target handicap instead of material handicap

[Uri Blass]

The reason for thinking about it is the facts that one of the ways I use to win with material odds is sacrificing part of the material for simplifications.
I believe that with big odds you do not have to do it and I thought it may be interesting if humans can win with queen odds when they never sacrifice material only to simplify so the rules can be that black with all the pieces needs to mate in order to win when white with no queen needs to mate or to win material relative to the initial position in order to win.

We can count material with P=1,N=B=3,R=5,Q=9 or some different values we accept.

I do not like to count some capture that does not win material when the opponent recapture as winning material
so It is possible to decide that white can win by winning material but it should be only when it is white to move so black can recapture.

I also do not like not to allow white to win by simple tactical tricks (for example sacrificing a piece only to have a fork next move that win a rook because black can claim winning by winning material) so we can decide that the side that won material needs to keep the material compensation for at least 3 moves to win by winning material.

I also thought about the question if white can get a win in chess if the target of white is to win material or to mate when the target of black is only to mate and I do not know if white can win and there are no engines to support the rules to help finding the reply for this question.

[lkaufman]

I also thought about the question if white can get a win in chess if the target of white is to win material or to mate when the target of black is only to mate and I do not know if white can win and there are no engines to support the rules to help finding the reply for this question.

The answer to that question probably comes down to whether B and N are given equal value. If yes, then probably Black wins this variant, as it seems easier for Black to draw than for White to win a pawn. If no (like B = N + 1/4 p for example), then probably White wins as if Black can't afford to give up B for N, he can't usually pin a N with B so openings like the Nimzo, the Caro (2 knights with 3...Bg4) and many others become unplayable. At least that seems like the least clear situation.