Before I ask my question, I just want to congratulate Ed on the match with Bruce Pandolfini and also thank him for the Gothic Vortex program. I'm currently working on an idea for a "safe" opening. Something like the KIA or Barcza in old chess. In those openings you get a quickly castled king with a solid kingside before getting aggressive elsewhere. You get to gauge your opponent for a few moves before picking your pawn structure, and getting to see where you want to attack. So far I've got 1.i3 2.Bi2 3.Nh3 at move 4 several options present themselves. To stay with the quick castling theme something must be done with the Archbishop. I haven't played enough Gothic Chess to know where the Archbishop can be most effective early in the game. I'm thinking about 4.Af3 5.0-0.
My ambition for a safe opening may be misdirected in Gothic chess. If anyone has any input on this, please feel free to criticize, contribute, or whatever. Thanks, greenknight.