andreas: Wonder if it would have been any different if the pawn capture used the i pawn?

WhisperzQ: I think not . . . Black was dominating the game after hxg. certainly avoiding the mate in two was necessary but the open file will be dominated by Black . . . controlling a rook file near the opponents king is usually winning.

2006 Second Quarter Open Number 1 Janus Chess

3 day time limit standard vacation

After experimenting with CRC for several months I detected that there could be some special positions, which might be too advantageous for white. They belong to a subclass of positions, where the pair of bishops is neighboured. Thus I as the author have decided to add the following selection rule: 'positions with neighboured bishops have to be avoided.' There 12118 positions still are remaining.

SMIRF Engine: An interesting conclusion. I would tend to agree, especially if the Bishops start out pointing at the opposing King.
This raises some questions though. How can you decide if the advantage is too great? Are we talking about a SMIRF position evaluation of more than 0.3 for example? What about other positions, like where the Cardinal is next to a Bishop?

Beren the 32nd: Well, the advantage exceeded 1/2 pawn unit, but still sank, when calculating longer and deeper. Normally the advantage should be around 1/4 pawn unit, which seems quite normal and acceptable.

Because it is too risky to move Queen or Archbishop that early cross the whole board, it seems to be sufficient to separate the bishops. Moreover there have been only few such extreme starting arrays, so the added rule hopefully should be sufficient to limit possible starting advantages. Now there still are 12118 different starting arrays.

Thus the current SMIRF download also gives now the modified SMIRF beta with engine 1.59.

SMIRF Engine: Can you give an example for such a position, please?

And why should there be an additional advantage for W in a mirrored position?

Caissus: Exactly as Beren the 32nd already has stated, there have been some positions, where a pair of Bishops was targeting the opposite King and King's Pawn. Actually I have not stored the numbers, sorry.

But I did not understand your second question.

SMIRF Engine: Sorry, have to answer in German at the German board.

I have to announce that I have received a Gothic chesset by Ed Trice today.

It was the second prize of a tournement (GC) and I have to thank him.

Caissus: I don't know why people say he's so good. I crushed him easily.

JinkyOng vs. GothicInventor
GothicChessLive.com
Game in 3/0
April 6, 2006

1. P-Q4 P-Q4
2. N-KB3 N-QB3
3. P-KN3 P-A3
4. P-QB3 B-K3
5. N-QR3 N-A2
6. A-K3 P-KB4
7. Q-N3 A-R4
8. B-N2 O-O
9. QxP C-Q3
10. Q-N3 B-C3
11. Q-B2 BxQP!
12. B-K4 C-Q2
13. R-Q1 BxRP
14. PxB NxP
15. RxN CxR
16. AxC QxA
17. P-N3 N-C3
18. B-QB1 BxP
19. QxB KR-N1
20. O-O P-R5
21. N-B2 Q-C5
22. Q-K3 QxQ
23. CxQ P-K3
24. N-Q4 N-K1
25. B-QR3 A-A1
26. R-B1 P-B3
27. N-K4 P-C4
28. BxN RxB
29. NxAP R-K2
30. N-C6 P-R5
31. C-B4 A-B3
32. CxP AxR
33. N-A7ch RxN
34. CxRch K-R1
35. N-K8 P-R4
36. C-A8ch K-R2
37. C-B8ch K-R3
38. N-B7 checkmate

JinkyOng: This is the first time I've seen descriptive notation used for a 10 × 8 board. Is this game on the Gothic Chess site?

JinkyOng: I knew that you would win! But why do I not find the game here : http://www.gothicchesslive.com/players-games.php ?

JinkyOng:
Actually a nice conclusion especially for a game nearing the end of a 3-0 speed chess time control. Also surprisingly not too bad to follow in Descriptive notation, although 20...P-R5 probably should have been 20...P-R4. I am one of those players old enough to have first learned with that type of notation. Has Ed been keeping the record of games up to date? It doesn't seem like anything more recent than March is on the link that Caissus supplied below.

Can anybody perhaps translate this game in algebraic notation? Thanks.

JinkyOng: Probably : 20...P-R4, then it could look like following:

[Event "Game in 3/0"]
[Site "GothicChessLive.vom"]
[Date "2006.04.06"]
[Round "?"]
[White "JinkyOng"]
[Black "GothicInventor"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "RS using SMIRF"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqckabnr/pppppppppp/10/10/10/10/ PPPPPPPPPP/RNBQCKABNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nh3 Nc6 3. i3 g6 4. c3 Bf6 5. Na3 Ng7 6. Af3 h5 7. Qb3 Aj5 8. Bi2
O-O 9. Qxd5 Cd6 10. Qb3 Be6 11. Qc2 Bxd4 $1 12. Bf4 Cd7 13. Rd1 Bxa2 14. cxd4
Nxd4 15. Rxd4 Cxd4 16. Axd4 Qxd4 17. b3 Ne6 18. Bc1 Bxb3 19. Qxb3 Rhb8 20. O-O
a5 21. Nc2 Qe4 22. Qf3 Qxf3 23. Cxf3 f6 24. Nd4 Nf8 25. Ba3 Ag8 26. Rc1 c6 27.
Nf4 e5 28. Bxf8 Rxf8 29. Nxg6 Rf7 30. Ne6 a4 31. Ch4 Ah6 32. Cxh5 Axc1 33. Ng7+
Rxg7 34. Cxg7+ Kj8 35. Nf8 j5 36. Cg8+ Kj7 37. Ch8+ Kj6 38. Nh7# 1-0

SMIRF Engine:
You beat me to it. I was about to sit down and do a translation after eating breakfast. However lucky I checked again before starting the task! :-)

I think in descriptive. I typed the game out from memory and I can always do this in descriptive. When I found out all games were recorded without my permission I was furious! I said I wouldn't be back unless all my games were private and unable to be viewed without my permission. I saw the post about him and just posted the game. So far we've played 5 times with another game being played later. That site is buggy as hell and has real problems.

JinkyOng: You say the game is publicly posted? I'd like to see it so that I might replay it. That site has a replay section and I'll be able to follow the game better. I could put the descriptive notation you posted in a window next to the game as the moves are made.

There is one game I played with some other weakie posted. None of my other games will be posted without my permission.

JinkyOng: Perhaps you can give your permission? Much as I'd like to believe you beat GothicInventor at his own game, I have trouble believing you did. Plus it'd be easy for me to replay the game on that site and see how the game played out.

You're confusing me too. If you wanted your game private, why'd you post it here and draw attention to it?

I told the site owner I didn't like ALL of my games to be public. I think I've got that right. I saw someone posting something about Trice and I posted that I beat him. What the hell's wrong with making that statement? And why do YOU think he is so good that I can't beat him????????? I sent them permission to show all of my blitz games.

JinkyOng: was undefeated in 10x8 chess.

http://brainking.com/de/Profile?u=3629

The last games he lost on time because he was banned.
But it has to say nothing because have not the strongest players here.

JinkyOng:
Just a straight question:
You pretend to be or you are actually Robert Fischer?

Calling someone a weakie(a well known characteristic of the great R.Fischer that called his weaker opponents that way) and having this hyper-secrecy along with suspicions about everything (another known characteristic of the great R.Fischer) and responding with that way in my private message, means that either you are the legend or you are a great actor.....

I wonder which is true?!?!?

Pythagoras: In any case "Jinky Ong" is by no means a randomly chosen name.

P.S.: 'Jinky Ong' is the name of a Philippine girl, who had been supposed to be Robert J. Fischer's daugther, which has been reported as denied by her mother.

Caissus: No, it's not true. That person was only banned from all public boards because he never wanted to understand how to behave here. He could finish his games with no problems. It's not my fault he timeouted because of a fear of a loss. Some people are simply too paranoid to cope with it.

Here is an additional link to replay the game:

http://caissus.gmxhome.de/Partieen/gothicgames.htm

Caissus:
Thanks for the link and it was also interesting to see your other games. How do you get to the rest of your website? When I tried www.caissus.gmxhome.de I received an error message. Nice to be told to have fun on the Internet in German along with the error message. :-)

panzerschiff: Try http://www.spezialschach.de/

You can find it also in my profile.

Caissus: To your Smirf link I suggest, that it probably should better address to http://www.chessbox.de/Compu/schachsmirf.html now.

Caissus:
Thanks for the address, I should have looked at your profile first since I think I had visited your site briefly before using the link in the profile when we were playing our embassy chess games. Again a nice assortment of games and a fascinating ending with the Janus and pawns against the two rooks with Ed Trice. The rest of the game had nice tactical turns and twists as well. Looks like you had a good chance to revenge the defeat in the other game when it was broken off.

By the way did you ever have any luck finding out whether that Janus chess set was still available for sale in Germany?

panzerschiff: It`s a pity, but I received a message that no Januschessets are available, because their is a license problem too in Germany.
It looks that I have got the last real Januschesspieces. Pics are on my page.
Meanwhile I have received a Gothicchesset from Ed Trice (10x8 board and pieces) and I must say it is very nice and I would recommend to use it for all 10x8 variants.

Caissus:
Yes, I would agree, I have two Gothic sets now and use those interchangably whether I am analysing Gothic, Embassy, Janus or Grand Chess games. The collector in me thought it would be kind of cool to have an actual Janus chess set designed as such. I also have Grand Chess pieces, and although they are a nice smaller wood set, it is nice to have the larger pieces that Ed produces for analysis or actual play.

Caissus: That game can be viewed on Gothicchesslive now.

HalfPawn: How are we supposed to know??

Believe, or don't believe, I just don't give a (self sensored).

JinkyOng: If you don't care, then I don't care. I've had enough messages about the speculation of it. You can beat Ed at Gothic Chess and even say it wasn't that hard for you, then you're obviously a lot better of a player than I am. Though speed Gothic Chess is not something I've ever played, I doubt if I'd have much of a chance against either one of you.

Perhaps we can talk about 10 × 8 Chess variants? Are you new to playing them? I've only been playing them for about two years now. I told Ed a long time ago that someday good Chess players would learn these games and then it'd be a whole different deal. We have had lots of debate about the use of machines and programs too. It seems that regular Chess is just about mastered by them and these larger boards still give us players a chance. From what I've seen it will just be a matter of time before that's not true.

Walter Montego: Actually I regard "Jinky Ong" to be a parallel identity of someone well known. If it would be someone else than Fischer, who would benefit from such a speculative discussion?

If it would be Bobby Fischer, he would be intelligent enough to hide any associations between that artificial person and himself. But here there are too many obvious 'evidences':

a) Jinky Ong locates himself at Island;
b) his pseudonym could directly be related to R.J.Fischer;
c) he is imitating parts of Fischer's behaviour and vocabulary;
d) he is declaring to be the GothicChess No. One, defeating 'weaky' Ed Trice.

If I had to decide, who would act like that - Fischer or Trice - I rather would chose Ed.

SMIRF Engine: You too are just speculating. It seems everyone has their own view of what they interpret of the "facts". After the deal with Bumble, I thought those of us that where around then would know better and not get it going again in a similiar situation. As it really makes little difference as to who each of us really are we might as well talk about 10 × 8 Chess variants or related subjects. The personalities themselves can be interesting, but I would rather not have this board used for advancing one's agenda unless it is for the Chess variants listed.

JinkyOng has posted on Ed's site about the games being made available for public viewing. Ed has responded that he will show them as given permission to do so. I wish Ed would have kept the graphics the same as they were on this site, but I'll get used to them if I want to follow the games as played over there. I suppose one of these days I'll get a 10 × 8 board and a Chess set for it and be able to actually look at them instead of the icons on the screen.

Walter Montego: Walter, the current speculation seems to be to regard "Jinky Ong" to be Bobby Fischer. In opposite to that I tried to stop that speculation, giving hints, why I cannot agree with that presumption.

Sorry guys (and gals) ... further speculation on who JinkyOng is can go elsewhere ... I think a few have asked, some have answers and some are not convinced. Whoever he is, we welcome him here. If he chooses to make insightful observations or useful instruction we should just count our blessings for the wisdom imparted, just the same as if it came for anyone ... we are all capable of brilliance, just some of us achieve it more (or less) often than others.

Cheers WQ :)

I'll offer time odds of 10 minutes to 2 minutes of MRC to anyone on this site provided the losers post the games here. Contact me privately if you accept.

JinkyOng: MRC? Is this MBC or CRC? I play MBC, also known as Embassy Chess on this site. I only know of one other place that has it, but they haven't set it up as a way to play it live either (Chess Variants site). Same thing with CRC- Capablanca Random Chess except I don't play that version. Where would we play this game? Would I have a chance having eight extra minutes to think? You'd have to move blazingly fast at the beginning of the game. You probably live too far from me to just drive over and play a couple games. :)

Walter Montego:
Walter,
I think MRC is an abbreviation for My (Fischer) Random Chess. Play could be arranged on something like ICC (Internet Chess Club) or any other main-line classical chess server that offers Random chess.

10-2 would be a fair time limit as Grandmasters will play even strong amateurs at 5-1 in classical chess with live pieces and a clock. Taking into account how good you are at mouse clicking as well as fun things like fighting bifocals, 10-2 may be more reasonable and equivalent way to give such odds on a computer.

I like speed chess and generally think I can play quicker with the real pieces, however even a reasonably respectable amateur like myself (I was a 2300 rated player) would go down to Fischer in practically every game if not every game even at these odds!

panzerschiff: This would be the wrong board for that and he's been playing Gothic Chess on the other site, so I was thinking of the other games that are offered here. I suppose we'll have to wait until he logs on again. It's either a typo or you might have it. On this site that game is on the 8 × 8 Chess variants discussion board and it called Fischer Random Chess or FRC.

Walter Montego:
Actually even if it is the wrong discussion group, I still think it is Fischer Random he is discussing. Because of the mainline servers it would be easier to set up a speed chess game than say on the Gothic website.

I´ve found an interesting combination in this game: http://brainking.com/en/ArchivedGame?g=1545891

MRC = My Random Chess. So far I've got no takers to the challenge so that's it, subject closed.

JinkyOng: I've never heard of that game. How does it go? Where is it played live? Do others play this game? I'm surprised someone good at it doesn't take you up on your bet.