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Aberg variation of Capablanca's Chess. Different setup and castling rules. (10x8, Cells: 80) [All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]

Hans Aberg wrote on Tue, Sep 21, 2004 05:09 PM UTC:

All three variations keep the relative order between the old chess pieces,
keeping the positions of the rooks at the sides, and the queen and the
king at the center, with the white queen to the left. The board colors
are
such that the white queen ends up on a white square. All three variations
agree that the weaker of the two new pieces, the Archbishop, moving as a
Bishop or a Knight, should be at the Queen side, and that the stronger
piece, the Chancellor, moving as a Rook or Knight, should be at the King
side. This seems natural, as the Queen side is already stronger in
Orthodox Chess, thus balancing up the King side somewhat.

Bird put the new pieces next to the King, Capa between the Knights and
Bishops, and I suggested that they should be put next to the Rooks. I
think the preferred positioning may depend on playing style: The more
'rough' it is, the more one might want to have the new pieces to the
center. I like the Fianchetto where the Bishops point towards the center
four squares, and I want the light pieces early into the game, as is
customary playing in Orthodox Chess, therefore, I want the new, heavier
pieces out of the way in the earliest stages of the opening game.

In addition, widening the board I think will cause that too much moves
are
spent on castling preparations. Therefore I suggested an Enhanced
Castling
rule. The other variations do not have that, but those variations can be
played with or without it.