mangue: >I am not convinced I would lose against a chinese GM with 2 knights handicap. Nor would I lose against Kasparov with 2 knights handicap I do not know... well, as i said before, in chinese chess 2 knights handicap is played between two players one is much stronger than the other, it is not easy for a beginner to win 2 knights handicap against a GM, it may take a long time to do it, or you never could do it if you can not improve yourself, i have seen many people playing chinese chess for life they could not do it. they are still a layman in chinese chess. i do not know if you have played this kind of game against a chinese GM before, most likely, you did not, because you learned to play the chinese chess aganist non-chinese player, not a chinese GM, please forgive me if i quess wrong. It is impossible in chess to play 2 knights handicap, because the development is much slower than the chinese chess, no matter who.