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Main
Date: 03 Dec 2004 07:17:11
From: Jestrada
Subject: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
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The "original" form of chess introduced and explained...
A personal email I received, and have permission to post.
STANLEY RANDOM CHESS INTRODUCED & EXPLAINED FOR BEGINNERS
by GM Gregory Topov
GM Gregory Topov is one of the most famous Grandmasters in Stanley
Random Chess in the modern era. A life-long devotee of the sport, he
dominated the game for the last two decades of the twentieth century.
Topov has won a total of 13 world championships, including an
unprecedented eight consecutive victories from 1982-1989. After
narrowly missing out on a closely-contested title early in 2004, he
has retired from active competition, but continues to make an
important contribution to the world of Stanley Random Chess by his
writings, sharing insightful analysis and observations.
DESCRIPTION
Despite having a long and illustrious history, Stanley Random Chess
(commonly designated SR Chess), is relatively unknown in the modern
era due to the fact that it flourished in exclusive clubs and under
the cover of secret societies. Not to be confused with Fischer Random
Chess (FR Chess), SR Chess has only recently emerged into the modern
public arena, where it is presented as a chess variant. Recent
historical studies published by Dr. Bill Goldman have now offered
conclusive proof that in fact the more commonly played "traditional"
chess is merely an inferior and simplified variant of SR Chess. For
this reason common chess is usually designated in SR Chess circles as
Simplified Stanley Random Chess, or Simplified SR Chess. While
superficially similar to Simplified SR (Common) Chess, SR Chess is a
far more advanced and complex game that requires greater skill and
imagination. Unlike the more popular and simplified form of the game,
it relies more on pattern recognition and sequenced moves, offering a
complexity and creativity that is initially perplexing for new
players, but far more rewarding. It relies less on memorization and
opening theory, and leads to more exciting and creative play, with
draws being relatively infrequent.
OBJECTIVE
Like Simplified SR (Common) Chess, the objective of SR Chess is to win
the game by checkmate. Draws can occur under the same conditions as in
Simplified SR (Common) Chess, but due to the imaginative and more
complex play of an SR Chess game, draws are typically far less
frequent, which is one of the reasons SR Chess is so appealing to
players disillusioned with the number of unsatisfactory draws common
in Simplified SR (Common) Chess. An SR Chess game can also be won by a
Forced I.M.R. (Inferior Material Resignation) after move 30 - see
further details under "Rules".
PLAYING & SUPPLIES
Play is conducted in the same manner as Simplified SR (Common) Chess,
using the same chess board and pieces, and with both players moving in
turn. Some variations require the use of two dice, eight territorial
square kers, and a scoresheet, but these are not specialty items.
Special Deluxe SR Chess sets have been known to be keted
separately, but novices should be forewarned that these merely consist
of regular chess playing supplies along with a set of rules of SR
Chess. The rules that accompany Deluxe or Gift SR Chess sets are
typically incomplete, limited to one local variation, and are not
sanctioned by the I.S.R.C.A. (International Stanley Random Chess
Association), and cannot be recommended. During play in tournaments,
the rules are supervised by an official adjudicator or local SRCA
representative. In informal settings without an adjudicator, is not
uncommon for there to be lengthy discussions about rules and strategy.
It is rare for a game to be played in less than an hour, priily
because of the complexity and creativity the game requires.
RULES
Relation to Simplified SR (Common) Chess
The basic rules of SR Chess are identical to those of Simplified SR
(Common) Chess, so I will not risk redundancy by repeating them in
full. Learning Simplified SR (Common) Chess has proven helpful for
some players, since a knowledge of its legal moves and some basic
strategy is essential for good SR Chess play. However, the
simplifications of Simplified SR (Common) Chess do improverish the
traditional game of much beauty and creativity, and can hinder the
development of sound strategy. The difference lies in the fact that
Simplified SR (Common) Chess has eliminated the original rigid code
and rules that govern required move sequences and permissible board
patterns of SR Chess. These are quite complex, and attempting to
sumizing them will only confuse the novice, but new students of the
game should familiarize themselves with the important principles
enumerated below.
Random Moves
Newcomers may find the "random" part of Stanley Random Chess rather
confusing. The truth is that the name is an unfortunate misnomer,
because SR Chess is certainly not random. The original name of the
game was Stanley Chess, but the perceived randomness by the numerous
fans of Simplified SR (Common) Chess led to the unfortunate
designation Stanley Random Chess. Players familiar with Simplified SR
(Common) Chess typically observe apparent "randomness" in two
respects:
1. Sudden/strange game moves
2. Sudden/strange game termination
What might be perceived as apparent random moves to the newcomer, is
in fact the result of careful and precise play, in conjuction with an
elaborate set of rules that strictly govern legal sequences and
patterns. Any notion of randomness will be eliminated by a correct
understanding of:
1. Legal patterns and sequences
2. Winning patterns and sequences.
1. Legal Patterns and Sequences
a) Legal Moves
Unlike Simplified SR (Common) Chess, the sequence and patterns of
possible moves are strictly regulated by a carefully articulated body
of laws, so that SR Chess has a lesser number of legal moves
(approximately half). Maxwell's "Bipolar Law of Corresponding
Necessities" might benefit the novice:
First Thereom of Permissible Play: "A legal move in Simplified SR
(Common) Chess is nt by necessity legal in SR Chess, but a legal move
in SR Chess is by necessity legal in Simplified SR (Common) Chess."
First Reversed Theorem of Permissible Play: "An illegal move in
Simplified SR (Common) Chess is by necessity illegal in SR Chess, but
an illegal move in SR Chess is not by necessity illegal in Simplified
SR (Common) Chess."
The awesome scope of the regulations that govern permissible patterns
and sequences adds an element of complexity and creativity to SR Chess
that is not found in Simplified SR (Common) Chess, and also accounts
for the apparent sudden/strange (random) moves sometimes perceived by
novices.
b) Illegal Moves (Freezing)
Newcomers will notice that simplified captures and retreats are
sometimes deemed illegal in SR Chess. When a move that is legal in
Simplified SR (Common) Chess, but illegal in SR Chess, the piece in
question is said to be "frozen". In some traditions, "frozen" pieces
are termed "stone-walled". "Freezing" of pieces typically occurs when
moves are not sequenced according to the Nubular Rule, or when a
Pattern of Unbalance is created. Unfreezing a piece is possible, but
is dependent on the proportion of occupied white squares relative to
occupied dark squares, and subject to the Rule of Double Diagonals.
2. Winning Patterns and Sequences
a) Forced I.M.R.
Unlike Simplified SR (Common) Chess, SR Chess has the added dimension
that after the 30th move, the "VollenHauser Sudden Death Principle"
comes into play, enabling players to win the game by a Forced I.M.R.
(Inferior Material Resignation), with the winner being the player with
the most material. If the game has not been concluded at this point,
one of the players is usually quick to create a position that requires
a Forced IMR, and so it is unusual for a game to extend beyond 40
moves. Typically the number of legal moves increases in the end game,
leading to faster and exciting play, greater attacking possibilities,
daring sacrifices, and sudden victories. This also accounts for the
apparent sudden/strange (random) termination of the game sometimes
perceived by novices.
b) V.H. Conditions
The precise conditions in which a Forced IMR is allowed are too
numerous and complex to enumerate here, and it can take time for
novices to develop strategies to create the right pattern in which
such a conclusion is allowed. A good understanding of the VollenHauser
Sudden Death Principle (usually designated as "VH Conditions") is
critical. The classic work by Leopold Strauss, A Reexamination of
Forced Inferior Material Resignations: A Guide to Winning Play under
VollenHauser Conditions (Belgrade Press, 1934), is the standard
reference text on this subject. In tournaments, adjudictors will
normally announce to both players at the conclusion of move 29, "The
game is now under VH Conditions", which means that the VollenHauser
Sudden Death Principle is now in effect. Note that before VH
Conditions come into effect, all sequences and patterns that would
lead to a Forced IMR win under VH Conditions are illegal, to prevent
players from establishing an unfair advantage earlier in the game. The
possibility of a sudden win by a Forced IMR while the game is under VH
Conditions leads to very exciting and novel play, particularly after
the 30th move.
Other Rules
The precise rules are far too numerous to list here, and the above
rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects of SR Chess. A good
grasp of the more comprehensive laws that govern legal and winning
patterns and sequences is essential for expert play, but these are
amply documented and explained in Samuel Worthington's fourth edition
of the Stanley Random Chess: The Official Player's Guide - Vol.1 "The
Rules" (Vol. 2 "The Players" and Vol. 3 "Developing Winning Strategy"
are also worthwhile). The close observation of expert play is one of
the best ways to acquire a good understanding of the rules.
VARIATIONS
To reduce the inevitable perplexity that inevitably confronts the
novice player, it is usual before the game to adopt the house rules of
a popular local variation, such as the International Stanley Random
Grand Prix Rules, or the Modern British Imperial Stanley Random Rules.
Over 535 such variations have been documented by the ISRCA, and the
appendix of their 2004 Official Stanley Random Chess Handbook
sumizes the 32 more popular international variations. Due to the
development of this wide spectrum of local variations, novices should
not be alarmed to discover that experienced players typically engage
in lengthy and lively debates about the rules and their variations in
the course of a game. Note that the 1983 Genevan Revision has made it
mandatory to obtain an unmoded quadrant (requiring unweighting of the
light squares) for openings in tournament play for all variations. For
novices and informal play it is usually replaced by the simpler
"Gallican Priy Ranking Order" which allows weighted pawn play
within the first ten moves.
OPENINGS
New players will find that openings common to Simplified SR (Common)
Chess may be entirely inadequate, and at times illegal, in SR Chess,
and conversely that many openings which have been refuted in
Simplified SR (Common) Chess may serve well in SR Chess. Consequently
novices will do well to discard most opening theory they have learned
from Simplified SR (Common) Chess. One of the advantages of SR Chess
is that opening theory is less critical, because the creativity and
complexity implicit in the multiple move patterns and sequence
formations allows for a greater variety of openings, and less
dependence on pure memorization. While Simplified SR (Common) Chess
has been criticized for being a matter of memorizing openings, SR
Chess relies more on skill, strategy and creativity than memorization,
and once a good grasp of the rules has been obtained, imaginative
young players are able to play at a very high level against
grandmasters. Novice players should be able to grasp the essentials of
common openings (especially the Genevan Gambler Attack, and the Left
Wing Butterfly Defence) in short order by observing other players. It
is not uncommon for a relatively unknown player to emerge from
obscurity and inflict a surprising loss on a well-known grandmaster,
as is the case when the relatively unknown GM Otto Boshnaut first won
the 32nd German Championship in 1885.
STRATEGY
Although advanced strategy is usually beyond most novice players, Sir
Humphry Footscray has done beginning SR Chess players a wonderful
service by sumizing some helpful principles that serve as an
excellent introductory strategy for beginners:
* Obtaining a material advantage prior to the enforcement of VH
Conditions will increase the likelihood of successfully winning the
game by a Forced IMR.
* Pieces exposed early in the game are vulnerable to attack due to the
risk of "freezing", but they also increase the possibility of early
material gains when attacking patterns are used to take advantage of
the opponents similar vulnerabilities and freezing. (Experienced
players usually apply the Law of Reversed * Colours to calculate
whether the risk factor is greater than the piece quotient.)
* A light square imbalance must be avoided to enable the successful
launch of a column attack, in preparation for a win by Forced IMR.
* When the "Rule of Sixes" is adopted (as is common in the modern era,
requiring players to play the first six moves without unmoding the
black squares), bishop moves on white should be avoided due to the
risk of semi-penetration.
* Long diagonals increase the point value of pawns, and are very
powerful when combined with closed pair knight formations.
It is widely agreed that the second of these principles is essential
to master for a good grip of the game. Note that while the Alphabetic
Green Order is a sequence typically used by professional players, it
is not recommended for novices.
HISTORY
The name "Stanley Random Chess" is commonly supposed to originate from
the name of a primate featuring prominently in contemporary software,
but this erroneous conclusion is the result of the mistaken belief
that SR Chess is a recent phenomenon and merely a variant of
Simplified SR (Common) Chess. The post-graduate research of Dr. Bill
Goldman (doctoral work supervised by the the late Dr. Simon
Morgenstern) has uncovered ground-breaking evidence that confirms the
antiquity and primacy of SR Chess, from which Simplified SR (Common)
Chess later descended, although the latter has enjoyed greater
popularity, and therefore earned the designation "Common" Chess. The
name "Stanley" apparently originates from Sir Thomas Stanley (d.
1459), a descendant of William the Conqueror who excelled in SR Chess
from an early age, and was also the name of the pet monkey that
accompanied William during his Norman Conquest.
The name Stanley was first bestowed on the family by King William as
an honorary title in memory of his beloved pet. The first mention of
the game is found in historical accounts of the Ferrers family in
1137. The Stanley family apparently learned the game when they assumed
the Earl of Derby title from the Ferrers in 1485. From this time, they
actively promoted SR Chess, hosting annual tournaments for the Stanley
Cup. In 1892, the Stanley Cup was sadly donated by the rebel Sir
Frederick Arthur Stanley, from which time it was used as a trophy for
amateur hockey in Canada. Frederick T. Stanley, who in 1843 founded
The Stanley Works, at that time a bolt and door hardware manufacturing
company located in New Britain, was responsible for popularizing SR
Chess in America. Directors of his company (now renowned for making
fine hand tools and industrial tools) are still known to play SR Chess
in board meetings today. It is entirely coincidental that Stanley is
also the first name of one of the actors that made up the legendary
Laurel and Hardy, although it is conceiveable that his parents named
him in honor of SR Chess.
POPULARITY
In recent years SR Chess has not enjoyed the recognition it deserves,
for several reasons. Firstly, the complex regulations governing the
move patterns and sequences have been a well-kept secret limited to
the circle of active players, and have largely been communicated by
oral tradition. Secondly, SR Chess literature is highly specialized,
and not easily available to the general public. Thirdly, the game can
seem perplexing to novices, and the general ignorance about the
well-established regulations that define play has led to its strategy
being incorrectly perceived by the uninformed as "random". Fourthly,
the Simplified SR (Common) Chess community has long resisted the
notion that SR Chess is a predecessor that predates the more common
and corrupted form of the game. Fifthly, SR Chess enjoyed its hey-day
in private clubs and societies (like the Masons) that did not
encourage public disclosure and advertising of their recreational
activities. Sixthly, the members of the High Board of the ISRCA have
stubbornly maintained traditions which discouraged the active
promotion of the game.
Thankfully, recent times have seen a softening of attitudes among the
High Board, and there is every reason to expect the continued growth
and popularity of SR Chess. It has a growing presence on the internet,
and over 950 local clubs are registered with the ISRCA, priily in
Asian countries, and parts of Eastern Europe. Both the Asian,
American, African and European quadrants of the ISRCA host annual
week-long conventions in conjunction with their SR Chess Quadrant
Championship Knock-Out, with the winners travelling to Poland for a
round robin competition for the title of SR Chess World Champion.
Poland also hosts the International SC Chess Olympiad every four
years. The International SR Chess Monthly continues to provide a forum
for the analysis of games by grandmasters, and several other periods
devoted to SR Chess are published by local clubs, particularly in Asia
and Eastern Europe.
HALL OF FAME
One of the greatest SR Chess players in history is GM Lord Edward
Humberton-Snapf (1874-1916), whose wife Ivy Rose was a descendent of
the original Stanleys. Humberton-Snapf is regarded as one of the
greatest players of the Victorian era, and his writings on SR Chess
are still highly respected. He was preceded by GM Antonio Pancris of
Baden-Baden, who first entered the global spotlight with a superb
performance in the 1822 European Championship, in which he defeated an
Albanian GM with a local offside trap using the penny formation with
both his knights. Lesser known is Russian GM Victor Seignovich
(1909-1931), winner of the national Russian Championship in 1929.
Seignovich was renowned for his blindfolded simultaneous exhibitions,
and was probably the most brilliant player that the SR Chess world has
ever seen, but sadly succumbed to a mental illness while at the peak
of his career. Asian players dominated the game in middle of the
twentieth century. GM Gregory Topov has been the world number #1
ranked player since the early 1980s, but his recent retirement has
seen the emergence of some excellent young British players since the
turn of the 21st century.
ETIQUETTE
Ever since the Stanley family promoted the game among the English
upper class, SR Chess has traditionally been a gentleman's game. Play
is open to people of every race, religion, culture and gender,
provided they agree to maintain the International Code of Conduct that
must be strictly observed. SR Chess tournaments are generally
characterized by the utmost spirit of courtesy, decorum, and respect.
At the discretion of the senior adjudicator, anything deemed contrary
to the spirit of decency and politeness results in immediate player
expulsion, or the forfeit of VH conditions for all subsequent
tournament games. Gambling on the outcome of games is strictly
forbidden. In some local clubs, the International Code of Conduct has
been amended to include local requirements for prescribed dress
standards and acceptable language. In some countries, players are
required to dress in colours that reflect their current international
ranking and a coloured belt that corresponds to their present pattern
sequence status.
LITERATURE
Regrettably, reliable SR Chess literature is not readily available,
and the ISRCA has traditionally frowned on mass publications. Most
books published on the subject had a very limited print run, and were
distributed only in SR Chess circles, leading to a very high demand
for many titles. The best introductory work is by Ronald Herbert &
Christopher Morley, "Stanley Random Chess Revisited: A Singular Course
in Elementary and Standard Play, with Critical Observations and
Annotations", first published in 1889. This excellent work was
recently reprinted in America, and is available directly from Gavin
Brend, president of the New York SR Chess Club. For the advanced
player, the fifth edition of Kenneth Abrams' "The Modern Expert's
Companion to Stanley Random Chess" (Tokyo, 1979) is essential,
although Nikolai Dementiev's "Stanley Random Chess: Exercises for
Experts Illustrated by Grandmasters" also deserves mention, but is
available in only in Russian and inaccessible to most players.
Although it has been out of print for some time (despite going into
sixteen editions), "The Life and Games of Antonio Pancris: An
Annotated Exhibition in Playing SR Chess with Force and Farce" by
Pancris himself is still widely regarded as the best collection of
annotated games. Since most literature on SR Chess is so specialized,
new players are best advised to visit a local club and try to obtain
published materials directly from the ISRCA.
SOFTWARE
To my knowledge there is no computer program that can play SR Chess
competently, even at the novice level. While the limited number of
moves in Simplified SR (Common) Chess has enabled the rapid
advancement of highly developed chess-playing software, the same
cannot be said for SR Chess. Although SR chess has less legal moves,
the countless rules governing multi-level sequences, patterns and
variations give much more room for creative thinking and imaginative
play, and result in a virtually infinite flexibility that is beyond
the scope of current computer technology. Software developers have
experienced a similar problem with the classic strategy game of Go,
although much effort has resulted in Go software that can play
competently at the average level. But the difficulties in creating
satisfactory SR Chess software are presently insurmountable, because
merely determining whether a move is legal can require the
consideration of previous sequences and move patterns (up to eight
moves), potential board patterns, and comparing them with the Legal SR
Chess Code adopted in Venice 1893. Discovering the best move is more
elusive yet, and although good moves can be produced by human
intuition and imagination, they are outside the scope of pure
calculation. Furthermore, given the huge body of tradition and
regulations for local variations, computer software that is not
interfaced directly with the ISRCA database will always prove
inadequate. As part of the "IBM Stanley Software Solution Quest", IBM
is offering a US$35,000 reward for the first software program that can
post a winning score in a four game series against a current
grandmaster. But computer technology is not expected to advance
rapidly enough in the next two decades to make SR Chess software a
realistic possibility. Although it is regrettable that no satisfactory
software for SR Chess exists, it underlines the uniqueness and beauty
of SR Chess. SR Chess will remain a game of creativity and imagination
that is played exclusively by humans.
PLAYING ONLINE
As the result of innovative technology, SR Chess has witnessed an
exciting development following its appearance on the excellent chess
server at www.schemingmind.com. This development was possible only
because the I.S.R.C.A. came to a contractual agreement with the
webmaster that made provisions for a XML SRC rule parser to control
the games. Without this facility, an array of several hundred servers
would be required to host games on the site. The schemingmind.com
server is also equipped with an automated database filter which can
identify the patterns in which a Forced IMR is allowed once VH
conditions come into effect following move 30. The server is also
interfaced directly to the database at the ISRCA to ensure that only
legal moves are entered. The processing time required for this
calculation can take significant time, and this is one of the reasons
SR Chess is played on an email chess server, since real time SR Chess
is not possible with present computer technology.
As an added feature, a special algorithm works with the ISRCA host
database to automatically replace any illegal moves with the nearest
equivalent legal move. This innovative technology is known as the
"Stanley Transposed Automated Replacement" or STAR move. It is the
equivalent to the adjustment that adjudicators can make in official
tournament play when an illegal move is played. Such adjustments or
STAR moves are traditionally annotated with the * symbol, and are also
sometime described as "Stanley" moves. Novice players of SR Chess thus
should be prepared to see unexpected transpositions made to their
moves after submission. While this apparent randomness may be
initially perplexing to the beginner, this is an excellent way to make
SR Chess accessible to novices, and enable them to learn the game.
Without requiring a complete grasp on SR Chess rules, novices can
begin assimilating some beginning strategy, and develop some sense of
the game. Several expert SR Chess players frequent the chess server on
a regular basis, and are usually more than willing to explain why
attempted moves were illegal, and offer helpful analysis on play. As a
result of this exciting development, the ISRCA is optimistic that SR
Chess is poised to gain further recognition and increased popularity.
LEARNING THE GAME
Since Simplified SR (Common) Chess is in fact a simplified version of
SR Chess, it can be a springboard for progressing to the more advanced
game, and being familiar with its rudiments will certainly enable most
players to make a successful transition to SR Chess, as long as they
realize that clinging to traditional strategy will not be successful.
Although a great deal of good SR Chess relies on intuition and
imagination, it is possible to learn some strategic principles by
reading. Unfortunately most good literature is not readily available,
and is usually inaccessible to those who have not yet attained the
master level. The complexities of SR Chess are best learned in one of
two ways:
1. Playing the game
The advance of innovative computer technology has enabled SR Chess to
become accessible for complete beginners to play on an internet chess
server. Since newcomers to SR Chess cannot possibly be expected to be
familiar with all the rules, whenever a player attempts an illegal
move, the chess server schemingmind.com automatically replaces illegal
moves with the closest legal move. This is known as a "Stanley
Transposed Automated Replacement" (or a STAR move), and is made
possible by interfacing with the ISRCA database and using its
automated correction algorithm. The STAR move technology enables games
of SR Chess to be played between complete novices who are already
familiar with the rules of Simplified SR (Common) Chess. Since the
number of legal moves in SR Chess is statistically about half that of
Simplified SR (Common) Chess, novices should expect about 50% of STAR
moves while trying to master the basics the game.
2. Observing expert players
One of the best ways to learn the rules of SR Chess is to study
annotated games, or to watch a regular advanced game played by
experienced players and asking them to explain their moves.
Regrettably, there is an ancient tradition that discouraged advanced
players from disclosing the nuances behind expert play, but in modern
times it is generally acknowledged that this tradition needs to be
abandoned in the interests of promoting the game. But novices should
be prepared to encounter expert players who will be reluctant to
explain their strategy, or whose complex answers are comprehensible
only to fellow-experts.
Recently the software developer UbiSoft released a version of their
popular Chessmaster software that included a Stanley Random
personality. However, due to an apparent bug in the software and the
limitations of current computer technology, the traditional SR Chess
rules are not enforced for the human player when playing Stanley,
making it possible to defeat Stanley quite rapidly by ignoring the SR
Chess conventions and playing Simplified SR (Common) Chess. This is
effectively a form of cheating, by allowing moves that are illegal in
SR Chess. Grandmasters who have the knowledge and the self-discipline
to restrict themselves to moves that are legal in SR Chess have found
that the computer AI can barely play at a novice-level rating anyway.
Playing against the Stanley personality on Chessmaster is not thus not
recommended to introduce novices to SR Chess, because it promotes the
development of strategies that will prove ineffective against humans,
and new players will only be frustrated to find their moves being
declared illegal and replaced with STAR moves when playing against
fellow human players at schemingmind.com. Playing online, and the
observation and study of expert level games remain the best methods to
learn SR Chess.
ANNOTATED GAMES
Studies have proven that the close study of expert level games is one
of the best ways to develop sound SR Chess strategy. Although
annotations from advanced players are usually available only to master
level players, but with the loosening of the restrictions governing
the publication of annotated games, a rare annotated exhibition game
between grandmasters is currently in progress at schemingmind.com.
SR Chess GM Gregory Topov
GM Topov was recently inducted as lifelong member of the I.F.S.R.C.
(International Fraternity for Stanley Random Chess) Hall of Fame.
Believing that Stanley Random Chess is much misunderstood and
underappreciated, he is actively committed to promoting greater
awareness about Stanley Random Chess. This article first appeared in
Stanley Random Chess Monthly in June 2004, as part of a series of
articles geared towards explaining the sport for newcomers. We are
proud to reproduce it here online, with permission from the
publishers.
Source: http://www.geocities.com/verdrahciretop/src.html
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Date: 21 Dec 2004 06:33:53
From: Jestrada
Subject: Re: F.A.Q. about SR Chess
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Typo correction:
"If a move is illegal in Common Chess, it's also legal in SR Chess"
should of course be:
"If a move is illegal in Common Chess, it's also illegal in SR Chess"
(Google for: SR Chess First Theorem of Permissible Play)
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Date: 21 Dec 2004 06:29:39
From: Jestrada
Subject: Re: F.A.Q. about SR Chess
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Guy Macon wrote:
>
> And this is different from CalvinBall...how?
Calvinball has no real rules, you just make them up as you go, and keep
changing them. Stanley Random Chess has fixed and unchangeable rules,
although they are not widely known. One set of fixed rules that
applies to SR Chess, for instance, are the basic laws of Common Chess.
If a move is illegal in Common Chess, it's also legal in SR Chess - no
exceptions (Google for "First Theorem of Permissible Play" or
"Maxwell's Bipolar Law of Corresponding Necessities"). In addition to
that, SR Chess has other fixed rules governing sequences and patterns.
One such rule is that after the 30th move, the game enters the Final
Set, and it is possible to created a Forced Inferior Material
Resignation (Forced IMR), and win on material. Have you tried playing
the game?
-Jestrada
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Date: 27 Dec 2004 19:04:46
From: Johnny Bravo
Subject: Re: F.A.Q. about SR Chess
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Hey guys,
Here's my new address:Todd Ullum 5963 Whitefield Street
Dearborn Heights, Michigan 48127
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Date: 09 Dec 2004 10:18:05
From:
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
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Shane,
I have never watched it. I may someday. Right now I would just like to
learn to play basic chess better. I just like the K.I.S.S. method. LOL
Rob
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Date: 09 Dec 2004 08:19:32
From: Rob Mitchell
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
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I prefer Capablanca chess to this or even the much simpler Fischer
Random chess.
Rob
Shane Maven wrote:
> "Shane Maven" wrote
> > "Henri Arsenault" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > In article <[email protected]>,
> > > [email protected] (Jestrada) wrote:
> > >
> > > >STANLEY RANDOM CHESS INTRODUCED & EXPLAINED FOR BEGINNERS
> > > >by GM Gregory Topov
> > >
> > > Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In
10,000
> > > words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too
numerous to
> > > list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the
unique
> aspects
> > > of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing
about
> how
> > > the game is played.
> >
> > Where did you get this from Henri? I'm using Outlook Express, and
it
> hasn't
> > shown up in this newsgroup yet, unless the original post got
blocked by my
> > ISP somehow?
>
> Have you checked the page about SR Chess at chessvariants.org?
> http://www.chessvariants.org/link2.dir/srchess.html
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Date: 09 Dec 2004 11:47:46
From: Shane Maven
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
|
Rob, have you ever played Stanley Random Chess? I've just observed a game
myself, it does seem rather complex, but also creative, imaginative and
amusing.
Shane
"Rob Mitchell" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I prefer Capablanca chess to this or even the much simpler Fischer
> Random chess.
> Rob
> Shane Maven wrote:
> > Have you checked the page about SR Chess at chessvariants.org?
> > http://www.chessvariants.org/link2.dir/srchess.html
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Date: 03 Dec 2004 15:53:45
From: Henri Arsenault
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
|
In article <[email protected] >,
[email protected] (Jestrada) wrote:
>The "original" form of chess introduced and explained...
>A personal email I received, and have permission to post.
>
>STANLEY RANDOM CHESS INTRODUCED & EXPLAINED FOR BEGINNERS
>by GM Gregory Topov
>
Cripes!
Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects
of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about how
the game is played.
Henri
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Date: 07 Dec 2004 11:45:54
From: Gregory Topov
Subject: Re: F.A.Q. about SR Chess
|
"Henri Arsenault" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >STANLEY RANDOM CHESS INTRODUCED & EXPLAINED FOR BEGINNERS
> >
> Cripes!
> Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
> words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
> list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects
> of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about how
> the game is played.
Perhaps the following FAQ is somewhat helpful, being more concise.
WHAT IS STANLEY RANDOM CHESS?
Stanley Random Chess (commonly designated as SR Chess) is an alternative
form of chess that predates regular chess, and offers greater complexity and
creativity.
HOW OLD IS STANLEY RANDOM CHESS?
Technically speaking, SR Chess is not a chess variant, since purists allege
that modern chess is merely a simplified form and development from SR Chess.
With documented historical evidence dating back to the early English
monarchy, SR Chess claims to be one of the original sources of "Common
Chess", which SR Chess enthusiasts refer to somewhat contemptuously as
Simplified SR Chess.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT STANLEY RANDOM CHESS?
Even those who contest its historical claim to primacy must concede that
Stanley Random Chess appears to be a more complex and challenging game, with
much more scope for creativity and imagination. Despite its name, SR Chess
is certainly not random, but is carefully regulated by a well-established
and internationally-adopted set of rules which function alongside the rules
for Simplified SR (Common) Chess. Consequently SR Chess has less legal moves
than Common Chess, but is also less burdened by the need to memorize opening
theory, with a genuine focus on creative and imaginative play. Sadly,
despite its alleged antiquity, for centuries it has suffered under a cloak
of secrecy. Now that SR Chess is being rediscovered and regaining
popularity, it may well also be the future of chess.
WHAT ARE THE RULES OF STANLEY RANDOM CHESS?
The rules are the same as Simplified SR (Common) Chess, with the addition of
some rules governing move sequences and board patterns. These rules are too
complex to sumize, and are subject to local variations, but new players
will notice two main differences from Simplified SR (Common) Chess:
1. As a result of the additional unique rules governing move sequences and
board patterns, approximately 50% of Common Chess moves are illegal in SR
Chess, accounting for the somewhat strange and apparently random moves at
times.
2. After move 30, the game enters VH Conditions (VollenHauser Sudden Death
Principle), and the game can come to a sudden end if the right
pattern/sequence is obtained, the winner being the person with the most
material (a "Forced Inferior Material Resignation", or Forced IMR).
SR Chess enthusiasts typically provide extensive analysis and commentary of
games in progress, so generally it does not take long for dedicated
newcomers to get a good feel for the game and its rules by observing
experienced players.
WHERE CAN I PLAY STANLEY RANDOM CHESS?
Although a good grasp of the rules can take time to master, the
correspondence chess server SchemingMind.com has obtained a XML SRC rule
parser from the ISRCA (International Stanley Random Chess Association) which
is interfaced with the official ISRCA database, and uses a special algorithm
to automatically replace any illegal moves with the nearest equivalent legal
move. The apparent "randomness" of these transposed moves can be initially
perplexing to novices, but it enables new players to enjoy playing SR Chess
without requiring a complete mastery of the rules. SchemingMind.com is
currently the only correspondence chess server where SR Chess can be played.
HOW CAN I LEARN STANLEY RANDOM CHESS?
The best method for learning SR Chess is to observe experienced players
playing the game, or to play it online with the benefit of the innovative
technology provided by the SchemingMind.com chess server that corrects
illegal moves. SR Chess is not for everyone, but it certainly recommends
itself on account of its historical claim and its creative play. But don't
take my word for it, to understand the secrets and attractions of SR Chess,
you must really see and play it for yourself.
GM Gregory Topov
FAQ Source: http://www.geocities.com/verdrahciretop/src9.html
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't necessarily agree with everything I say." - shall McLuhan
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Date: 07 Dec 2004 18:29:09
From: Guy Macon
Subject: Re: F.A.Q. about SR Chess
|
Gregory Topov wrote:
>
>"Henri Arsenault" <[email protected]> wrote...
>
>> Cripes!
>> Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
>> words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
>> list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects
>> of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about how
>> the game is played.
>
>Perhaps the following FAQ is somewhat helpful, being more concise.
Not helpful at all. Free clue; anything that contains the phrase
"These rules are too complex to sumize" and does not contain the
actual trules is not an example of "cuting the bullshit and tell us
whaddahell this game is."
Please stop posting on this topic ubtil you are prepared to post the
rules for playing the game. Until you do, we will continue to play
by the rules for Calvinball.
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Date: 03 Dec 2004 20:49:46
From: Guy Macon
Subject: Official Rules for Stanley Random Chess
|
Henri Arsenault wrote:
>Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
>words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
>list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects
>of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about how
>the game is played.
Here are the official rules for Stanley Random Chess:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Nook/2990/cb_rules.htm
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Date: 04 Jan 2005 16:55:36
From: Peter French
Subject: Re: Official Rules for Stanley Random Chess
|
"Guy Macon" <_see.web.page_@_www.guymacon.com_ > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Here are the official rules for Stanley Random Chess:
>
> http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Nook/2990/cb_rules.htm
That's a link to a different game. Here is the correct link from
chessvariants.org:
http://www.chessvariants.org/link2.dir/srchess.html
Peter
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Date: 09 Jan 2005 03:08:06
From: fs
Subject: Re: Official Rules for Stanley Random Chess
|
"Peter French" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Guy Macon" <_see.web.page_@_www.guymacon.com_> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Here are the official rules for Stanley Random Chess:
> >
> > http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Nook/2990/cb_rules.htm
>
> That's a link to a different game. Here is the correct link from
> chessvariants.org:
> http://www.chessvariants.org/link2.dir/srchess.html
>
> Peter
>
>
Correct. If you try to play by CalvinBall rules you are playing
"CalvinChess" and not Stanley Random Chess. One of the rules of
"CalvinChess" is:
>> Any player may declare a new rule at any point in the game (Figure 1.2).
The player may do this audibly or silently depending on what zone (Refer to
Rule 1.5) the player is in.
If you are playing SR Chess at SchemingMind.com and try to declare a new
rule, you will find that the rules are fixed and arbitrated by the server.
"Guy Macon" has been told this before, but he is slow to understand.
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Date: 03 Dec 2004 13:55:23
From: Shane Maven
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
|
"Henri Arsenault" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] (Jestrada) wrote:
>
> >The "original" form of chess introduced and explained...
> >A personal email I received, and have permission to post.
> >
> >STANLEY RANDOM CHESS INTRODUCED & EXPLAINED FOR BEGINNERS
> >by GM Gregory Topov
> >
> Cripes!
>
> Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
> words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
> list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects
> of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about how
> the game is played.
Where did you get this from Henri? I'm using Outlook Express, and it hasn't
shown up in this newsgroup yet, unless the original post got blocked by my
ISP somehow?
* S h a n e * M a v e n *
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Date: 09 Dec 2004 10:00:28
From: Shane Maven
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
|
"Shane Maven" wrote
> "Henri Arsenault" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > [email protected] (Jestrada) wrote:
> >
> > >STANLEY RANDOM CHESS INTRODUCED & EXPLAINED FOR BEGINNERS
> > >by GM Gregory Topov
> >
> > Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
> > words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
> > list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique
aspects
> > of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about
how
> > the game is played.
>
> Where did you get this from Henri? I'm using Outlook Express, and it
hasn't
> shown up in this newsgroup yet, unless the original post got blocked by my
> ISP somehow?
Have you checked the page about SR Chess at chessvariants.org?
http://www.chessvariants.org/link2.dir/srchess.html
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Date: 03 Dec 2004 22:58:41
From: Henri H. Arsenault
Subject: Re: The origins of chess: Beginners Guide to SR Chess
|
On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 13:55:23 -0500, "Shane Maven" <[email protected] >
wrote:
>> Can you cut the bullshit and tell us whaddahell this game is? In 10,000
>> words, all I learned is that "the precise rules are far too numerous to
>> list here, and the above rules merely introduce some of the unique aspects
>> of SR Chess." In fact the "above rules" said essentially nothing about how
>> the game is played.
>
>Where did you get this from Henri? I'm using Outlook Express, and it hasn't
>shown up in this newsgroup yet, unless the original post got blocked by my
>ISP somehow?
>
The message appeared 3 times on my ISP. Maybe yours cut it out cause
it was repeated...
Henri
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