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I know this would probable not be easy to program, but I think would be great if it is possible.
I would love to play different combinations of chess - for example, Crazy Screen Chess board setup, played as Dark & Knight Relay. Or Capablanca Random Dice Chess (with of course a few extra numbers on the dice to cover the extra pieces)
Currently there are basically 2 types of Chess games - one with special setup, one with special rules.
So for Mix-n-Match.
First have player pick board type. So choose 1: Regular Chess, Corner, Fortress, Janus, Embassy, Capablanca Random, Screen, Crazy Screen, Amazon, Fischer Random, Legan, or Grand. (I left out Horde, Maharajah, & Los Alamos - but those might work also)
Second have player pick Game Rules: So choose 1: Loop, Anti, Extinction, 3 Checks, Dark, Atomic, Cylinder, Berolina, Knight Relay, Ambiguous, Dark, Recycle, or Ice Age
Third - I think there are a few of those rules which would work good doubled up - while others not so much - so third, possible pick a second rule: So choose 1 (in addition to the one before): Dark, Cylinder, Knight Relay, Recycle, Ice Age, or NONE (just stick with 2nd choice)
Again, probable too much to program - but I think it would solve the issue of not making a many many many new games of variants of variants - but a fun way to come up with interesting combinations for people to play.
joshi tm: Good Point - actually the screen & crazy screen should be 2 types which can be added to any of the special setups. So maybe a choice 1a that would let you choose screen & crazy screen in addition to the other "Choice 1" games.
Most of below was written of the top of my head - so I'm sure a little more fine tuning would be needed.
BIG BAD WOLF: Legan is an example of having both a special setup, and special rules: the pawns move diagonal and hit straigth (somewhat like Berolina, except that there's no choice in direction). And the pawns don't promote anywhere.
But I like the basic idea of your suggestion.
You could go even further: - pick a board size (no reason to limit it to the 6x6 .. 10x10 we have now) - pick a set of pieces to play with (standard pieces, janus, amazon, archbischop, marshall, grasshopper, nightrider, etc (lots of pieces to pick from at chessvariants) - pick a setup (standard, legan, fortress, legan, screen, crazy screen) - pick zero or more additional rules (loop, recycle, cylinder, berolina, dice, ice-age, dark, atomic, anti, 3-checks, etc)
So, wanna play anti-atomic-ice-age-dark-cylinder-dice chess on a 13x7 board, using 10 janusses each?
AbigailII: So, wanna play anti-atomic-ice-age-dark-cylinder-dice chess on a 13x7 board, using 10 janusses each?
The only problem I see (besides tons of headaches for Fencer) is BKR/Ranking. I think those games would have to be special/fun games and always unrated. But I definitely like the going-mad factor :)