ColonelCrockett:

That same question was asked during the chess.fm internet radio broadcast.

I think one of the positive benefits that Gothic Chess will impart to a regular chessplayer is an increase in your own "breadth of consideration" as you examine tactical possibilities. For example, Vortex has taught me that, on occasion, sacrificing a minor piece for only two pawns can be very disruptive to a kingside position. As a result of seeing such exchanges work, and some that fail, I refined my own definition of the plausible "kingside attack".

Adding this to my own human "pattern recognition database" has allowed me to see similar 8x8 attacking patterns that I would normally have pre-screened and not even considered. How many times when we are defeated by some shot do we say "I was not even considering that?" Gothic Chess can cure some of this, in my opinion.

There will be some negative impact on your chess skills if you play too much Gothic Chess and stay away from the 8x8 board. On more than one occasion, ChessCarpenter and I would play blindfold chess games as we would be going on road trips to places that would take a few hours to reach. Invariably, at some point in the game, I am thinking pieces are on their "Gothic Squares" and Rob would pounce on my inaccuracies.

There have been no long term studies, but it seems that:

1. Playing Gothic Chess will widen your horizons and help your tactical abilities.

2. There is probably little benefit in the area of "8x8 chess strategy" since the games are so different.

3. Too much of one and not the other will lead to a decline in your play of the under-utilized game.