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Cambodian Chess ZIP file. Mysterious 9x9 "Cambodian" Chess game that seems unknown in Cambodia.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Robert Shimmin wrote on Mon, Dec 2, 2002 02:41 PM UTC:
I can't imagine this game was ever played much, or if played much, ever
played well.

If the second player adopts a symmetrical defense, then the first player
is forced to sacrifice material, possibly a lot of material, in order to
break symmetry.  The only way to break symmetry is to capture one ship
(rook) with another down a file, or to check the enemy king.  But either
of these require opening a gap in the pawn structure, and the second
player can always come out ahead materially in the process of opening such
a gap.