What if black had the choice of first move?

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Avatar of KedDuff

if players could choose which color would move first in any particular game, would chess be all that different? could u play white's king gambit for black but reverse?


Avatar of neneko
There's nothing magic about the pieces. If black moved first it'd be exactly the same but with reversed colours.
Avatar of Azoth
i fail to see the point of the question.
Avatar of KedDuff

bishop color placements would change opening, wouldn't it?

opening game would be different. 


Avatar of KillaBeez
No.  It wouldn't.  This is very pointless.
Avatar of TheOldReb
If you want black to move first play checkers or go !! Laughing
Avatar of orejano
If black moves first, then i'll play the sicilian defense with white pieces.
Avatar of Beelzebub666
KedDuff wrote:

bishop color placements would change opening, wouldn't it?

opening game would be different. 


That just means the colours would be inverted for the squares as well as the pieces.


Avatar of TonightOnly

I have thought about this. Opening theory would remain the same, but things would be flipped across an axis between the d and e files. Openings would change if the King's were placed on the same color, but since they mirror each other, all that would happen is that the play would become mirrored.

 

The open Sicilian:

 


Avatar of BigHogDogg

The game would play the exact same, except mirrored down the center as chess is not symmetrical.  For example, the english opening would start with the third pawn from the right, rather then the legft.  Otherwise, black would be opening a diagonal to his king, rather then his queen, among other things.

However, the game would be played the exact same, it might confuse some players a little and lead to pointless arguments, but it would be the exact same. 


Avatar of sstteevveenn
yes, it would all be the same.  The bishops would be different colours, but so what?  they are just colours.  The side going first is also a different colour.  This actually happens in real games, if your opponent as white plays something useless on the first move, like h3, then you can play with black but as if you had the white pieces, so long as you avoid openings where h6 would be useful. 
Avatar of KedDuff

i see, well u guys are right

 


Avatar of KedDuff
true true
Avatar of unferth
up until at least the late 19th century, there was no rule requiring white to move first; instead, the first player had his choice of color. there are many well-known historical games in which black moved first; such games are customarily transposed to white-first format for modern presentation.
Avatar of Fraggerfanatic
i've played with black going first before, u know playing aroung with my friends. i had to improvise with strategies. Also it wouldnt matter if u were black or white, the strategies would be screwed up , since thair based on the axis and the beginning. But maybe the 3-move check mate would be same id have to try that on a board
Avatar of normajeanyates

I interpreted the question differently. So let me ask the question i thoght *this* was:

What if the second player decided the white player's first move? [ amounting to black playing both white's first move and  then black's own reply.]

 Would you [as black] then move 1. h4 or 1. a4 ? I am not sure - depends on the opponent - no first move is really bad - all have names.


Avatar of silentfilmstar13
normajeanyates wrote:

I interpreted the question differently. So let me ask the question i thoght *this* was:

What if the second player decided the white player's first move? [ amounting to black playing both white's first move and  then black's own reply.]

 Would you [as black] then move 1. h4 or 1. a4 ? I am not sure - depends on the opponent - no first move is really bad - all have names.


 All the cards in a deck have names, too.  I'd still rather give my opponent a three than a king.


Avatar of batgirl
Before the mid nineteenth century there was no rule requiring White to go first and, althought White went first in most games by custom, there have been a number of recorded games in which Black moved first. Generally, to make the games compatible with software, more practical for theorizing and less confusing, most of these games have been re-written with inverted colors.
Avatar of PrettyGoPale
batgirl wrote: Before the mid nineteenth century there was no rule requiring White to go first and, althought White went first in most games by custom, there have been a number of recorded games in which Black moved first. Generally, to make the games compatible with software, more practical for theorizing and less confusing, most of these games have been re-written with inverted colors.

 But what if you ate the black gumdrops, first??  Hmmmm???

 

 


Avatar of sstteevveenn
I'm still amazed somebody eats black sweets other than black wine gums which everyone knows are the best!  (Also, i'm amazed anyone eats the red wine gums).  eurgh!