ChessV 2.0 - open source GUI and engine for chess variants

[Nordlandia]

I think you are wrong. WinBoard does not treat it that way, for sure. What removed your doubt?

I know from playing on ICC (Internet Chess Club).

[hgm]

Well, WinBoard was designed to be compatible with ICC; there was no other reason to supportthis variant in the first place, as I don't think you can find it anywhere else. So you claim they have changed it, and this seems unlikely.

Note that the diagram you show is not relevant for the question; the Kings are not in the same file.

[Nordlandia]

Note that the diagram you show is not relevant for the question; the Kings are not in the same file.

What is the question really?

If both kings is on one file, then the king closest to rank 1 is the royal one.

[hgm]

Indeed. To rank 1. Also for black. Not rank 8.

[Nordlandia]

Indeed. To rank 1. Also for black. Not rank 8.

Ok, it doesn't bother me at all, but why do it have to be rank 1 only?

Isn't this giving white some additional bonus advantage from the early start.

Let us say it was a1 for white and a8 for black, what sort of difference will it make how the game is played.

(Knight forking both Kings) King on f8 is the royal king in this case, as it is closest to a8. I couldn't move the king on f6 (i thought so, as it was closest to a1)

[Nordlandia]

Maybe the rule is as follows:

If one of white kings get captured then a8 for black applies (vise versa)

if four kings remains on the board rank 1.

As hinted by the picture in my last post. White has one king remaning whereas black has two. Then a8 for black applies since he has two remaining kings.

[hgm]

Well, if both Kings are attacked that minimizes the difference, as the royal one will always be amongst it. Greater differences are expected when only one of the Kings is attacked. And the most-forward one is most likely to get attacked.

In practice it means that after King-side castling the King that you use in battle can only veture on the g- and h-file for white, but only on the h-file for black, in order not to be designated royal.

[Nordlandia]

I just checked again.

It is rank a1 only.

Queen forked both kings, needed to move Ka2. Regardless if white has one or two kings remaining.

[Greg Strong]

Ok, thanks for confirming. Unfortunately, that sucks. I consider it to be a pretty serious flaw with this game.

[hgm]

Well, what can you expect of a game that was not designed, but instead has rules dictated by the accidental implementation of the check test on a server?