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Thoughts on Chess with Different Pawns. The difficulties of composing Chess with Different Pawns.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
Steven Streetman wrote on Tue, Feb 10, 2015 11:44 PM UTC:
Concerning chess with different pawns on one side...

In Spartan Chess the White side, the Persians, are a conventional FIDA army. For the black side, the Spartans, everything is different.

The pawns (a variation of Berolina pawns) and the pieces, are all different. In addition, the Spartans have two kings, not one (historical). Despite all of the differences (pawns, pieces, Kings) the game has proven in thousands of computer vs. computer games to be more balanced than FIDA chess. In FIDA chess white has a winning percentage advantage of 54% and a draw rate of 33%. Spartan Chess has proven to have a winning percentage of 50.5% for the Spartans (Black) and a draw rate of 25%.

Hence, Spartan Chess is more balanced and less drawish than FIDA chess. I have pondered why this is true and I really do not know why.

Spartan Chess Web Site
Spartan Chess on Chess Variants