Chess960's Random Setups Still Favor White, New Study Reveals

Chess960's random setups still favor white, new study reveals

Chess is a relatively simple game to learn but a very difficult one to master. Because the starting positions of the pieces are fixed, top players have relied on memorizing the "best" opening moves, which can sometimes result in boring, predictable games. To encourage more creative play and move away from pure memory, former world champion Bobby Fischer proposed Chess960 in the 1990s.

Chess can be made fairer by rearranging the pieces

Chess960 involves shuffling the pieces at the back of the board, and an analysis suggests doing so can increase the complexity of the game to favour white, black or neither player

Enhancing Chess Fairness: The Impact of Rearranging Game Pieces

Innovative Chess Rules: Enhancing Complexity Image Credit: Richard Levine/Alamy Chess can be significantly enhanced by rearranging the starting pieces, creating a more challenging or equitable game, as discovered by physicists. In traditional chess, the pieces initiate the game symmetrically, with rooks, knights, and bishops positioned on the board’s edges, while kings and queens are centrally [...] The post Enhancing Chess Fairness: The Impact …