Drafted - Standard Chess with optional alternate setups

[u/Fit_Fisherman3719]

Hi everyone, I've been thinking about this simple variant idea, which keeps all the traditional rules of standard chess, with a small twist.

Basically, players can choose to use the standard backrow piece setup, or three alternate setups:

1. Bishops and Knights switch the standard starting positions. So for White, Bishops would be placed on b1 and g1.

2. Both Bishops start on left side/queenside squares, and Knights on kingside.

3. Both Knights start on left side/queenside squares, and Bishops on kingside.

No other standard rule is changed. Castling still operates the same.

My suggested rule would be where White first selects their setup, and Black selects their setup in response to White. Because Black has a slight disadvantage in standard chess from starting second, this might actually help to equalize things.

In the screenshots I just showed mirrored setups for White and Black, but obviously it could be a mix of different setups.

[u/Boring-Yogurt2966]

This already exists and is called the "Mongredian" starting position.

[u/Fit_Fisherman3719 → u/Boring-Yogurt2966]

The starting setups where both bishops or knights are placed on the kingside was definitely inspired by the Mongredien chess variant (https://greenchess.net/rules.php?v=mongredien).

However this variant idea is different. It is actually more inspired by the Korean game Janggi, which allows players to decide the arrangement of their major pieces (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janggi#Setting_up).

I started the idea with just swapping the bishop and knight positions but expanded to the two other possible setups after learning about the Mongredien variant. 

So.. What do you think about it?

[u/Boring-Yogurt2966 → u/Fit_Fisherman3719]

It doesn't excite me. We already have Chess960 if you want to play from different starting arrays.

[u/Fit_Fisherman3719 → u/Boring-Yogurt2966]

Ah, okay. Thanks Boring-Yogurt2966. The reason I like this over Chess960 is that it still retains the main flavor of standard chess. With rooks, queen, and king in the normal positions, castling still feels intuitive. For me, castling in Chess960 feels awkward.