| This chess variant is almost normal chess. However, White has a significant advantage. Namely, in addition to the normal moves he is allowed to capture own pieces.
The variant was created on the fly during preparation for a talk on "computer-assisted inventing of board games". Then a really nice application was found: Zillions is a formidable chess program, albeit of course not in one league with special-purpose chess engines. But you can play a Partisan game: Zillions gets White and plays according to the rules of this One-Sided Freebeat Chess, whereas Black is a normal chess program playing according to the normal chess rules. Especially, Black does not know that White can capture own pieces!
At some point in the game White may play a self-capture. Then the operator sets up the resulting position in the program on Black's side and continues.
In this style two nice games between Zillions2 and the top chess programm Shredder9 were conducted. For each move Zillions got 10 seconds, and Shredder9 3 seconds. One game was won by Shredder more or less normally. However, in the other game Zillions produced a real firework, ending with a mate at move 24. Both games are included.
*** The picture shows a position with White to move. The best move is a surprising pawn sacrifice. Hint: It is a rook move. |
