Hurdles to adding a new variant to lichess

So I saw a new eirc rosen video where chesscom released a new variant called 'spell chess'. After dominating a FM and other opponents, I got up to 1600 rating on there and called it a day. The issue is I don't want to play on chesscom because that site is full of tracking, ads, profile photos, etc. So many reasons not to go to that trash site. So wht are the hurdles for addin spell chesss to lichess?

possibilities on my mind:

1. That chesscom has a patent or trademark on spell chess since they invented it (can they really copyright that though?)
2. That a new variant hasm't been added to lichess in so long that it would require a huge overhaul in the code and break all kinds of systems

if 2 presents as a problem, it seems like implementing spell chess on lichess might be a great idea to resolve some lasting code debt issues and clean up old problems. If 2 is not a problem, then I can't see a reason, other than 1, that we shouldn't add spell chess. It is the most fun chess variant I have played in a long time, and I love chess variants.

Thoughts?

https://lichess.org/@/thibault/blog/we-dont-want-all-the-features/q3nOzv4n

There are many other variants waiting for their possible Lichess debut, some of which (especially Bughouse) have been requested many times since I first played on this site some 10+ years ago: https://github.com/lichess-org/lila/issues/441

I don't think Spell Chess will be a high priority on the list if another variant is ever added to the site, which isn't going to happen in the foreseeable future anyway.

Your best bet is to wait for sites like https://www.pychess.org to implement it or just play the original Spell Chess: https://www.spellchess.io

@AAArmstark said in #3:

There are many other variants waiting for their possible Lichess debut, some of which (especially Bughouse) have been requested many times since I first played on this site some 10+ years ago: github.com/lichess-org/lila/issues/441

I don't think Spell Chess will be a high priority on the list if another variant is ever added to the site, which isn't going to happen in the foreseeable future anyway.

Your best bet is to wait for sites like www.pychess.org to implement it or just play the variant on the original Spell Chess site: www.spellchess.io

sure I could play on that site, but I don't want to agree to more TOS. Further it is more than just the two spells from chesscom's implementation.

Also, I would much prefer spell chess than to bughouse. It is far closer to standard chess, I don't care to play 4 player or bughouse online. Lichess could clean up their code by implementing spell chess. So why not do it? It is a fantastic variant from what I have played so far, really similar to atomic in that Qe2 threatens mate due to the jump spell.

From a dev on adding more variants:

"This isn't up for discussion. At the moment, there are no plans to add any more variants ever. Variants are very niche. Most people at most try them out for a bit and then never play them again. Despite that, they still add complexity everywhere (studys, analysis, game embeds, etc.) and make all future features harder to develop. See also: https://lichess.org/page/feature-requests"

(https://github.com/lichess-org/lila/issues/11660#issuecomment-1269264956)

Just tried the spellchess site. It sucks. You can't find a resign button, how to use a spell, etc. There are way better variants already out there. And ones that play like a chess game as opposed to whatever this is supposed to be.

@AAArmstark said in #5:

From a dev on adding more variants:

"This isn't up for discussion. At the moment, there are no plans to add any more variants ever. Variants are very niche. Most people at most try them out for a bit and then never play them again. Despite that, they still add complexity everywhere (studys, analysis, game embeds, etc.) and make all future features harder to develop. See also: lichess.org/page/feature-requests"

(github.com/lichess-org/lila/issues/11660#issuecomment-1269264956)

this dev is simply out of touch with the variant community. Most people who play variants make it a life-long goal to improve and get better in each and every single one available for rated play on lichess. It may make your life harder in the sense you need to actually plan ahead and make generalized features, not hard-coded specifics because "it will always be standard, not spell, or whatever"

Also re @Erisian
I have never heard of that site and you should have never played a game on there. What I am referring to is spell chess on chessdotc0m which only has two spells available for the entire game (in limited quantities and recharges required): freeze, jump.

@snared said in #4:

Lichess could clean up their code by implementing spell chess.
Strange idea

English spell bee? I'm signing up for that! Imagine Chess spell bee. Interesting.... :P hopefully you got the joke