Derek Nalls wrote on Fri, Jul 6, 2007 02:56 AM UTC:
When I searched-out Opti Chess, I expediently focused-in upon a select set
of only 24 CRC variants where the king & queen occupied the center files.
1. Indisputably, the queen is the most valuable piece in the game (after
the king).
2. I consider the queen the most capable piece at protecting the king
since the chancellor and archbishop can be threatened without reciprocity
from a large distance by sliders that move differently. Specifically, the
chancellor can be threatened by the bishop and the archbishop can be
threatened by the rook.
Nonetheless, I was intrigued by your assertion that the 2 other composite
pieces (chancellor and archbishop) are worthy escorts for the king. So, I
have been examining your select set of 72 CRC variants for a few days now.
Using more stringent criteria, I determined all 24 CRC variants centered
by the king & archbishop to have a minor fault due to the impossibility of
placing BOTH the queen and the chancellor on opposite-colored spaces than
the archbishop for balance. So, I felt no need to examine them in further
detail.
The reasons?
1. Composite pieces containing color-bound bishops (i.e., the queen &
archbishop) should be on opposite (light-dark) spaces for balance.
2. Composite pieces containing color-changing knights (i.e., the
chancellor & archbishop) should be on opposite (light-dark) spaces for
balance.
This left me with a select set of only 48 CRC variants (24 king & queen
centered and 24 king & chancellor centered) that needed to be explored in
detail- half of which I had examined long ago. Accordingly, I created a
*.zrf to chart my results visually and when finished, conveniently share
with others:
Select CRC Analysis Tool
http://www.symmetryperfect.com/shots/crc
I hope you find it interesting.
