Oh OK. which of these two ratings then would be considered as the official world rating?

The World Rankings are what I assumed you called the ranking points that you calculated manually, when we first played back in the Yahoo Club, while I was sketching the board diagrams on pieces of paper and naviguessing my way around the board. Oh BTW, where ever has Streetman gone?

Are you saying that all previous rankings are now null and void, and the BK ratings is the only official one now? Hhmmphh... you might have said that earlier, before I threw a few games to the wind...
[Just kidding!]

Are the world ratings still in effect? I would like to suggest using the world rating for certain games, especially the tournament ones.

Ed, requested website change is done, but only for next Monday's update. Apologise for this, but really didn't have time this week to chase up on the earlier file.

PS: Know how to auto-point the bow/odyseuss account to the new account?

More-n-more 65 people showing up here without notice! :)

Something from a recent game. I must admit that it was unintentional, but demonstrates the usage of the additional firepower to win a 'lost' game.

I've been playing a little badly, but I hope to have a rather interesting endgame to share next week. It's called 'how to throw away two major pieces to win an endgame' ~ Hope I pull it off because there really isn't any other way to win that game :P

1. Nc3 f5 2. Nh3 e5 3. b3 Nc6 4. g3 e4 5. f3 d5 6. Ba3+ Ne7 7. Ac5 b6 8. Af2 Ba6 9. fxe4 dxe4 10. Nf4 c6 11. d3 g5 12. Nh3 Bxc3 13. Cg2 Bxa1 14. Qxa1 exd3 15. cxd3 g4 16. Nf4 c5 17. Ch4 Rc8 18. Ne6+ Axe6 19. Cxh7+ Kg8 20. Qh8# 1-0

idea: you could also look for external sponsors. I understand Intel might be keen on computer gaming if you would talk to them.

I might. But I'm hoping that maybe the top 10 could get a little bit of return, somewhat like in golf, so there is some hope of a return even if you dont make it all the way.

I think one of my partners at www.the65thsquare.com is working on our own viewer for Chess, and is trying to figure out how to implement the system for use with Gothic. The Janus one might have to wait. He's busy trying to get a degree in Programming or something like that..

Aren't we playing for the title of World Champion in the current BrainKing Gothic Chess Tournament? I thought that was what you mentioned in a previous message.

I am not very clear about this. White to move and draw, starting from which move in the game? I suppose that this would be the alternative move to juangrande's 36. h7+. Is that right?

Rarely. The new pieces are what give problems to the inexperienced Gothic Player [including me at times]. I prefer to keep all the new pieces haphazardly on the board as people usually miss the possibles arising from these 'new' pieces.

To answer your Q. Yes and No.

YES if other factors mitigate that I remove wood from the board quickly [like me being subject to a massive attack], and NO if I am already dominant in material or position. In the long run, the Q is USUALLY more damaging [IMHO] due to its multi-directional range compared with the AB and would most likely get another pawn or two before being removed from the board.

An example is the game which I just sent to Ed. It being a tough game, I was playing with AB-B-R vs N-N-B-R and found it difficult to do anything about the N pair. I think the K has got to go nearer [and risk getting attacked] for an AB to take out 2N in the endgame.

Oh, now that PUTS pressure on me!

despite travelling around drunk, I shall do my utmost to come away with some points. You guys did some good advertising. There are a lot of unrated players in the tournament. I wonder if I got seeded during the draw.

Anyway, I thought Spiderman from UK was someone I has heard of. Might be a different person. The one I know doesn't usually drop three games in a row.

the current brainking tourney, I mean...oops

Oh Ed....

Does the Gothic carry official world ranking points?

The Colanzi Dragon would be nice! Then, you might be able to maneuver a Double-Dragon with the other Bishop going to f4-h2 in the case of White.

<>Personally, I have not made up my mind about this as of yet. Castling too early can be deadly. Not castling at all can be deadly, and castling too late can be deadly!

The best solution is to checkmate your opponent before you castle so you don't have to worry about castling!

Hear, hear!!!

I think that I don't castle in most of my games [especially those with Matthewhall :)]. I don't know, but it seems to me that I have two extra pieces to develop [AB and C] that I'd rather save the castling move unless I absolutely need it.

It doesn't help that both the new pieces are extremely suited to corner mating. The only castled position I've seen so far that is proving quite difficult to break down is Robert's [chesscarpenter] Indian-type dragon-bishop setup.

yeah, i just found out that IYT limits non-payers to 25 moves a day... so you cant finish games fast... so for now, i would rate brainking as one of the better server-based game sites around right now. Except that it is down at around Zero Dark Hundred [12 midnight] EST nearly every day.

Site owner to figure out how to update without switching off the site for a while?

*prays*
thank you for causing me to finish said article for Ed yesterday, so that I can rub it into his face today :P

65: Yes its done, and I'm going to mail it to you RTFN, with some notes included for your eyes only. You will also need to verify the reference to Capablanca chess. I have something to do here... boss is jumping up and down already.

i concur with whisperz. You will have trouble maintaining that database. Trust me, Im still working on the 3000 odd openings for regular chess after 3 years.

You forgot my trident variation used in Streetman's game. :)

transmorgrafication is actually transmorgrification according to Calcin and Hobbes at this page: http://www.geocities.com/bow_of_odysseus/ic.html

LOL :)

Well, since you did all the maths for this, it should be quite right.

I've got nothing to back up, but I feel a little 'naked' without the AB after its been exchanged off. I suppose that I would grade/value the AB a little higher, but that depends on the other available pieces on the board. You've seen some of my games and the damage I inflict with the 'peculiar' AB :)

Anyways, a note to Felix... I do follow what you guys are going on about this with great interest. Its just that I dont really have time to go into all the details, but I suppose that I try to remember whatever I can and apply it OTB.

Regards all,
65
*********
Pawn 1.00
Knight 2.50
Bishop 3.00
Rook 4.75
Archbishop 6.50
Chancellor 8.25
Queen 8.75

Well, I am still following the thread, although you guys have lost me with all that technical gobbledygook. Maybe I should go get some coffee first :)

Well it depends on what you mean by 'faster'. If two players of reasonable skill went up against each other, I would say that there are more options and possibilities due to the bigger board.

It is hard to define faster or slower, but if you are talking about pawns being promoted into Pieces, then it is a lot harder to keep track of everything going around the [larger] board.

I would say the game would seem faster if an expert was taking apart a beginner, but then that happens in chess too.

So no I wouldn't say that Gothic is faster than regular. Maybe more complicated, but certainly not faster [as a rule] because chess isn't about speed and we cannot define a short checkmate as being better than a prolonged checkmate.