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andrew writes: "Over the last decade, computers have been able to dominate human chess players. in that time attention has shifted from creating anti-computer strategies to creating computer-resistant chess variants. The inventor of one such game, Arimraa, has an interesting article on Chessbase.com about what it takes to make a board game in which it is still possible for the best human players to remain competitive against computer software."
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Computer-Resistant Chess Variants
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It is possible that blondes also prefer gentlemen.
-- Maimie Van Doren
(Score: 5, Interesting) by regift_of_the_gods on Saturday February 22 2014, @04:06PM
I gave up serious chess long ago so I've never tried Fischer's Chess960 [wikipedia.org], but it sounds like a neat idea for play between human opponents (per TFA's point #1, it won't necessarily help humans regain the edge against computers). One of the discouraging things about walking into a chess club was realizing that players, particularly youngsters, were spending many hours each week memorizing opening theory. That's not necessarily an unpleasant way to spend time, but we all have many other priorities.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by physicsmajor on Saturday February 22 2014, @05:15PM
Exactly. I enjoyed chess quite a bit until I tried to play competitively at a low level and it was clear everyone was parroting the exact same openers. Instead of the fascinating ebb and flow, gambits, and strategy I liked it became "who memorized the most" and was uninteresting.
Even if computers theoretically could still have an edge, what I like about Chess960 is that it forces HUMANS to focus on actual dynamic strategy instead of rote memorization.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by andrew on Saturday February 22 2014, @05:54PM
960 is interesting. My experience with it is that sometimes you get extremely forcing openings in which there is really only a couple of possible moves, this results in a much less interesting game. It turns out one of the most best parts of chess is that the opening position is so amazingly balanced and able to consistently create such rich positions from a variety of openings.
A lot of people at my chess club play the same solid mainline opening variations, so much so that I adopted some offbeat gambits that a lot of people club level rarely see and I sometimes am able to get some advantage since they are unfamiliar with the opening. I used to dislike opening theory until I approached it that way and studied things like the Danish Gambit, Budapest Gambit, and Sicilian Wing Gambit.
But, in reality, you can be a pretty good club player with minimal opening knowledge. Follow the a few basic principles (like get all your pieces out, try and control the center, and get your king castled and to safety) and study a lot lot lot lot of chess tactics and you'll be winning games, eventually.
(Score: 1) by buswolley on Saturday February 22 2014, @10:18PM
Dutch Defense :)
subicular junctures
(Score: 1) by andrew on Saturday February 22 2014, @10:21PM
The Leningrad Variation [chessgames.com] is a fun one I play from time to time.
(Score: 2) by regift_of_the_gods on Saturday February 22 2014, @10:55PM
I had to google Sicilian Wing Gambit. What happens if Black declines with 2... e6?
(Score: 1) by andrew on Saturday February 22 2014, @11:27PM
a3 is a popular move, then if black decides to take ..cxb4, axb4 Bxb4 and then white can put the bishop on b2 and the a file is open for the rook. If black doesn't take the pawn before moving his black bishop white may have the chance after black plays Be7 to play bxc5 forcing the bishop recapture and thus move twice gaining a tempo.
or just Nf3 which the Wing Gambit Deferred.
But there are lots of playable moves at the club level. The original point I was trying to make is that openings like this get players out of their comfort zone of opening memorization and study.