Modern FFA is not the second TEAM mode

I believe that today's FFA is not the second TEAM mode. This is an independent, interesting and popular game. Just not everyone knows how to play it). Moreover, not everyone uses their capabilities at different stages of the game.

In this topic, I described how I see the modern FFA and try to confirm the name of the topic. I'm just as interested as you see it.

Why is the game popular?

1. There are two winning places, that is, the ability to add a rating higher than in SOLO. Not everyone has the courage to endure a bunch of defeats in SOLO.
2. The game proceeds vigorously and does not allow remaining passive. You have to see the tactics from the first moves.
3. The psychology of the game is more complicated than in the TEAM mode.
4. Add it yourself.

The game consists of three completely different stages.

First stage. 2 vs 2. This stage is very similar to TEAM. And here the skills of playing in the TEAM mode will help you a lot. In order to successfully pass this stage, I had to play the TEAM mode. This is a very interesting experience, I advise everyone, you will learn a lot. If you do not want to study, then this is your problem.

However, it has important differences that are important to consider.

1. You cannot communicate with whom you have cooperate. Therefore, it is difficult to create difficult mate combinations. However, many standard techniques that are successfully used in TEAM are available here. In addition, you must take into account the level of the opposite player (opp) in the TEAM mode (and in the FFA) and build your game from this so as not to wonder why your opp did not support your attack?
2. Your pieces cannot be used as protection for your opp, as well as in the TEAM mode. Yes, its can protect his pieces, but its can also accidentally help to checkmate him ( https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2317660-43 green accidentally helped).
3. Holding and turning pawns into queens plays a big role here, especially when the rooks and queens are traded. It is much easy to do than in the TEAM mode.
4. You can take the pieces of your opp (https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2254813-74 another delay and blue would defend Rc6 and then red yellow is bad).
5. If a checkmate is set, it is considered immediately and you can’t save your opp (as you can see, not all team theory works https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2413493-12 )
6. Already at the 2vs2 stage, you can start earning an advantage over your opp. You can attack the left flank player, then it will be more likely that you will checkmate and get points for it. There are interesting statistics for solo: https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/some-wta-statistics , I think it will be just as true for and for 1 place in FFA.

And most importantly, at this stage the game does not end, this is only the beginning!

Second stage. 2 vs 1. This stage are trying to avoid in every possible way; for this, SOLO and other options were invented. Often the game loses its meaning in this stage, because some prematurely agree to the second place and forgetting about themselves give their first place. Others give up, although they have in stock the ability to complicate the game to rivals. Relaxed early, much more to do! Here is a big part of the psychological game in FFA.

A.You are left alone - do not despair! Many players earn points here in third place and give up. This is a bad strategy. You can save time and give up. But you can win!

What can you do?

1. Build a fortress ( https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2201055-107 look at the yellow wall, punching it will cost you first place), especially take care of your king so that the price of the mate is very high.
2. Checkmate the king of your former opp ( https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2232384-88  blue had a checkmate next move, red did the right thing).
3. Play on time. The first stage takes a lot of it and you can play on opponent time.

Examples of not losing hope: https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2341680-91;

https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2316810-62

In general, try to quarrel the flank players among themselves (this is a very difficult psychological task) and earn as many points as possible.

B. Do you think you have already won? Do not relax! You can be betrayed or the autoclaime will overtake you ( https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2249166-114 I did not want to betray the blue).

What do you have to do?

1. Kill the second flanking enemy, make sure that you put the checkmate.
2. Accumulate pieces or points (and better of both) in order to win the next stage and become the first (https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2303905-37 yellow chose better strategy variant and outplayed red).
3. Do not betray your opp. A traitor's reputation is not profitable.
4. Betray your opp) (it happens that this is the only opportunity to take first place), find support for the flank player and most importantly come up with an excuse.

Now this is a problematic stage and it is precisely many players who do not understand this stage and do not want to understand, but I hope this will change.

The third stage. 1 vs 1. These are ordinary chess, only with different geometry and the other number of pieces. Here you will find it very useful to play 2pc (ordinary non-boring chess).

If you have fewer pieces, but you surpass the level of your opp (this is often found now) in 2pc, you have every chance to win (https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2322654-73 I think I had a great chance of winning, but could not find the necessary moves, unlike my opponent).

The game is over, I hope you won). And that was awesome! You played in the TEAM mode, then weaved intrigues against your confederate in the second stage and at the end showed your chess skills. And you want to change this?

What is the potential of the game?

1. The spread of the strategy associated with cooperation with the flank player (https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/another-cooperation-in-ffa ; https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2283031-8 imagine this in FFA) )
2. An increase in the number of good players from the TEAM mode in FFA, due to which the quality of the first stage will increase. (https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=2337095-25 look at how two good players in TEAM quickly outplayed me and my opp)
3. An increase in the number of masters 2ps in FFA, due to which the quality of the third stage will increase.

I hope I convinced you that the modern FFA is a peculiar game, and not just the second TEAM mode, which has not yet revealed its full potential, and which you should learn to play, and not try to change it.

And most importantly, much depends on you, on your versatility and ability to learn something new (you are free from all).

Bravo. Best post I've ever seen.

Thank you Vasily!  Personally, I have never had a problem with the "modern FFA" and, though rules will probably be changed soon to make it more satisfying for the majority, I think it has been a very enjoyable era of FFA that we may never see again.  This modern FFA of 2019 is something beautiful in its intricacies and physiological aspects, and I wish more people saw it more in this way.  Must we end this ground-breaking era?  That is to be seen.

All this stages allready exist in SOLO game - team mode at first, then totaly diferent 3 pl. stage ( without anoying teaming in this faze, what is main problem of ffa ) and 3. stage - normal chess. Question - why we need ffa when we have the same thing but much more better without problems from modern ffa? 

Second stage. 2 vs1. It only happens in bad SOLO games when one of the players does not understand that you need to cooperate against the strongest player (at the moment). In SOLO, the second stage is 1 vs 1 vs 1. 2 vs 1 is temporary in SOLO and the union of the two can change. Often stage 2 ends with a victory on points or goes into stage 1 vs 1 with a strong advantage of one of the players. After that, no third stage.
The FFA usually unites the opp and this persists until the end of the second stage. And usually they kill the third player and play among themselves. And if both players took care of the third stage, then this will be a very interesting game 1 vs 1.
In general, if we distribute the SOLO and FFA game on the stages that usually occur in the game, we will see the following.
SOLO: 1 vs 1 vs 1 vs 1 (battle for life) => 1 vs 1 vs 1 (battle for victory) ;
FFA: 2 vs 2 (battle for victory) => 2 (1 vs 1 hidden) vs 1 => 1 vs 1 (battle for points).
The main thing I want to say is that this is a completely different independent game, which has not yet fully revealed itself.

Not sure why it's called modern because this 'teaming with opposite player' has been around since the game was first created. It is essentially part of the game. It was not invented or discovered recently. It was always there.

this is why ffa is corrupted: 2 players are allowed to team and be obvious about it by their moves from beginning to end and even one of them could be in a position where they dominate the others and get 1st but then get 2nd letting their team win. but it is strictly forbidden to suggest a move through chat just for a short term strategic alliance to get strategic benefit. communication is STRATEGY to win especially with the broken top 2 system that encourages teaming. i am proposing making team through chat legal. 

I personally don't like this. But there exists a variant called Diplomacy, where such chat is allowed. Maybe you can try it.

I agree with you.

I think a proposal for cooperation can be offered without a chat.

This can be implemented at the very beginning with the help of "flag moves". For example, red moves with his left pawn (he expects cooperation with blue), right (with green), central (with yellow)

During the game, cooperation can be offered with an obvious give-away of the piece. If the player did not take the piece, he agrees to cooperate, if he took, then refused.