Fencer: The only games that override thatsetting are Frog Finder/Legs games?

joshi tm: Yes.

joshi tm: I agree, a random game set up should not be allowed to have the option to start with the same set up in different games....

I also agree with BBW, that if the same two players are playing a two game match, they should be allowed to be set up with the same board and each gets to play the other position.

I think the problem, Fencer, if there is one, is that the rules are stated incorrectly, they should say that all games are set up random, with the exception of certain tournaments....

as it is now, I have to agree with Fanding, the rules say all games are set up random, and there is no indication in the tournament description that they are set up the same, so something is not correct, and it should be rectified, please.

Like Knight Fight - then sign up for my BIG Knight Fight tournament:

coan.net presents: BIG KNIGHT FIGHT

To start in just a few days - hopefully we can get a lot to sign up!

I don't see the point of having two seperate board systems, with not knowing whether the same name used elsewhere is the same person or not, so I will comment on brainking.info messages here, not there.

Anyway, I really don't get the "great emphasis is being put on players to keep notes (if they want to win).". What's that all about? That's what computers are for. Keeping notes in a game that lasts for just 2 hours with no other games being played at the mean time is ok, but for a turn based site, where there are lots of players making a habit of dragging games out into months, if not years? Come on. Doesn't make any sense to me, and for me, would totally take away the playing pleasure.

Heck, if "keeping notes" is supposed to be fun, why not get rid of all the graphics of all the games? Just send "14 Kf3" by message, and let the player keep notes if (s)he wants to win a chess game!

I just finished a game where I was the black knight. I made my last possible move, had more points, and thought I had won. But then the white knight got another move to take the game. Why? He went first and last. I thought when someone couldn't move again it was over.

The black knight should be able to make the same number of moves as white. Otherwise the white player will always have an unfair advantage.

When a person is unable to make a move, the game ends. If you made a move, then your opponent makes a move. If you are then unable to make a move - then it is game over.

White has an advantage of going first and possible getting an extra move.

But black has an advantage of picking to start on the same color square as white - allowing black to protect squares and do more blocking in the game.

david upshaw: I'd prefer to go second in Knight Fight. The advantage of picking the same colour as white, and hence be able to block white while white will never be able to block you far outweight the possibility of white being able to do an extra move.

AbigailII: I agree - I would much rather be the 2nd player.

When I am white, the first thing I do is see what the highest point is on the 2nd players first row.... and pick the opposite color as that since 90% of the time they will pick the highest number without even thinking about later in the game when "blocking" comes into play.

AbigailII: The percentage shows the white player wins 60% of the time.

david upshaw: I think that is because most players who play as black does not look to the long term and only looks for the highest points for the first 1-3 moves.

If black starts on the same color square as white, black will then be able to "block" spaces so white can't jump to them and can do more planning towards the end of the game.

For example, white might see that they can jump to 23, then 99, then 97 - but if I can get and "block" the 99, they will be stuck with fewer points... or even blocked where they can't move.

Taking a look at my 61 wins - 48% are from black (29) and 52% are from white (32) - so basically even

From my 25 loses, 13 black & 12 white - so again, almost even.

So at least from my experience, I find both sides close to being even.

... and before someone says it, each game is different and sometimes there are exceptions to always starting on the same color as white. Sometimes there will be a 99 - 98 - 97 - 84 type of first 4 moves starting on the other color which you can't pass up... but for the most part, being black & starting on the same color helps a lot.

coan.net: It would be interesting to track on a longer period of time. In both your wins and losses, white won 52% of the time. Casinos are build on winning less than 52% of the time (blackjack and roulette).

We know a little bit more about this game now and for many players it's becoming obvious that Black has the power to choose the color of the first move ... how about letting White start on any square on the board ? If Black knows the secret it shouldn't matter where White starts, on the first row or anywhere else ... many players say they would rather be the second player, so my question is, how would it change the situation if White were allowed to start anywhere ? Would it improve it's chances ? I think there are many board situations that White would benefit from them ... remeber that Black's blocking abilities work only "in front" of White piece, not behind it ... also, in the second part of the game Black may not have squares to effectively block the opponent ... so blocking by Black has to be exercized very intelligently ...
What do you think about this issue ?
Andy.

KnightFighter: what do you mean by "in front" and "behind"

nodnarbo: in front means facing the black knight, and behind just the opposite ... black knight has the power to block squares only between these two knights, not behind the white knight ... so, white knight can outsmart black knight by choosing squares behind him ... I felt into this trap and white knight escaped me
to very rich squares behind him and I was stocked with
low numbers around me ...
Andy.

you got to be sure ,when attacking and squeezing white knight, that you are actually not sending the opponent knight to series of squares with rich potential ... I lost couple of games this way when playing as black knight ... I was blocking squares and preventing white knight from taking it making wrong assumption that white knight will try to cry about it and sudenly I was faced with the fact, that white knight started to run away from me leaving empty squares and I couldn't reach him anymore.
All the rich fields were facing white knight and I could only watch him collecting killer 90's and 80's ... when choosing the same colored square as a starting move by black, make sure white knight has "poor" fields behind him, otherwise he will show you his butt and winn the game ... I think this is very important message for the players playing white knight ... do not panic when black chooses the same field color as you ... map your moves carefuly and try to attract black knight to come close to you and then run way fast to rich fields ... this is what I learned from my mistakes.
Andy.

We need people to join our team in the GBU Fellowship. This is a fun and friendly Fellowship with close connections to the Friendship Club2.
Pm me and ask for an invite if you are available and interested. Thanks very much.

Can anyone tell why in this game sometimes you get a choice of 3 or 4 moves and other times you only get 1? Thanks very much.

Mousetrap: You should always get to move your piece to 1 place.

The only time you have "more" is if you land on a double (00, 11, 22, ...) - and then you get to choose another double to take off the board. (but your piece does not move any more other then the first move)

coan.net: Ah I see! Thank you very much!

Probably one of the longest games. Souboj jezdců (lukulus vs. Vocilka)

lukulus: WOW! that is a long one

nodnarbo: exactly, it doesn't happen too often ...

Your opponent can't move to a place where you have "blocked" (hence - be able to "capture" their piece if they were to move there.)

97 or 57 are the only 2 spaces to move - and you have both of those covered.

coan.net:Knight Fight (Artful Dodger vs. balvan99)

But can't he also move to 11, 16, 20, or 36?

Artful Dodger: But it was YOUR turn. You had no moves.

From the rules:

How to finish the game

The game ends when one player cannot make a legal move. When it happens, the player with a higher score is the winner. If both players have the same score, the game is a draw.

rod03801:I get it now.  He covered the only two possible squares I could get to.  I hadn't thought of that.  Thanks!  Mystery solved. 

Knight Fight (nodnarbo vs. beba)

this is definitely the shortest game I've seen. only a total of 5 moves by both players combined!

The second player has an advantage as well, to play his Knight on a same colored square as White. It is minor, but it definitely is an advantage.

joshi tm: I would think that the second player has the advantage, because he can pick his first square so that he can block the other player, but is never blocked himself. However, white has won almost 60% of the games, so that suggests that it is not so. Unless most of the players do not realize the importance of that and pick the "wrong" color for their first square, probably because it is worth more points.

troydaniels: The majority people don't think that far in advance. Myself, if I'm starting as white - I will first look at the most likely spot my opponent will start (usually highest point square) - and the myself will make sure to pick the same color that they will most likely start on. Most of the time I predicted correctly and allows me to block later in the game.

The black has a huge advantage, unless the points are distributed awkwardly enough to give the white an “unfair” advantage (for example allowing them to win in two moves, which truly is an “amazing” Achievement)…

Has this happened before?