Check out Makruk (Thai Chess), our featured variant for March, 2025.

Enter Your Reply

The Comment You're Replying To
H. G. Muller wrote on Sun, Apr 27 08:48 AM UTC:

I made a few refinements to betzaNew.js:

  • I added a parameter clipX=N. This can be used to inform the AI that the board really only has N files, and that any additional files defined by the files parameter are just for creating areas to store pieces that can be dropped or gated onto the board. Without this the AI's idea of centralizing pieces became mixed up in variants with extensive board extensions. By default the files=N command would also set clipX to N. But use of an explicit clipX after that can alter that value.
  • Bracket notation now also understands a step (W or F) followed by a single non-oblique leap (A, D, G, H).
  • I fixed some problems with use of a (for 'all directions') in bracket notation. 'All directions' is the default continuation direction in XBetza multi-leg moves, but it is a relative notion there. When the atom on which it acts has only 4 directions 'all' stays limited to these original 4 (or 3, if the 4 would include strictly backward). When the path included 45-degree bends, like needed for expanding [W-aF], an explicit vs is needed in XBetza: avsW. The old preprocessor failed to add that, so that the result became that for [W-aW] instead.
  • As to elimination of always succeeding (i.e irrespective of square occupancy) intermediate legs in a multi-leg move, by merging those with the following leap, I now use the following system: intermediates inserted by expansion of bracket notation will always be eliminated. When no captureMatrix is defined, mp leaps will be eliminated when there is no hole defined amongst the pieces, and mpo leaps when there are. This is a bit course, but erring in the safe direction. More accurate would be to test whether the capture matrix actually specifies any hop bans, or better yet, whether it specifies those for the piece the move belongs to. Also note that it does not test whether there actually are any holes in the board; just whether the hole type is defined. So if you want to use a multi-leg move to test whether there is remaining space on board by a back-and-forth mp step on one of the pieces, you can add a line hole:::: to force the Diagram to leave mp legs alone.
  • The value parameter for setting piece values by hand now can accept a value relative to an earlier piece. When you write value=V/N after the definition line of a piece, that piece will get the value of piece number N, plus V. This feature is provided to handle pieces that start off board. Usually two piece types have to be provided for this, where the in-hand type has some special move for introducing it on the board, where it then morphs into the type with its normal move. The value of the in-hand pieces should then not be related to this introduction move, but must be slightly under that. So that introduction of the piece is encouraged, but not at all cost. Due to the stochastic nature of the heuristic process of value determination, it is hard to achieve that by a fixed value.
  • I am not sure whether I ever announced the following: there also is a shooter=T parameter that can be used after a definition line for pieces that can make locust captures. The 'shooter type' T (0, 1 or 2) determines how the locust capture should be entered with the mouse. T=0 would indicate a 'trampler', i.e. a piece that first moves on top of its victim, and then with a third click to its destination. T=2 is for 'shooters', whic first move to their destination, and from there take out a victim with a 3rd click. The Diagram attempts to make this distinction automatically, but this doesn't always result in the desired classification. Finally, T=2 (which can be set only by hand) indicates implied locust capture, where you only have to click the final destination, and all side effects are performed automatically. This can only be used on pieces where the destination doesn't leave any choice about what the side effects will be. (Comparable to entering castling or e.p. capture.)

Edit Form

Comment on the page Interactive diagrams

Conduct Guidelines
This is a Chess variants website, not a general forum.
Please limit your comments to Chess variants or the operation of this site.
Keep this website a safe space for Chess variant hobbyists of all stripes.
Because we want people to feel comfortable here no matter what their political or religious beliefs might be, we ask you to avoid discussing politics, religion, or other controversial subjects here. No matter how passionately you feel about any of these subjects, just take it someplace else.
Avoid Inflammatory Comments
If you are feeling anger, keep it to yourself until you calm down. Avoid insulting, blaming, or attacking someone you are angry with. Focus criticisms on ideas rather than people, and understand that criticisms of your ideas are not personal attacks and do not justify an inflammatory response.
Quick Markdown Guide

By default, new comments may be entered as Markdown, simple markup syntax designed to be readable and not look like markup. Comments stored as Markdown will be converted to HTML by Parsedown before displaying them. This follows the Github Flavored Markdown Spec with support for Markdown Extra. For a good overview of Markdown in general, check out the Markdown Guide. Here is a quick comparison of some commonly used Markdown with the rendered result:

Top level header: <H1>

Block quote

Second paragraph in block quote

First Paragraph of response. Italics, bold, and bold italics.

Second Paragraph after blank line. Here is some HTML code mixed in with the Markdown, and here is the same <U>HTML code</U> enclosed by backticks.

Secondary Header: <H2>

  • Unordered list item
  • Second unordered list item
  • New unordered list
    • Nested list item

Third Level header <H3>

  1. An ordered list item.
  2. A second ordered list item with the same number.
  3. A third ordered list item.
Here is some preformatted text.
  This line begins with some indentation.
    This begins with even more indentation.
And this line has no indentation.

Alt text for a graphic image

A definition list
A list of terms, each with one or more definitions following it.
An HTML construct using the tags <DL>, <DT> and <DD>.
A term
Its definition after a colon.
A second definition.
A third definition.
Another term following a blank line
The definition of that term.