of the mentioned licence/patent problems.

Chessmaster1000: I came to this site due to Gothic Chess. I will not leave after it leaves but it's a huge hole.......I wonder how it will be repaired........?!?

Fencer announced Capablanca Random Chess as a replacement for Gothic Chess. It's also played on a 10x8 board, it uses the same pieces a Gothic Chess, but the setup is random, with similar restrictions as in Fisher Random Chess. There will be an 1 in 48,000 probability you start off in the same position as Gothic Chess.

Chessmaster1000:
It would be a shame to resign your games. If you've been enjoying them so far for the game itself then can that not continue?

I think Fencer's been very patient for a long time with a man who has proved very difficult to get on with. GC = Good Cull from that point of view.

And you can't leave ... who's going to help me improve my backgammon if "one of the best players of Backgammon on Earth" leaves?

What do you think .. Will Capablana Random be a worthy replacement?

Chessmaster1000: There is always a chance but I wouldn't rely on it. And believe me, I was thinking for a very long time before I came to this conclusion which is the best for BrainKing, not for any particular user. I know there are people who find this decision bad and wrong but in order to keep the site nice and friendly, I am sure I did the right thing.

What a pity!
Sorrow all around me......:-(:-(
My favourite fellowiship "The Gothic Chess Ladder: Enter the Vortex" will have no reason to exist....
I came to this site due to Gothic Chess. I will not leave after it leaves but it's a huge hole.......I wonder how it will be repaired........?!?

Unfortunatelly your announcement has completely discouraged me from continuing any GC games....I'm even thinking of resigning them.
One last question: Is there any chance -even 0.00008%- to change your decision.....? Because if there is a slight possibility i will not resign......

Chessmaster1000: After 31/12 2005, everything related to Gothic Chess [games, ratings, charts, rules] will be removed. Everybody has more than 4 months to finish running games and download them or print them or use them in any other way. It is a very long time and should be sufficient.

Although i disagree 100% with the removal of Gothic Chess, and been burning from curiosity of WHY, i forget all these and just want to know what will happen with GC games that will NOT finish until 31/12/2005......? Will they finish automatically?

And what will happen with the ratings of Gothic Chess........? Will be deleted or........?

it,s back

Someone has pinched the best mover chart

poohbearboise: Everything is translated to all languages you can see in the small flag section. More languages to be added soon.

BIG BAD WOLF: I knew I was on at least one of Fencer's lists. ;)

ArtfulDodger:
Oh.. you made the list.. de da da de di dod di di du di dum..
You made the list.. *snaps fingers and bobs head*

ArtfulDodger: Yup, that is why you are on the list!

BIG BAD WOLF: I'm a renew and was a pawn for several months :)

Vikings: That's what I'm saying. They first turned to pawns BEFORE they renewed their membership - so they are sort-of new.

BIG BAD WOLF: I recognized many of those names from the past

Vikings: If people renew before their membership runs out, they will not show up on the list. Only pawns which get a new membership (even if they had one at some time before) - I believe.

Fencer: that stat is a little misleading since many of those are simply renewing, is it possible to have a list of new memberships somewhere?

I'm new and I would love to play BB variations (games, tournaments, etc.) against players of different languages. Are they all translated?

game number one million...wow we sure know how to waste time,but its time well wasted.

Fencer: Congrats to BrainKing for getting to it's game number one million a month before BrainKing's 3rd Birthday!

Btw, congrats Matatko and ZEROZERO for playing the game number one million.

Thank you BBW :]

Maxxina: The Paid Membership page (at the bottom) shows the recent people who have paid for a membership.

ArtfulDodger: correction ;)

pauloaguia: opps, yeah, you're right. ;)

Fencer:

Summertop: Thanks and I still didn't forget about the Web Services.

Fencer: Personally, there are two things I keep in mind when I am going to put money (register) into a site.

1. Is it "Alive". It is important to me to know that others are doing it also. I don't want to register/pay for a site that is dying.

2. Is it being maintained. This is pretty obvious. Is the site owner still interested in the site and actively improving it.

This site Rocks...that is why I am still a member.

Where is that statistic where you see how many new paid member came to this site ? ?

ArtfulDodger: 25? I count 35...

ArtfulDodger: At least we don't hide this information, like some other sites do. The statistics is always interesting.

Fencer: It's pretty cool. That's a lot of new members for a month I think. :) Paid! wooo hooo :)

ArtfulDodger: I don't know, I stopped counting.

Wooo hooo Fencer. ;)

What's the record?