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Optimized Chess

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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:

  • 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.
  • The pieces that come in pairs (i.e., rooks, bishops, knights) are symmetrically arranged.
  • A meaningful distance of castling to both sides is assured. This is defined as at least 3 files from the king to the each rook.

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 two 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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