Random 10x8 chess with a chancellor and archbishop would definitly be neat. Chess960 cuts out the analyzed openings so memorization of openings is not required. Ed Trice has said that gothic chess does not yet have a large opening book, but it is quickly becomming very large. Gothic chess, although more exciting with the two additional pieces, could suffer the from the same problems as classical chess is.

I guess random 10x8 has the best of both world with the chancellor and archbishop, and not having pre-planned openings.

Why is it that some programmers have said that programmings castling rules is difficult. Fritz has said they won't put Chess960 in their program because it is difficult. Yet other programmers have done this like Chess V.

By the way, my calculations are 84000 for random 10x8 with bishops on different colors and the king between the rooks. How did you guys come up with 2000?

As for janus chess being computer free, I can already play janus chess with gothic vortex. All I have to do is rearrange the setup. The only thing is that the castling is slightly different.