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Optimized Chess

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8a8 black knightb8 black rookc8 black empressd8 black bishope8 black queenf8 black kingg8 black bishoph8 black princessi8 black rookj8 black knight8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawni7 black pawnj7 black pawn7
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2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawni2 white pawnj2 white pawn2
1a1 white knightb1 white rookc1 white empressd1 white bishope1 white queenf1 white kingg1 white bishoph1 white princessi1 white rookj1 white knight1
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Opti Chess (mirror I), starting position

The full, formal name of the game is Optimized Chess 8H X 10W. The brief, slang name of the game is Opti Chess. The common name of the game is Optimized Chess. It was invented anonymously in early 2006 by "OmegaMan".

Optimized Chess is a free, non-commercial Capablanca Random Chess variant that is played on a 8H x 10W board with two additional pawns per side and two new pieces: the chancellor and the archbishop.

All other rules, like en passant capture or castling, are the same or similar to Chess although "symmetric castling" instead of "normal castling" is used. Sub-variants exist wherein the pawns do not have the ability to step two spaces forward with their first move.

Out of the 12,118 Capablanca Random Chess positions recognized by Reinhard Scharnagl, Optimized Chess is one of only two positions that exist- the other is Embassy Chess- that possesses all of the following criteria for stability:

  • All 10 pawns are defended at least once.
  • All 3 pawns vertical to the composite pieces (i.e., the queen, chancellor, archbishop) are defended at least twice.
  • Both pawns diagonal to the king are defended at least twice.
  • The pawn vertical to the king is defended at least thrice.
  • The queen and archbishop must be on opposite-colored spaces.
  • The chancellor and archbishop must be on opposite-colored spaces.

A detailed explanation of the importance of all of these criteria to stability can be found within the select CRC analysis tool.

Optimized Chess is offered in two opening setups that are east-west transpositions of the same game or mirror-image symmetrical equivalents of one another termed "mirror I" and "mirror II". In practice, "mirror I" is typically preferred by players of Chess due its familiar relative placement of the king and queen (i.e., with the king east of the queen).

Optimized Chess is supported by the two most powerful, multi-variant programs available in the chess variant world. It was selected as one out of only eight 8H x 10W board games featured in SMIRF (developed by Reinhard Scharnagl). It was selected as one out of only eleven 8H x 10W board games featured in ChessV (developed by Gregory Strong). In both programs, its "mirror I" opening setup can conveniently, automatically be loaded for play against a computer opponent.

See also

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