Experimenting with the rules of FFA

For the growth and future of 4pc experimentation with the rules should be taking place. We are the founders of this game and there is no reason why any of the current rules should be set in stone. For example, for the first couple of years of FFA there was no en passant . Then this changed. Is it better with or without? Who knows, but can we be sure that the current set of rules we have are the best for playing FFA?

I am calling for the option of changing of some rules to be added to rated games. As of now changing any rules results in the game becoming casual and it is impossible to get a game started. This means no experimenting can take place.

There are a few options that should be added to current rated games. 1) Capture the king ( regicide) . This option makes teaming and checkmates more difficult slowing the rate of first player elimination down. 2) No en passant. Removing en passant makes it easier to close the position on side players . This makes for more closed pawn structures and more positional type games where pawns can have more of an influence and less tactical team mode type games. 3) King value. Changing the king value can put more emphasis on the importance of giving checkmates and piece trades.

The thing that I have noticed is that since 4pc has more than 2 players, the game can be played many ways. Many people complain about new standard, and say that old standard was different and better. but how much can a position really change the game? I think that 4pc is played according to widely accepted rules that all players acknowledge, such as cooperation, but this is simply because it is expected. If everyone agreed to, 4pc could become an entirely different game overnight. Thus, I do not believe that any change will significantly change how it is played, since this will not change the unspoken rules all players agree on.

Keep en passant.

To your first point, it can completely change the dynamic of the opening as where you move your pawns determines what threats you make using the bishops and queens starting from move 1. When experts say that it has a big effect, there’s always reasoning behind it, even if you think it’s exaggerated.

As for cooperation, that’s just part of game theory. Unlike in your typical battle royale game, for example, you can’t feasibly play lone wolf and still win a rapid game in many studied cases. Sure, it took a year of 4PC being released for it to become “meta”, but it doesn’t mean that invalidates how important it is. In some ways, 4 Player Chess is sharper than standard 2 Player. 

hi i have 5

i completely agree with gs

HE HE

yeah, especially in teams mode, you have to play very accurately in the first few moves to avoid getting checkmated when it's the new setup.

There was another change made in teams Capture the king over checkmate (greater) So, in teams, if red mates green it's checkmate on green's turn or yellow mating blue it's on blue's turn. So in the meantime, the player from the other team (your opponent) can capture the king (even checkmated person can) because Capture the king > checkmate. It was never like this...(that something takes priority over checkmate) and on top of that if you're mated, you can move a piece and capture the king, while your king is stuck (in checkmate)

no en passant old standard teams is fun, since teams is theory, it completely changes the dynamic...openings etc. it's easier to defend or should I say it's easier to attack with en passant ON, but there are way more lines to calculate, especially in old standard, there are so many more lines with just one rule change. I personally prefer no en passant because it increases the defense capability (using a pawn in front of your king pushing 2 squares up to defend against checkmate without the side player having the option of capturing en passant ( j pawn for red for example))

Increasing defensive capability is what many players would like in FFA right now and both capture the king and no en passant provide this without changing the nature of the game too much. Unfortunately it is not possible to start a game with these options as there are no players for casual games.

GS - what are the unspoken rules?

I never said they were rules, nor will I ever claim them to be.

Opposite cooperation, respecting balance in FFA 3 Player endgames, etc., are "unspoken rules" as proclaimed by others, and while they're strategy, they aren't rules and nobody is going to come after you for not following them.

hi