I researched the different boards, but some people only translated the names, and not the piece movements associated with them. For example, Capablanca had a Cardinal and a Marshall at one point in time, so did Bird. But Capablanca changed his pieces to Marshall and Chancellor, then Chancellor and Archbishop. So most people do not take into account Bird's Cardinal is not the Archbishop, it was our Chancellor, and his Marshall is not a Chancellor, but was the Archbishop.

It is very confusing, I know.

Grim Reaper:
Bird's array should have the chancellor and archbishop switched.

One source for Bird's setup is: http://www.chessvariants.org/large.dir/bird.html . Is that document wrong?

Obviously ChessV and Smirf agree in the arrangement of this array. I chosed that array to be able to play a 10x8 game against ChessV with SMIRF.

Early matings would be a weakness. But also in Gothic Chess there are possible cooperative mates in 3, so look at following:

FEN: rnbqckabnr/pppppppppp/10/10/10/10/PPPPPPPPPP/RNBQ CKABNR w KQkq - 0 1

Ply Nodes all (x) (e.p.) all (+) (#) Prom. Castl. Sec.
------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------
1 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 784 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 25283 387 0 120 0 0 0 0
4 808984 14812 0 4019 0 0 0 0
5 28946187 907953 468 304360 398 0 0 0.5
6 1025229212 36740962 14017 11052055 17277 0 0 9.9
-------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

P.S.: I see that the text is hard to be read :-( .

Bird's array should have the chancellor and archbishop switched.

Remember, his cardinal and marshall were DIFFERENT than Capablanca's, and later when they were called Chancellor and Archbishop, they were translated "flopped".

The Bird setup you can play this mate in 2 with:

1. Ch3 Nc6?? 2. Cxh7#

WOW! Impressive. Convincing win against the invincible before a year Gothic Vortex.......
The FEN tags on your post are wrong, because an empty line is inserted probably by Brainking's system -a known bug-.....
Anyone wants to see the game should copy and paste this to a text-editor and remove the empty line.....

It would be good to read about the conditions then.

May be these days I have already seen the coming winner program ;-) here with Smirf. See the following two games:


[Event "Feared opponents today"]
[Site "CHESSBOX"]
[Date "2005.08.22"]
[Time "20:37:10"]
[Round "Bird's Array 1 (45 sec/move)"]
[White "ChessV Ver. 0.81 (own GUI)"]
[Black "Smirf Beta BC-1.06 (own GUI)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "R. Scharnagl"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbcqkabnr/pppppppppp/10/10/10/10/PPPPPPPPPP/RNB CQKABNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

1. Nc3 Nh6 {(11.01) -0.071} 2. f3 g6 {(10.06) +0.047} 3. Nb5 Na6
{(10.33)+0.565} 4. a3 d5 {(10.24) +1.088} 5. a4 f5 {(10.00) +1.097} 6. d3 Bd7
{(09.03)+1.267} 7. Be3 Bxb5 {(09.18) +1.653} 8. axb5 Qxb5 {(11.21) +1.595} 9.
c3 c5 {(10.08) +1.754} 10. d4 b6 {(09.08) +1.566} 11. Af2 Bf6 {(08.38) +1.747}
12. Cb1 cxd4 {(08.26) +2.119} 13. cxd4 Nb8 {(09.54) +1.447} 14. Qd2 Qd7
{(09.03)+1.345} 15. Nh3 Nc6 {(08.06) +1.117} 16. Cd1 j5 {(09.02) +1.384} 17.
Rc1 e5 {(08.40) +1.635} 18. dxe5 Bxe5 {(10.00) +1.399} 19. Bxb6 axb6
{(11.18)+2.345} 20. b3 d4 {(09.34) +6.702} 21. Rb1 Ni4 {(08.66) +7.034} 22.
Ai5+ Ke8 {(11.00)+7.821} 23. Kf2 Nxh2 {(09.24) +7.888} 24. Ri1 Ra3 {(09.50)
+8.290} 25. Ah4 Bf6 {(08.48) +8.374} 26. Ag3 Ni4 {(09.34) +8.210} 27. Af4 Ri8
{(09.33)+8.389} 28. Qb2 Ae7 {(09.06) +8.591} 29. Ac1 Qd6 {(09.51) +8.979} 30.
f4 Nxj2 {(09.50)+8.896} 31. Nxj2 d3 {(10.41) +8.938} 32. Qxa3 Qxa3 {(11.54)
+9.488} 33. b4 Qxc1 {(10.61) +13.16} 34. Rxc1 d2 {(11.01) +13.08} 35. Rb1 Nxb4
{(11.11)+13.10} 36. e3 Cd3+ {(12.40) +19.31} 37. Kf3 Ad5+ {(12.37) +32.47} 38.
Kg3 Axf4+ {(10.01=)+M~006} 39. Kf3 Bxj2 {(09.01=) +M~005} 40. g3 Ce5+
{(06.01=)+M~004} 41. Kxf4 Nd3# {(04.00?) +M~001} 0-1

[Event "Feared opponents today"]
[Site "CHESSBOX"]
[Date "2005.08.25"]
[Time "21:01:59"]
[Round "Gothic Chess 1 (30 sec/move)"]
[White "Gothic Vortex Gold (own GUI)"]
[Black "Smirf Beta BC-1.08 (own GUI)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "R. Scharnagl"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqckabnr/pppppppppp/10/10/10/10/PPPPPPPPPP/RNB QCKABNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

{The time limit has been passed.} 1. g4 g6 {(10.04) +0.042} 2. Nh3 d6
{(10.00)+0.159} 3. Nc3 Nh6 {(09.37) +0.195} 4. g5 Nf5 {(10.01) +0.215} 5. Be4
c6 {(10.00) +0.345} 6. e3 h5 {(09.03=) +0.560} 7. gxh6 Axh6 {(10.00) +0.601} 8.
d3 Nh4 {(08.01) +1.257} 9. Bh1 Bxc3 {(09.18) +1.435} 10. bxc3 Ag4 {(10.01)
+1.561} 11. f3 Af6 {(10.02=) +1.612} 12. e4 Axc3 {(10.33) +2.412} 13. Bxi7 Axd1
{(11.18) +2.430} 14. Cxd1 Ri8 {(12.00) +2.300} 15. Bh6+ Kg8 {(10.00) +2.714}
16. Bi5 Rh8 {(09.01) +2.829} 17. j4 Cf6 {(08.28) +2.829} 18. Ce3 Rh5
{(09.22)+2.945} 19. Nj2 Kh8 {(08.03) +3.558} 20. h3 Na6 {(09.19) +3.526} 21.
Ni4 Qa5 {(08.04) +3.097} 22. Ce2 Nb4 {(08.39) +2.961} 23. a3 Na6 {(08.16)
+2.678} 24. a4 Nb4 {(09.26) +3.081} 25. Cc1 Qe5 {(07.58) +3.384} 26. c3 Na6
{(08.41)+2.738} 27. Nh6 Qg5 {(09.01) +2.877} 28. Nxj7+ Ki8 {(11.00) +3.046} 29.
Bxh4 Rxh4 {(10.02) +3.301} 30. Ni5 Nc5 {(08.33) +3.301} 31. Cd1 Be6 {(07.33)
+3.311} 32. Nj3 Rf4 {(09.01=) +4.358} 33. Nh2 Nxd3 {(08.31) +5.347} 34. Ng4 Bc4
{(09.02) +6.284} 35. Nxf6 Nb2+ {(09.22) +6.706} 36. Kf2 Nxd1+ {(10.38) +5.908}
37. Rxd1 Qxf6 {(11.01) +5.767} 38. Rd4 Ba6 {(11.02=) +6.639} 39. Kg3 Qe5
{(12.02=) +6.324} 40. Kg2 c5 {(10.16=) +6.324} 41. Rd5 Qxc3 {(12.00) +6.261}
42. Ah2 Qb2+ {(11.02=) +6.789} 43. Kg3 e5 {(10.32) +6.633} 44. Rxd6 c4
{(10.27)+7.173} 45. Bg2 c3 {(10.17) +7.304} 46. Rdd1 Be2 {(10.16) +7.679} 47.
Ra1 Qd2 {(09.01) +8.181} 48. h4 Rxh4 {(11.01) +9.604} 49. Bh3 Rh5 {(09.12=)
+9.604} 50. Ag4 Rg5 {(11.01) +10.69} 51. Kh4 Rxg4+ {(12.02) +11.43} 52. fxg4 c2
{(12.11)+11.78} 53. Rjc1 Qh6+ {(11.32) +12.20} 54. Ki4 Rc8 {(12.00) +12.33} 55.
j5 Qg5 {(11.01) +13.10} 56. a5 Bxg4 {(13.02=) +14.14} 57. Bxg4 Qxg4+ {(13.12)
+14.35} 58. Kj3 Qg5 {(13.07) +15.39} 59. Rh1 Rc3+ {(15.02=) +17.62} 60. Rh3
c1=Q {(15.18) +24.46} 61. Rxc1 Qxj5+ {(15.01=) +M~009} 62. Ki3 Qi5+
{(14.01=)+M~008} 63. Kj3 Rxc1 {(12.01=) +M~006} 64. Kj2 Qj4+ {(09.01=) +M~005}
65. Rj3 Qh4+ {(07.01=) +M~004} 66. Ri3+ Kj7 {(06.01=) +M~003} 67. a6 bxa6
{(05.01=)+M~002} 68. Kj3 Rj1# {(03.00?) +M~001} 0-1

Regards, Reinhard.

White pawn: a2
White Knight: a1
White King: i1
Black King: i8
Black Knight: j8

White to move can only draw!

But, move the white King from i1 to h1, and it is a mate in 33 where the pawn promotes to a Chancellor to win most quickly.

Grim Reaper: hehehe, I'll think about it but I have already been introduced into a game with HerculesBeast(2159, #?). Dresden will most likely have a turn at my scalp eventually. :)

The secret lies with Charlotte.

ColonelCrockett: Looks like you made the list at #17 so far. Why not challenge Dresden at #16 and see what happens?

http://brainking.com/en/Profile?u=12010

Nasmichael: thx! :)

ColonelCrockett: Congratulations. well done!

I FINALLY have my first provisional Gothic rating!

Here are some more pictures of Alexis Skye...

http://www.gothicchess.org/alexis_pictures.html

Don't forget there is a "win a date with her" tournament started September 1st!

Pedro Martínez: NEVER say NEVER!

Here is the page with the mate in 268 (scroll down.) I think the mate in 202 was much more interesting, since it was Archbishop vs. Bishop + Knight.

http://www.gothicchess.org/gv_release.html

WhiteTower: Grim Reaper: Come on, Ed, you calculated that mate in two-hundred-something moves, this one should be easy-peasy :)

Actually, it was 268 moves, and that was an endgame database generator program, not me!

The longest mate I think I actually correctly predicted on here was in 33 moves.

BIG BAD WOLF: No computer-based translator will EVER give you an exact translation. Even though it might be able to give you a little clue of what the text is about (if it is simple enough), never rely on it much. In my opinion, this a good example of an industry where computers will never surpass humans.

Grim Reaper: There are some translaters on-line which will translate "most" of it for you. (quick search found this place: http://translation2.paralink.com/ - but only 500 characters at a time here so it might take awhile to translate) - but there are others also.

ChessCarpenter:

Yeah I must be geting old. Wait, we are almost the exact same age.

Thanks for the Kudos Ed...other blitz it's been a long time since I beat you!

Grim Reaper: Come on, Ed, you calculated that mate in two-hundred-something moves, this one should be easy-peasy :)

The live site at http://www.GothicChessLive.com now has game timers, including the Fischer clock for time increments, as well as a rating system for bullet, blitz, and regular time controls.

WhiteTower: I am in check about to lose my Chancellor wich is the only thing keeping his pawn from promoting. The game was clearly over for me

Grim Reaper: Mate in... ?

Great win by ChessCarpenter. I never thought I would lose a game with the white pieces!

http://brainking.com/en/ArchivedGame?g=655187

Grim Reaper: Yes, I do. First they mention you as one who patented "Capablanca chess on 10x8 board under the name Gothic chess", then there is some info about world computer championships, then about some brainking tournaments, and live Philadelphia open. They also mention Grim Reaper is your current nick here, then there are some thoughts about online playing through internet etc. Then in the end there is some chess problem, mate in 2 for both sides, who is about to move, wins in 2 moves.

I have no clue what this is saying.

http://www.kv.minsk.by/index2005310901.htm

One thing I noticed when I access the Task Manager (cntrl-alt-del) is that sometimes Netscape is showing a process already running under the Processes tab (not the Applications tab) and at these times, I do not get the Java applet components sent to me properly.

Run the Task Manager before you launch your browser. Hit the Processes tab, then sort the "Mem Usage" in descending order (highest to lowest). Look for a process named similar to your browser. If the browser has not even been launched yet, select that item, then click on the End Process button down on the lower right.

Launch your browser.

This has always produced success for me.

I have Java 1.5.0_02, which should be OK with the requirements, but I am still having trouble seeing the Gothic Room.

Any ideas that might help?

I sent a message to the webmaster,
and I looked at the help screen; it is probably something I have overlooked.

You are right CardinalFlight.

Come on people, get on gothicchesslive.com sometime. It's a lot of fun!

Grim Reaper:
36. j2-j3 Axj3#
37. i2xj3 (if not then .. Axh2##) Rxj3#
if
38. K-i1 B-j2#
39. K-j1 B-i1#
40. Kxi1 Qj2##
if
38. K-i2 Nh4#
39. K-i1 B-j2#
40. K-j1 and so forth as above.

The only other option might be
37. i2-i3 (or i2-i4) but then Axh2#
38. K-i2 A-g3##

Hindsight is a wonderful thing ... WQ :)

Rob is referring to this position:

http://brainking.com/en/ShowGame?g=655187&i=71

...where Axj3!! wins. Can anyone demonstrate that checkmate?

A tough position yes...but I blew it earlier with a nice ArchBishop sac earlier so.... I won't be too hasty from here on out!

Grim Reaper: A predicament indeed

Mate threats supercede all others, and black has them at every turn.

But why? The only problem i see with a quick look is the advanced d-Pawn. And you have a nice double-pin after all.....

Chessmaster1000: not me, for sure!

A nightmare..........! Who is winning......?

Now this is what I call being in a tough position!

http://brainking.com/en/ShowGame?g=655187&i=88

Contact me privately and I will disclose what I can as I am bound by the terms of a contract.

tedbarber: I'd like to hear this answer as well!

to grimreaper: A while back you mentioned something about Gothic Chess Board Game being made available by some toy company manufacturer. Has this happened yet?

Attention:
Another tournament brought for you advanced players!
http://brainking.com/en/Tournaments?trg=9940&trnst=0

I have seven games in the "Waiting games" section if anyone would like to play a game or two. 2 or 3 day time limit with vacations and weekends still going.

Hi again,

Well the webmaster is passed out, sleeping right now, after working all night to get it ready.

I see Mattolin was on earlier.

Register another name, you will be able to get in right away!

Grim Reaper: It was some days already.

Grim Reaper: I asked for my forgotten password but up to now didn't received an answer :-P. "GrosPaul" there.

The new live site is up and running today.

I think there are 20 moves that are the only winning moves in that ending. And I think 2. Kf5 is one of them, giving away the draw otherwise. I will have to load the ending and check out the solution.