English Chess Forum

I thought this may be of interest: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-59048585

A board game that was given to Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he had Covid-19 has been toted by its creator as a rival to chess.

Prometheus was invented by Frome College maths teacher Christopher Curtis to help others with their maths.

Pupils from Stonar Independent School's chess club in Wiltshire said the strategy game was "more difficult that chess but easier to learn".

Mr Curtis said he gave it to Mr Johnson as a "humanitarian gesture".

The game, designed to help people overcome maths anxiety, focuses on moves that can be made on a chess-like board.

Moves can be made based on the number of corners or vertices on the three main pieces, which are shaped as pyramids, cubes and spheres.

https://www.prometheusconcept.com/buy/prometheus-game

Does look interesting, but not cheap.

Hi Nick,

£245! and this bit:

"...and amazingly players do not feel unhappy when they lose a game as they often do in chess."

Amazingly I'm happy feeling unhappy when I lose at chess. Spending £245 on a board game would make me amazingly unhappy.

It is hardly surprising that players don't feel unhappy losing a game that have only just started playing, as opposed to one they have sunk countless hours of time, money and mental anguish into.

Joey Stewart wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:21 pm

It is hardly surprising that players don't feel unhappy losing a game that have only just started playing, as opposed to one they have sunk countless hours of time, money and mental anguish into.

I think you've figured out why Chess960 is a thing

"I think you've figured out why Chess960 is a thing "

Possibly, you have to laugh when your opponent castles by going Kb1-g1 and Rc1-g1... I have noticed in tournaments that the better players still win at Chess960, so they don't solely rely on opening theory, and you can't usually win with a snap attack as the pieces are never in the right places. e4/Bc4/Nf3/Ng5 tends not to happen...

1 time in 960 perhaps?

"1 time in 960 perhaps?"

True... Position 518

I was interested to hear Magnus Carlsen saying Chess960 could be the answer to the draw-fest in classical chess.

I keep hearing about this supposed "draw fest" but in many contemporary events it is conspicuous by its absence.