After 5 moves for each side. With ChessV for example. So, it´s somehow better to see GC as not so strong protected, but the best Capablana variant with Gothic Vortex as the by far strongest engine.

I believe it should be understandable and I also don´t wanna go on for so long about that little remark, it´s not so important for me and most readers. It´s just about that in other languages only very big patents include the expression "patent". Normal patents have other words in those languages which do not include the word.

Please don´t get me wrong just because of my plain language. Of course I have greatest respect in the invetion and the work which had come with this. I am not a patent attorney but my father is. So I know some little things just from hearing, but I have never really read something about such things. I only know that in Europe, Germany specially, it is little harder to get and even much more keep a patent than in the US. But there are "small patents", called petty patent, registered design, utility patent etc. with closer protection. And not to forget it always depends on the question who is on the other side and how much is he ready to invest into a quarreling. With my recent remark I only wanted to express that such different understandings of the expression patent could be the reason for some recent misunderstandings between posters. Again, I am not at all an expert on that field and probably I am totally wrong.

I am from Germany, and according to our patent laws Gothic Chess would be never ever patentable. Maybe you would get a patent, but it would not survive a quarreling in a court. But I have no doubt that Ed Trice has invested a lot of time and barrier breaking thinking into this new game, and has invented it, so I have no problem with paying just those 20 dollars. Anyway, to be honest, I would prefer paying for a leading program, not for a game which is based very much on Capablana chess, despite I really like it and Ed has found it first in the chess universe.

What about a thread about Gothic Chess on wikipedia.org ? Everybody may edit text. I started one on wikipedia.de today.

I received my order via mail today. 1.2 has more levels and looks better.

To the one before: And why ? ;-)

I am just finishing my sweetest game for at least a year, against a stronger player who had more material, with my king attack over 20 moves (just thought as fun because I saw me losing), I have never managed something like that successfully in normal chess. I like the new pieces and combis with them more and more.

yes, elo rating is based on results, not on intellectual capacity. and engines even play very humanly.

Two times the CPU time doesn´t make much difference, see the depth. My normal chess ELO is 1350-1400, maybe I still have to get more familar with the new pieces, but they really make it harder to think 6 half moves forward completely.

at ELO 2250: "most people want have the programs stronger..." I don´t think so. ;-) I don´t play gothic chess because normal chess would be too easy. ;-)

Thanks. I found a program as solution. With "CPUkiller" it is possible to make the 3 seconds levels weaker.

I believe the amateur level is even weaker than the novice level, right ? I am not able to beat any level of that program, I don´t even see a chance. But I can play normal chess, not so well, but on some servers I have an ELO 1400 rating in normal chess. Has anybody the same experience with Gothic Vortrex ??? Thanks. I am really interested. ;-)