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User:Sentriclecub/Gothic Chess openings middlegame and endgame

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Openings

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8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black empressf8 black kingg8h8 black bishopi8 black knightj8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7g7 black pawnh7 black pawni7 black pawnj7 black pawn7
6a6b6c6d6e6f6g6h6i6j66
5a5b5c5d5e5f5 black pawng5h5i5j55
4a4b4c4 black princessd4e4f4g4h4i4j44
3a3b3c3 white knightd3e3f3g3h3i3j33
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2d2 white pawne2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawni2 white pawnj2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1c1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white empressf1 white kingg1 white princessh1 white bishopi1 white knightj1 white rook1
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Trice's Gambit. White sacrifices a pawn to get a quicker development after 1. c4 f5 2. Nc3!? Axc4.

In regular chess, the way in which games start out is loosely referred to as opening theory. Chess openings are typically named after their founder, the country of their origin, or by the features of the position.

In Gothic Chess, due to the increased number of pieces, the number of possible board positions increases at a rate greater than in regular chess. For example, the total number of possible Gothic Chess games after four moves for white, and four replies for black, is 1.5×1012.[1] In chess, this total is only 8.5×1010.[2]

This has hindered the development of opening theory in Gothic Chess, but many common tabiyas do occur. There are some openings in Gothic Chess that have been named so far. These are: Trice's Gambit, the Colanzi Opening, the Quagga, and the Philadelphia Opening.[3][verification needed]

Typically, in Gothic Chess, knights can be naturally developed to the third rank and toward the center of the board. Pawn pushes can open up lines for bishops, and bishops may also be developed via fianchetto. As in chess, it is common practice to develop the minor pieces before developing the major pieces.

Unlike in ordinary chess, center pawn pushes (especially the E pawn) must be treated with care to avoid exposing the king too much. The opening strategy of "controlling the center" takes on a different feel because of this dynamic.

Middlegame

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The principles of chess middlegame play apply in Gothic Chess. However, because there is more material than in regular chess and because of increased attacking possibilities, most theorists conclude that having a material advantage per se is less important in Gothic Chess.[4][verification needed] Concordantly, king safety and piece activity rise in relative importance, which makes the game more dynamic.

Arguably, there are more opportunities to sacrifice material to gain a positional advantage or to expose the enemy king. For example, in this game, two minor pieces are exchanged for two pawns which later results in a win for white.

Endgames

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The principles of chess endgame apply in Gothic Chess. With the two new pieces, several new endgame positions arise, such as chancellor vs. chancellor with several pawns each or archbishop and pawns vs. queen and pawns. These endgames are somewhat similar to queen and pawn endgames, where the dominant theme is for the strong side to avoid perpetual check and achieve a pawn promotion.

Endgames with five or fewer pieces for all Capablanca Chess variants similar to Gothic Chess have been completely analyzed by a computer.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Ed Trice. "Number of games of Gothic Chess after n plies plus number of games that terminate (i.e. mate) in fewer than n plies". The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences.
  2. ^ Albert Bertilson. "Perft calculation".
  3. ^ "Gothic Chess Review", Fall 2003
  4. ^ "Gothic Chess Review", Winter 2004
  5. ^ Gothic Chess Javascript Endgames