Play of chess [variants] by email supported on US-based site

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a link to a game of chess currently being played by email by two people (apparently two lower-rated anonymous Europeans) on chessvariants.com (free membership, anti-bot measures taken for an email address that one would give); currently over 1200 chess variants can be played on this website's Game Courier play-by-mail system (using flexible time controls a user sets), and people can even learn how to invent and submit their own ideas for chess variants for the main website, besides for possible use on Game Courier:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=per31-cvgameroom-2019-166-447

Note: if viewing when one of the players suddenly makes a move, an error message will show [edit: this glitch has apparently been fixed]. One way to deal with this is to re-enter this thread and click on the link again, and the game can be then viewed (as it is after the player made his move). A minor glitch the site currently has, but the webmaster busily patches up other minor things all the time, so this glitch may eventually be taken care of.

[edit: the game in the link has since been concluded, with the final position still visible, and playback possible, however.]

[Kevin Pacey]

The chess game featured in the link found in the first post of this thread has finished, after only 9 moves.

Just for fun, here's another game currently in progress on the same website, again between two anonymous lower rated players. There's a twist though: they're playing Capablanca Chess, i.e. a chess variant played on a 10x8 board with extra pieces and pawns per side in the start position; the rules for the variant are briefly explained (mostly same as for chess), as can be seen if one scrolls below the diagram in the link to follow (the variant has been played in 36 complete games on the website to date, while the top played game is the classic shogi [or Japanese Chess] at 397 [with chess at 152]; the website was created in 1995):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Capablanca+Chess&log=wdtr2-per31-2019-157-917

[edit: In case this game of Capablanca Chess is over fairly quickly (and it might be) {edit2: the game has in fact been concluded}, here's a link to another game currently in progress, of Frog Chess, i.e. a chess variant of my own invention played on a 10x8 board also; again the rules for the variant are to be found by scrolling after clicking on the link below (the variant has been played in 15 finished games on the website to date):]

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Frog+Chess&log=bigjohn-cvgameroom-2019-167-246

[edit3: This game has concluded, too.]

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a link to a game currently being played of another (somewhat rather chess-like) chess variant, in which I'm one of the players (my opponent is a Mexican whose chess rating, if he was to have one, I'd guess to be about 2000 FIDE, based on many past games of various chess variants , similar to my own FIDE rating, which has declined for years now); this 9x8 board game (which my opponent invented long ago) is called [I]Symmetric Chess, in which each player starts with 2 queens instead of one (note that there are special rules for the initial move of a bishop, which again can be found by scrolling down below the diagram found after clicking on the link):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Symmetric+Chess&log=sissa-cvgameroom-2019-162-612

[edit: this game has since finished; the final position is visible, as usual.]

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's another game currently being played between myself and the opponent I had in the previous post, this time of a much more complex (10x10) chess variant (Opulent Chess) - once again the rules can be looked up by scrolling below the diagram revealed by clicking on the link below (I think that the augmented knight piece type is worth considerably more than a bishop, even on the relatively large board size, unlike the game's inventor seems to imply in a note to the rules that are given); this game of mine with Carlos is part of the ten player 2019 Game Courier tournament that involves playing 9 chess variants in a 3 round round-robin format, where 3 games are played by each player per round (this year just 10 players signed up, so 9 games were picked by vote, all more-or-less rather chess-like ones in this year):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Opulent+Chess&log=panther-sissa-2019-173-864

[edit: this game has since been finished.]

Here's the rules (including format) for the 2019 Game Courier tournament:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/tournaments/gamecourier2019.html

Here's a link showing the logs for all this tournament's games played (or still being played) to date (no crosstable available, unfortunately, but someone will probably post one on the CVP website soon after this tournament is finished [which might be in some months' time]):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/logs.php?gamecmp=eq&game=&age=0&stat=any&logcmp=eq&log=&tcmp=eq&tourney=GameCourier2019&sort=age&userid=&submit=Submit

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a game I'm currently playing of Courier Chess, a 12x8 version of chess played for at least 600 years in the middle ages in Germany; most of the rules are known, but we are using a few rules derived from speculation as well (again, all of the rules we are playing by can be seen by scrolling down after clicking on the link) [edit: this game has since ended - I thought I was going down material in the final position, for little compensation(!)]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Courier+Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2019-220-302

Here's a game of standard chess that I'm currently playing against the same opponent [edit: this game has since ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2019-220-297

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a game of Fischer Random that I'm currently playing [edit: this game has since ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Fischer+Random+Chess&log=per31-cvgameroom-2019-229-808

Here's a game of Crazyhouse that I'm currently playing, vs. the same opponent [edit: this game has since ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Crazyhouse&log=per31-cvgameroom-2019-229-810

Also, here's a game of Capablanca Chess that I'm currently playing, again vs. the same opponent [edit: this game has since ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Capablanca+Chess&log=per31-cvgameroom-2019-229-808

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a game I'm currently playing, of Chess With Different Armies, a chess variant where the two sides can play with armies thought roughly balanced, in their initial setup; again the rules can be looked up by scrolling below the diagram revealed by clicking on the link below (for any who may struggle with the terminology, to move orthogonally means going by rank or by file, and while a wazir moves one square orthogonally, a ferz moves one square diagonally, for example) - I think right now I may be struggling a bit in this game, which is at move ten at the moment (I've still got two pieces that move just on dark squares, which may be a long-term worry, if nothing else) [edit: this game has since concluded]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess+with+Different+Armies&log=pallab-cvgameroom-2019-335-082

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's another game currently being played between myself and the opponent I had in the previous post, this time of a much more complex (10x10) chess variant (Opulent Chess) - once again the rules can be looked up by scrolling below the diagram revealed by clicking on the link below (I think that the augmented knight piece type is worth considerably more than a bishop, even on the relatively large board size, unlike the game's inventor seems to imply in a note to the rules that are given); this game of mine with Carlos is part of the ten player 2019 Game Courier tournament that involves playing 9 chess variants in a 3 round round-robin format, where 3 games are played by each player per round (this year just 10 players signed up, so 9 games were picked by vote, all more-or-less rather chess-like ones in this year):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Opulent+Chess&log=panther-sissa-2019-173-864

[edit: this game has since been finished.]

Here's the rules (including format) for the 2019 Game Courier tournament:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/tournaments/gamecourier2019.html

Here's a link showing the logs for all this tournament's games played (or still being played) to date (no crosstable available, unfortunately, but someone will probably post one on the CVP website soon after this tournament is finished [which might be in some months' time]):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/logs.php?gamecmp=eq&game=&age=0&stat=any&logcmp=eq&log=&tcmp=eq&tourney=GameCourier2019&sort=age&userid=&submit=Submit

Here's another game of mine currently in progress, this one from the 2019 Game Courier tournament (which has resumed play after an unexpectedly long break before the final round); it is a game of the chess variant Metamachy - once again the rules can be looked up by scrolling below the diagram revealed by clicking on the link below [edit: this game has since finished]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Metamachy&log=panther-mageofmaple-2019-362-818

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a game of chess I'm currently playing:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2020-1-293

Here's another one, vs. the same opponent:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=per31-cvgameroom-2020-1-371

[edit: both of these games have since concluded.]

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's another game currently being played between myself and the opponent I had in the previous post, this time of a much more complex (10x10) chess variant (Opulent Chess) - once again the rules can be looked up by scrolling below the diagram revealed by clicking on the link below (I think that the augmented knight piece type is worth considerably more than a bishop, even on the relatively large board size, unlike the game's inventor seems to imply in a note to the rules that are given); this game of mine with Carlos is part of the ten player 2019 Game Courier tournament that involves playing 9 chess variants in a 3 round round-robin format, where 3 games are played by each player per round (this year just 10 players signed up, so 9 games were picked by vote, all more-or-less rather chess-like ones in this year):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Opulent+Chess&log=panther-sissa-2019-173-864

[edit: this game has since been finished.]

Here's the rules (including format) for the 2019 Game Courier tournament:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/tournaments/gamecourier2019.html

Here's a link showing the logs for all this tournament's games played (or still being played) to date (no crosstable available, unfortunately, but someone will probably post one on the CVP website soon after this tournament is finished [which might be in some months' time]):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/logs.php?gamecmp=eq&game=&age=0&stat=any&logcmp=eq&log=&tcmp=eq&tourney=GameCourier2019&sort=age&userid=&submit=Submit

Here's a link to a thread that shows the (final) cross-table for the above tournament (everyone lost at least once; I finished clear third):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/tournaments/gamecourier2019.html

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a link to a 10x10 game (setup position has 60 pieces) called Sac Chess I'm currently playing (the rules can be found by scrolling down after clicking the link, for example) - this game is a now well-play-tested chess variant invention of my own [edit: this game has since finished]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Sac+Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2020-85-309

Here's a link to another game of Sac Chess I'm currently playing, against the same opponent (a Mexican who, if he had a FIDE chess rating, I'd guess it would be about 2000) [edit: this game also has since finished]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Sac+Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2020-85-310

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a (orthodox) chess game I'm currently playing on chessvariants.com, versus an opponent possibly 1800 FIDE strength [edit: this game has ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2020-263-175

Also, here's a (10x10) Sac Chess chess variant game I'm currently playing, versus a Mexican opponent possibly at least 2000 FIDE strength (the rules can be seen by scrolling down after clicking on the link) - the game also has something of a Slav Defence sort of flavour, IMHO [edit: this game has ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Sac+Chess&log=panther-cvgameroom-2020-231-152

[Aris Marghetis]

Kevin, as you're into chess variants, I thought you might like to know that Chess.com is rolling out at least 6 new variants, the link I saw is chess.com/variants

[Kevin Pacey]

Okay, thanks Aris. That's good for people to know.

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a chess game I'm playing on CVP website's Game Courier, against a US player whom I'd guess is about 2000 FIDE strength; it's featuring a French Winawer Poisoned Pawn sideline where I'm playing Black [edit: this game has now ended]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=panther-tim_olena-2021-204-634

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a chess game I'm playing on CVP website's Game Courier, against a US player whom I'd guess is about 2000 FIDE strength; it's featuring a 4...Nd7 Classical Caro-Kann where I'm playing Black - this particular game is not timed, by agreement [edit: this game has since finished]:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Chess&log=panther-tim_olena-2021-339-142

[Kevin Pacey]

A couple of notable Canadians who have been on CVP website (first from PEI, has been chess player; second from Ajax Ontario, also has been chess player):

chessvariants.com/who/David Paulowich:

https://www.chessvariants.com/who/DavidPaulowich

chessvariants.com/who/Jose Carrillo:

https://www.chessvariants.com/who/j_carrillo_vii

Finally, there's me (Ottawa master), and then a lady CVP member from down under:

chessvariants.com/who/Kevin Pacey:

https://www.chessvariants.com/who/panther

chessvariants.com/who/Christine Bagley-Jones:

https://www.chessvariants.com/who/CBagleyJones

[Kevin Pacey]

Play[back] buttons have been added to game scores on CVP website's Game Courier, to make things more user-friendly; for example, here's a recently finished chess variant game I won (a bit like crazyhouse):

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Shatranji&log=panther-cvgameroom-2024-2-340

[Hugh Brodie]

Do any of these sites have "no castling" chess? I guess you could agree with your opponent before the game that you can't castle.

Can you think of any positions in which castling would be the only legal move (illegal in a no-castling variant)?

[Kevin Pacey]

Hi Hugh
In answer to your first question:

https://playstrategy.org/variant/noCastling

Regarding your second question, Even if a player is on the edge of being mated in some random position where he's down to almost nothing but an unmoved king and rook, if castling were legal then so would be moving the king sideways one step, I'd think.

[Kevin Pacey]

...
Regarding your second question, Even if a player is on the edge of being mated in some random position where he's down to almost nothing but an unmoved king and rook, if castling were legal then so would be moving the king sideways one step, I'd think.

Unless e.g. you are talking about Chess960 and Fischer castling. Then castling can be the only legal move in some cases - a no castling rule implemented for in the case of Chess960 could in the case of some starting positions mean a player might stalemated due to it (but not if castling were still legal), there.

[Kevin Pacey]

I'd add that former world chess champion Kramnik has tried "no castling" chess (whatever this CV is officially called) against an engine, maybe to see what it plays like when out of it's book (if not programmed for it yet) - I would think that taking away castling rights might favour White a bit in general, as he often gets to develop and attack first.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Castling_Chess

[Hugh Brodie]

Here's what happened at a no-castling tournament in India with 13 young masters.

https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-first-ever-no-castling-chess-tournament-results-in-89-decisive-games

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's what happened at a no-castling tournament in India with 13 young masters.

https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-first-ever-no-castling-chess-tournament-results-in-89-decisive-games

On The Chess Variant Pages site, editor Dr. H.G. Muller argues that this is not a legit chess variant - H.G. writes: "...the No-Castling initial position could be reached from the FIDE setup... by Nf3-Rg1-Rh1-Ng1 (repeated for the other three Rooks)...". I cannot argue with this except to say that many people seem to be treating it as a legit variant, in spite of being just a poor chess opening starting position.

[Kevin Pacey]

Nine chess 'variants' suggested by Kramnik:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/alphazero-kramnik-exploring-new-chess-variants

[Kevin Pacey]

Not sure if everyone can see it [all] but here is a link to LinkedIn's relatively new public Group 'Croatian chess', a chess variant-oriented Group that currently has 7 members:

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8989938/

[Kevin Pacey]

Note that GC (Game Courier, on chessvariants dot com) currently allows for even blitz-rate speed of making moves, if players wish to move that fast. Also, a player can issue an invitation to play against him that has a very fast time control rate of speed, too, and, still under construction, real-time speed TCs for games is in the works.