All Setups

Thanks you Laris for this. I hope it will give some enlightenment to people about the differents setup and facilitate communication with names. Everybody can go in the 4 pc lobby and press "a" to setup those different positions by themselves on an analysis board.

Out of 16 setup, the infamous "Old standard" is the least balanced according to Terminator. I can understand some players are fustrated to give up their files and analysis on the "Old Standard" but it's for the best interest of the game. In team, all others 15 positions are more balanced. Try them and enjoy! You will soon realise this game can be enjoyable and balanced at the same time.

4 is the one. 

Thank you, Laris!

What we can clearly see, is that Old Standard is the most unbalanced one of all permutations. We should obviously not go back to this. 

Bsrti-invert is the most balanced that has some symmetry. Still, it is different for each colour. Two colours have the King on the same side but their diagonals are mirrored. So you probably need a different opening for each colour. 

This is why I highly prefer Omatomix. It has the same setup for each colour. Therefore it should be easier to learn and you have the most consistent game. Some people might state that this is boring, but I don't think that the fun of 4PC is the opening, so I don't really care if the openings are boring.

Where did you get this from??

how could this possibly help us? whatever

@Darksquareman

Hum... By taking a couple of minutes to look at the positions? With numbers or names it's faster to understand each other than writing coordinates for four differents kings.

One of the problem recently with the starting position has been the " I don't want to change because I don't like changes" or "Omatamix is boring". Now people don't have an excuse and can just take a look at the different setup and realise "Old Standard" isn't everything in life. 

Omatamix, compared to the old standard, is boring.

@LazyImp

You have your opinion and it's perfectly fine with me. I have mine about the "Old Standard" and you know it. 

Here I'm not just talking about Omatamix, but a bunch of positions (see the list). You have an opportunity to take a look at an interesting new setup between the more balanced ones. I know you have already looked at BSRTI. Discussion are going on and it's now or never to influence the final decision. 

It's normal stronger players are more likely to be reticent to changes since they likely spent more time on the old setup. They probably want to keep that edge over other people. Even if someone don't like Omatamix, there are still many other choices with less forcing or symmetrical lines. Those positions are more balanced. Isn't this amazing (!)?

I agree to some of your points.  For example, people who are used to and spent more time playing the old setup (that includes stronger players) are more likely to want to stick with what is familiar and not want to change.  I think it's misguided to assume they want to do so just because they want to "keep that edge" over other players.  The strongest of players don't really play that much at all because there isn't much competition, and games which aren't competitive aren't much fun.  That has been emphasized by the switch, in my opinion, because less high level players are playing, which leads to less high level games.  Which feeds less high level players playing and the loop continues.  I've also elaborated more deeply on my issues with the omatamix position (see https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/starting-position-reverted-to-old?page=1).  But the short answer to your comment that there are continuations that don't end up being symmetrical is that in my experience only ry gets to dictate that asymmetry with their opening choice.

@LazyImp

Good comment. I realise one of my sentence was not clear. When I wrote "Even if someone don't like Omatamix, there are still many other choices with less forcing or symmetrical lines.", I was talking about others starting positions (not the Omatamix one). Yes, I agree even if I like Omatamix, the lines are generally more forced. When you face a mating threat you must defend.

I don't necessarily feel that we need or should keep Omatamix either. Some other positions are balanced and seems to offer decent openings choices.

> With numbers or names it's faster to understand each other than writing coordinates for four differents kings.

Coordinates can be replaced with K and Q letters (what piece is on the right). Or with R and L (king on the right or left from a player's view).

Old Standard (h1 a8 g14 n7) = K, Q, K, Q = R, L, R, L

Omatamix (h1 a7 g14 n8) = K, K, K, K = R, R, R, R

Now the proof that Omatamix is the best setup:

1. "R" stands for right = proper = true.
2. Omatamix is "R, R, R, R", it has 4 right kings, more than any other setup. Thus, it is 100% right.

P.S.

There is a joke above. Probably.

Hilarious. Probably.

@BabYagun 

Thank you for this proposition for notation.

And even if you meant it jokingly, I highly prefer the King on the right, and I am quite sure it is just objectively better to have the king on the right.

So in fact the best setup is the one with all Kings on the right: Omatomix

Here is the list in Yagum-notation:
I give them some new names

1. LRRR - Red-invert
2. RRLR - Yellow-invert
3. LLRL- Yellow
4. LLRR - Bsrti-invert
5. LLLL - Omatamix-invert 
6. RRRR- Omatamix
7. RLLR - Bsrti2
8. RRLL - Bsrti
9. RRRL - Green-invert
10. LLLR - Green
11. RLRR - Blue-invert
12. LRLL - Blue
13. RLLL - Red
14. LRRL - Bsrti2-invert
15. LRLR - Old Standard-invert
16. RLRL - Old Standard

(Michael still spelling Omatamix as Omatomix)

Noone has corrected me until now...

In ffa maybe Omatamix is better, but you also have to consider team games.

BSRTI-Invert

I don't get why we want everyone to be able to open with the exact same moves, this isn't the case in 2pc and it shouldn't be the case in 4pc.