O' yeah forgot that part. Yeah sure I'd play with your variant if you'd play mine. You'd need to set up winboard, which is very easy.

LXIVC I would be very happy to play with you. If you download the file and do the one time of setting it up, with the instruction provided in the file. I would be willing to play any time. Still figuring the final board layout. Yet changing it is as simple as you copying and pasting a new costum.dat file I give you. Then hitting new game. I can help with any questions too. Muller would must likely chim in and help people with winboard if needed. He understands it a world better than I do.

As far as easy methods or playing arbitrary variants is concerned: Some time ago I set up a turn-based server for Seirawan Chess. It was my first attempt, and it was a bit primitive. And not very general.

I am trying to improve on that now by making a web page that is very easy to configure for any variant, using JavaScript. It takes the piece descriptions in the same notation as WinBoard does, and similarly highlights the moves of the piece when you 'pick them up'.

It is connected to a server, to which it can upload your moves when you press a button. The server keeps track of who's turn it is, and stores the game as it grows. Other people can also select the game for viewing.

As a first trial I configured the page for Elven Chess, but I could easily set up a page for other variants as well. It is just a matter of changing a few parameters in the JavaScript (like board dimensions, participating pieces, moves of these pieces as Betza strings, depth of the promotion zone...). It is not 'live' Chess as would be possible with WinBoard, but it is a very low-threshold method to play.

The trial page is at http://hgm.nubati.net/variants/elven . You are welcome to try it out.

Sure, Ace, I wouldn't mind playing your game, too. We can set a date for next week. (Not this weekend. I'm going to be rather busy!)

I actually like your first variation. 

It's very intriguing-looking.

My only question, however, is, why did you change the power of the snake? Iliked it the way it was, where it was an enhanced version of the Knight. I'm not sure why you took away its Knight power. I understand the Jester/Fool, but not so much the Snake.

I'm just curious, of course.

Also, If you're looking for a lathe to create your pieces, I have found some rather cheap ones that are all less than $600. (Lathes are usually in the multi-thousands, so it was nice to have found some that were way less!)

Craftsman Mini Lathe, 12 HP

719100 JET JWL-1015: 10 Inch X 15 WOOD Lathe

719110 JET JWL-1015VS 10" x 15" Variable Speed Wood Lathe (An enhanced version of the previous)

Shop Fox W1704 1/3-Horsepower Benchtop Lathe

40' Inch 4 Sppeed 1/2 HP 120v Wood Turning Lathe Machine

That sounds wonderful Muller. That will be far more likely to get new comers to variants to want to try them. I respect that you are willing to take the time to set all that up. Even if it is for your own use too. That is a something noone else has ever really done(well). Which personally blows my mind. I will deffinetly look in to your site! Well done Muller!

I didn't notice these kind words.

Thanks for acknowledging me. ^-^

Ace, can you instruct me on what to do to play the game? There are a million files in the package that I don't know where to go.

So I looked at your site Muller. Looking good. I was curious when I finsh my game. If when added can you use different piece symbles other then what winboard provides? If I provide them. That way I can name my pieces what I want.

I think I understand how to use winboard for this. I just need to learn the piece moves thoroughly. When do you think you'd be able to play?

LXIVC, More or less any day of the week. I updated the file for download yesterday. So you might want to replace with the current layout, or even pick one from the last few I set up. I prefer the one on the first post, I updated.I have a copy of each saved till I find the final lay out that suits the pieces the best.
So mainly time of day. I'm tend to be free from 12-midnight. US eastern time. 7 days a week. So when ever. The winboard does require you to set up the P2P file and a few things the first time around. To play my variant online. There are instructions in the first folder tho, that will help. Once set up all you wave to do is set the match making passcode for the server and select my variant from the list. To play a game from that point.

What is the reason for not using a solid board (without holes)?

I think the holes are meant to serve as sort of a safeguard for the pieces, where placing pieces behind them cause them to be safe from some threats made by enemy pieces.

Ace, the file is still extremely buggy. 

The pieces, while there, are invisible. re-sizing the program window will make some pieces re-appear while others disappear. That's something you might want to look into.

The web page can use any graphics. Inside the page you would just have to type the filename for each piece image (without White or Black prefix, which it adds itself), like imag[6] = "King.png". And then the name of the directory where all the images are. Then it will use those images.

I used images of 33x33 pixels, as I had all those of the XBoard pieces on my website, for the rules pages for the WinBoard standard variants.

WinBoard only has built-in piece graphics for unorthodox pieces for board sizes 'bulky' (72x72) and 'middling' (49x49), and some at size 'petite' (33x33). For the other sizes you would have to supply external bitmaps. In absence of those, missing pieces won't be displayed. So you should not size the window.

Totally agree.

"Any fool can make something complicated. It takes genius to make it simple." - Woody Guthrie

I think he's in the process of refining it into something more simple, Marco.

Let's not overlay judgement just yet.

I can't move the white princess. The black one does work.

There are several of errors still in the file, including the one that LXIVC has pointed out.

Another included the fact that the Wizard (star) is given more power in winboard than what Ace stated here: on the board, it can move like the knight as well. Also, the fool is a leaper onto all its squares rather than just the 3rd squares in range.

Added - Castling Queenside for White is not working properly: The Rook doesn't move to the other side of the King.