That gives me yet another idea of how to rescue the “announced-move” variation.
Only every third half-move must be announced:
- White plays his first move.
- Black plays his first move.
- White plays his 2nd move and announces his 3rd.
- Black plays his 2nd move.
- White plays his (previously announced) 3rd move.
- Black plays his 3rd move and announces his 4th.
- White plays his 4th move.
- Black plays his (previously announced) 4th move.
- White plays his 5th move and announces his 6th.
- Black plays his 5th move.
- White plays his (previously announced) 6th move.
- etc.
Any time a player cannot legally play his previously announced move, he loses immediately.
Bill Smythe
Suggestion for the feeble-minded among us: add a token that is initially possessed by White. Possession of the token is exchanged when White plays move 2 & announces move 3, etc. (Compare exchange of possession of the doubling cube in backgammon.)
Is there a carve-out exception for forced replies? Or does …O-O lose in the general case to Qxh7+? (You can’t very well play …O-O and announce …Kxh7, as White will then pass on the sacrifice: without the carveout exception, the game is not that interesting IMO.)
Opening theory is more interesting: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 and now if White announces 3.Bc4, then 2…d5 and 3…dxc4 seems promising. And forget about the Ruy Lopez because of 2…a6.
Good idea. That way, whether or not you are required to announce a move depends on whether the token in your possession was just handed to you or was already there.
For that matter, the token could be a double-sided poker chip, white on one side, black on the other. If the token in your possession is the same color as your pieces, you announce your next move and give your token to the opponent. Otherwise, you flip the token and keep it.
I don’t think so. That would spoil the whole fun. In fact, there should be a rule that, if any player checkmates or stalemates his opponent, he immediately loses. (Checkmate or stalemate in the classical sense, i.e. the opponent would be checkmated or stalemated even if it weren’t for the obligation to play a previously announced move.)
Yes, it’s probably true that any king move (not just castling) is likely to be dangerous. As is allowing any checking move. As is any long move of queen, rook, or bishop. Making the opponent’s announced move illegal now becomes the whole point of the game.
Bill Smythe