Ask HN: What do you think of this idea for a chess variant?
3•amichail•21h ago
This chess variant has one king and fifteen queens per side, and a piece may only move if it is adjacent to another piece of either color.
Comments
Someone•21h ago
Did you do anything to check this isn’t an easy win for either player?
I don’t see one, but do not rule out one, either. A series of sacrifices could lead to a position where white’s queens have a superior position over black’s ones, or vice versa.
mitchellpkt•15h ago
I tried to find some way for white to force a win, but no obvious forcing sequences jumped out at me.
Like you said, "I don’t see one, but do not rule out one, either."
gus_massa•14h ago
My guess is that it's possible to prove that each side can force a draw. Just exchange the queens until there are too few that you are back in a normal chess game.
I'm not sure if I'm underestimating the number of possible moves, that is huge, but I hope not sooooooooo huge.
Someone•21h ago
I don’t see one, but do not rule out one, either. A series of sacrifices could lead to a position where white’s queens have a superior position over black’s ones, or vice versa.
mitchellpkt•15h ago
Like you said, "I don’t see one, but do not rule out one, either."
gus_massa•14h ago
I'm not sure if I'm underestimating the number of possible moves, that is huge, but I hope not sooooooooo huge.