You can believe what you want about which moderator did what, but the truth remains the truth. Let's not clutter this board with this any longer. If you wish to continue it, PM me.

Thad

Purple, I have placed you on hide for your insulting post. If you delete or edit it, I will unhide you.

Thad

Yes.

Yes, he did, Stevie. He put danoschek on hide.

I thought you told me you weren't going to moderate for a while.

ughaibu,

The following posts were all made here today. None of them seem to make any sense and all seem off topic to me:

"I guess the aunts are knitting cat's tails inumerable."

"Then we've got to worry whose aunt the tails belong to anyway, inheritance is crucial on a dollar a year."

"I shall step on that tail at the story board eventually ... :P ~*~"

I don't think reminding everyone that posts should be on topic and following it up with a second post after someone asked for some clarity qualifies as "unjustified moderating", especially since I haven't censored, edited, banned, and/or hidden any post or person at all. I don't understand what Bagpuss refers to.

Thad

Sorry, Ed. A couple posts (not yours) didn't make any sense to me. Perhaps others understand them and find them relevant to the rest of the conversation. I was hoping that a reminder to stay on topic would encourage those posters to either quit posting messages that aren't understandable or to make their messages clearer.

Thad

To all:

Please stay on topic.

Mahalo (Hawaiian thanks),
Thad

Aloha,

For those who don't know, I live in Hawaii. It is morning now here and I just awoke..to 40-some new messages. It appears that Bwildman & Walter have some issues. Were there some deleted posts? Anyway, I have been mulling over a couple of ideas. Mainly, it appears that having three mods isn't working. When one of us does something unfairly, it makes us all look bad. Although I like Walter's suggestion, from a practicality point of view, it's too difficult and takes too long for us to all PM each other and figure out what to do each time there is an objectional post. And most of the time, I don't think it's that big of a deal anyway. After all we're just mods of a board, not CEOs of a big coproration.

However, something needs to be done. Perhaps Fencer could remove one or two of the mods (just as long as he doesn't remove me, please!!). As an alternate suggestion, I propose that either, we each take turns moderating the board alone for one month (October, November, December), or we put it to a vote of the readers of this board to pick one of us. I would agree to either suggestion. For the month proposal, I would take either of the three months.

Thad

Not true, ughaibu. Your post was inappropriate on more than one level. Walter, I will PM a copy of it to you so you can be aware of what it said.

Walter,

I think you need to get your facts straight. Forgive me for quoting from an earlier post, but I think it is the best way to make clear exactly what I am referring to:

------------------------
...Thad, though, is trying my patience. Unbanning people without my input, censoring people for no reason, and then vanishing without a trace. He's sent me one message and sounded quite high faluting in it at that.
------------------------

For the record, I have unbanned NO ONE!! The only two people who were unbanned since I became a moderator were Ed and Dano and Bwildman unbanned them both.

I have censored NO ONE. To date, I have not edited or deleted a single post!

I have not "vanished without a trace". I have been here at least twice a day, everyday, since becoming a paying member.

Again, for the record, here is my PM to you. What is so "high faluting" about it?

------------------------
Subject: Just wondering...


Aloha,

Just wondering if there was anything you wanted to say to me about everything that happened last week on the GC message board or if there was anything you wanted to know. I can forward the PMs I have to/from both Bwildman and Danoschek, etc.

Also, I wouldn't mind knowing what it is that you disagree with from my "little missive" as you mentioned in your last post on the GC board. I really want to try to get along with everyone here and contribute in some small way.

Thanks,
Thad
------------------------
I could go on and quote other things you have said about me that were untrue, inaccurate, rude, and uncalled for, but I will stop here.

I don't understand why you chose to flame me in public and why you did not send me a reply to my PM. I would have preferred to discuss moderating this board in private, but we can go this route if you prefer.

I have tried to be a good moderator. Obviously, this board is more difficult to moderate than many of the others, but it is also more enjoyable?/informative/interesting to read than most. I guess we have to take the good with the bad.

Whenever I have done something as mod., I have made a post indicating what and why.

Two weeks ago, I got Dano to promise to keep his posts on topic after Bwildman unbanned, then hid him AND sent me a PM saying I had his blessing to unhide him. Dano's posts have at least been as on topic as anyone else's lately and they have been clearer than usual. (Thanks, Dano.)

I posted a yesterday asking for people's input on whether I should step in, try to get people's posts more on topic, etc. I got only one reply, so my conclusion is that most people seem to prefer all the posts, even the OT ones, so I did not take any action. There was some cursing and there were some insults, but I believe they have all either been deleted or edited (and not by me).

Walter, I don't understand what it is about me that seems to have so angry. You have threatened to ban me on more than one occasion since I became a mod. You have accused me of doing things that I have not. I am undeserving of any of that!!

Thad

Aloha all,

It seems like this board is getting a little out of control, or maybe I'm just reading some posts wrong. I certainly don't see a new to ban anyone, but since I'm new at ths position, I thought I'd ask anyone else out there who wishes to express their opinion about any of the recent posts to PM me. This board belongs to us all (everyone who reads it), so I'll try to moderate it (along with the other mods.) as best as I can for the audience. If people prefer to see all kinds of rhetoric, we can allow those kind of posts, or if people prefer a cleaner board, we can work toward that too. Just looking for some input/feedback. My door is always open.

Thanks,
Thad

Apparently there is some history between Dano & Bwildman, possibly at another site. That may explain their earlier posts. However, I have PM'ed both of them. Dano has promissed me to only post about Gothic Chess here. Bwildman does not seem to have a grudge against him. Dano seems to want a fresh start, so I have unhidden him. The offending posts have been deleted (by Dano & Bwildman, not by me). Perhaps we can have some peace here for a little while. ;-)

Walter, I will try to get together with you later. Seems we have some differences of opinion. I have to go to work now.

Aloha,
Thad

As one of the new mods here, I thought I might make this post to outline how I hope to see this board function.

Ed & Dano have been unbanned. bwildman did it. He did not consult me first, but that is fine. Someone asked how the three of us will work as moderators. I guess this board is going to be run by three heads. If something needs to be done by a moderator, whichever of us does it first does it. I suppose if we disagree on banning someone, we'll have to work it out between us, but hopefully it won't come to that. Is this the best situation? Doubtful. Can it work? Likely. If you disagree with this setup, please do not post. Send a PM to one or all of us, or, better yet, to Fencer. It was his decision. Although I'm sure he has better things to do. I, personally, like to stay out of his hair as much as possible. ;-)

I believe removing Ed from the mod's position was the right thing to do. His 'job' here is to provide all his great posts here that encourage us to play and learn about GC. He cannot do that and moderate at the same time.

I also think that the banning of both Ed & Dano was appropriate. They were way over the line with the insults and off topic posts. I thought it should have been done much sooner than it was. I do not think Walter was doing his job as moderator at the time. Fencer must have agreed. Perhaps he was having computer trouble or something. I do not know, but now there are three of us and if anything needs to be done, at least one of us should be around to take care of it.

They have both been unbanned and now there is no one on the banned list. Hopefully it will stay that way.

As far as banning anyone in the future, you know what it takes. Please post accordingly. Please refrain from name calling, badgering, ranting, etc. There are other boards for that stuff. Let's enjoy Gothic Chess.

Mahalo (Hawaiian thanks),
Thad

Aloha all.

I have been watching this board for quite some time. I have made a few posts here and there. I mentioned to Fencer when Ed got stripped of his moderator position, but at the time, I was not a paying member, so I could not be the moderator. I have just paid my membership dues, so now I can be moderator. I would like to moderate this board. I enjoy Gothic Chess, but I am not as fiercely loyal to it as some players here, so I am interested in this board enough to do a good job and yet i can stay detached enough from it and be a good moderator, stepping in only when necessary.

If a couple more people post to give the job to me, perhaps Fencer will (hint, hint).

Thanks,
Thad

This game seems pretty easy. have seen ones similar to it, but I don't recall the details.

It seems to me that P2 needs to clear a row whenever P1 does. In addition to that, if P1 removes and even number of pieces, P2 should remove an even number as well, careful to remove only as many (or fewer) as P1 did. This will assure a win for P2. This will work for any even sized board (8 x 8, 10 x 10, etc.) and for any initial layout as you described.

If the game is played on an odd sized board (9 x 9, 13 x 13, etc.) the situation is reversed and P1 should always win by removing an odd number of pieces on his first turn.

Thad

PS: Chessmaster1000, I am quite interested in item such as this. I have a degree in Mathematics/Coputer Science. Please PM me if you care to discuss math more. I have been working on a proof of the Collatz conjecture lately. ;-)

WOULD THE MODERATOR PLEASE PUT AN END TO THE BARAGE OF OFF-TOPIC POSTS FROM DANOSCHEK & QUOUSQUE!!!

Thad

GI (or QU),

Why does your deck of cards have five 9s, five 10s and 54 cards total? Just wondering. ;-)

Who ever said a 2600 BK rating here is equivalent to a 2600 chess rating? It's not and is not meant to be.

I'll bet I can last that long against anyone. ;-)

Walter, would you please take some action to try to put a stop to the endless pointless posts that are coming from these two.

Thanks,
Thad

Good luck in your new position, Walter. I suspect it will be boring, just as a moderator's position should be. ;-)

I am glad someone new has been put in the position of moderator of this board, however, I am disappointed to see Ed leave completely. Perhaps, after a bit, he will calm down and come back and continue to promote gothic chess. His posts on the game itself will certainly be missed. Oh well.

Thad

I have read this post for quite some time. I have kept quite about this issue for almost as long, but it seems that it should be addressed. Ed, it seems to me that your position as moderator and position as just another use posting here are in great confilct. To me, several of your posts are pretty much just arguementative and therefore do not belong here. A different moderator might consider banning you as well as those with whom you have been bantering! And you have banned them!!

I know you want only the best for the Gothic Chess Community. Your passion for the game is great, but I think it is hurting more than helping in this situation. I think turning the position of moderator of this board over to someone less baised about the game itself would be a good thing. Short of banning us all, it is the only way to end all this rhetoric & nonsense.

I would be happy to moderate it myself, although I don't think I can, since I am only a pawn. I'm sure there are others out there who can do a fine job.

Thad

Guys, you could both agree to donate the membership to me! I have been reading this board for almost a year. You can check my profile & game history and see that I am a real person and not someone's alias.

Thad

Yes, it's Anti Chess. And it's more than just playing lousy. ;-)

Ed,

Interesting calculation, but I think you can do better. Since this is only a count of board positions WITHOUT any captures, any given pawn can only occupy one of six squares, NOT sixty, right? Also, once a white pawn is advanced, this decreases the number of available squares for the black pawn in the same rank by the number of squares the white pawn is advanced and vice versa.

What you've calculated is that there are at MOST x board positions without caputres, but what we really need is to know that there are at LEAST x positions. ;-)

Still interesting, though.

Thad