non-symmetric chess 960

@Microraver
OK, I understand how it can be enjoyable to study opening theory and create a repertoire for oneself, and you describe it well. (At one time I actually started doing that, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.) But I would generally recommend more constructive studies.

> Why are you playing chess, again?

Because I love it, I love the fight, with the strong intellectual and creative component, which is how I see chess. Opening theory learning I see as the unfortunate consequence of an arm race, and also the misguided focus on winning games.

> Also... we all want to win games. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous.

This may seem subtle but you're mixing up two concepts: what we aim at within the game, and the reason why we are playing the game. We aim at winning when playing, but the reason we are playing is not (or at least shouldn't be) to win games. Likewise people play football for fun, to stay fit or even to earn money, but not to score goals, even though, when playing football, they aim at scoring goals. Scoring goals it the within-game goal, but it is not the within-life goal, so to speak. Playing the game can serve worthwhile life goals, but scoring goals is not one of them.

COuld it be that people studying opening theory are just confused about the ambiguity of the phrase "goal of the game"?

>And yeah some times one side has an advantage in that maybe their structure has an edge v the non-symetric side. But how is that any different to standard chess? If you're white you have an edge anyway.

Why do people like chess, or play chess, because both players are equally matched, and while there's a small edge, we're talking half a pawn at most.

The problem is you will get FAR more one sided battles if both players use different 960 layouts. Chess is fun because both players are equal but getting a potentially unbalanced board in either direction will annoy most players and your variant will never be played.

960 is popular because it kills the opening variant study, that's the best thing about it, but in addition it also doesn't lose what makes chess great (equal footing).

I still think Chess 960 should become more popular, but as for your idea.... I don't think you'll get many takers. You can simulate it by starting two 960 games, and then setting that up as a starting position for a game against the computer, or a game against another player. You will likely lose the castling possibilities but it should be enjoyable from there.

kings always between two rooks, which makes castling possible.
maybe we can play some asymmetric 960 crazyhouse ^^