Any further changes expected.

[MJMcCready]

Given that we have a governing body and a standardized and a standardized set of rules and laws on how to play chess, have we come to the end of changes concerning the laws of chess. I could well be wrong but I think the last major change was that white is granted the first move, which kicked in somewhere between 1840-1860. Again that's purely off the top of my head...I think it post-dated the issue over promotion. So with standardization in play, is that it then? This is how chess is going to stay for good?

[Tim Spanton]

Arguably White having first move is not a rule change in that it changes nothing - the game is exactly the same whichever set of pieces moves first

[Simon Rogers]

One major rule change brought in, was the en passant rule. Not sure which year it was introduced.

[Tim Spanton]

I guess the rule against writing your move before playing it was a major change for many 'serious' players, but a change that meant nothing to most casual players

[Roger de Coverly]

There's been tinkering round the edges. Changes in recent years to how the rules for repetition of position operate and making claims for no captures or pawn moves for an extended period of play being examples.

[Tim Spanton]

Actually, it might be hard to find a year, or at least a five-year period, in which the rules have not been changed ...

[JustinHorton]

One major rule change brought in, was the en passant rule. Not sure which year it was introduced.

Fifteenth century so not quite what we're looking for here

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Tim,

Although it makes no real difference, having officially White going first helps with notation
as games could start 1.e7-e5 e2-e4 causing slight confusion and a nightmare for opening books.

Edinburgh had the Black pieces but 'the move' v London in the 1820's their Scotch Game looked like this.

RNBKQB1R/PPP1PPPP/5N2/3P4/3pp3/2n5/ppp2ppp/r1bkqbnr w - - 0 1

Also it should help in avoiding errors, Anderssen had the Black pieces (and the move) in The Immortal.
Sometimes it filters down through chess lore that Kieseritzky was White and a few times we get to see:



Picture from Edward Winter's site, page link also mentions chess on the radio (which is currently topical) in 1926!

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/immortal.html

Possibly the biggest change in recent years was abolishing adjournments.

[Joey Stewart]

I think there are more then enough wacky variants of the game if you want a different version of chess, but the core rules seem very solid to me and not in any major need to change.

The only thing that might be a good simplification is allowing castling through check - I think that one must be a source of many a dispute and the only players who it would really hurt are those players that go for irritating early attacks, and nobody likes those types anyway.

[Simon Rogers]

One major rule change brought in, was the en passant rule. Not sure which year it was introduced.

Fifteenth century so not quite what we're looking for here

Thanks Justin. Chess History is not my strength.
By the way, have you had your Chess Painting valued yet?

[MJMcCready]

I think there are more then enough wacky variants of the game if you want a different version of chess, but the core rules seem very solid to me and not in any major need to change.

The only thing that might be a good simplification is allowing castling through check - I think that one must be a source of many a dispute and the only players who it would really hurt are those players that go for irritating early attacks, and nobody likes those types anyway.

There are wacky variants and also liberty takers. G.H.Diggle made me laugh when he witnessed someone castle with the salt cellar on the tray of a passing waiter.

[Tim Spanton]

Hi Tim,

Although it makes no real difference, having officially White going first helps with notation
as games could start 1.e7-e5 e2-e4 causing slight confusion and a nightmare for opening books.

Edinburgh had the Black pieces but 'the move' v London in the 1820's their Scotch Game looked like this.

RNBKQB1R/PPP1PPPP/5N2/3P4/3pp3/2n5/ppp2ppp/r1bkqbnr w - - 0 1

Also it should help in avoiding errors, Anderssen had the Black pieces (and the move) in The Immortal.
Sometimes it filters down through chess lore that Kieseritzky was White and a few times we get to see:



Picture from Edward Winter's site, page link also mentions chess on the radio (which is currently topical) in 1926!

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/immortal.html

Possibly the biggest change in recent years was abolishing adjournments.

Have adjournments been abolished by Fide, or just discouraged? The ECF still allows them.

[JustinHorton]

But not in FIDE-rated games as far as I am aware

[Tim Spanton]

Fide's rules in 2018 apparently had provisions for adjournments:

Taking effect from 1 January 2018
Guidelines I. FIDE Laws of Chess
I.1.1 If a game is not finished at the end of the time prescribed for play, the arbiter shall require the player having the move to ‘seal’ that move.

But perhaps this has since been abolished?

[NickFaulks]

But perhaps this has since been abolished?

No it hasn't.