What is the point of 960??

I think if somebody is focused entirely on improving their standard chess game, then playing chess 960 wouldn't be too productive.

However, we play chess because it is a fun thing to do; we play chess variants because they are also fun games (just so happens that we already know most of their rules going in).

I meant bogus in the sense that you pieces won't be in typical positions that one would normally see to start a game. I understand what it's purpose is now, I just don't think it's something for me just yet as I'm still trying to get better and am only a lowly rated 1070 guy. Perhaps one day when I have mastered more of the game I would branch off just for poop and giggles.

You're probably right. But as of right now I'm still trying to learn theory, I don't even know too much yet. A little, but not enough. So I just think that for me, right now, I want to stick to classical chess. I should probably learn theory and know it before I decide to branch away from it and go off in the wind. I don't even know past like move 5 for 5 different openings. Not there yet. 

A lot of people have told me that. I don't want to learn a ridiculous amount of theory, just enough. I know I'm a beginner, but I also know that I have an exceptional memory and the capacity to learn multiple phases of the game simultaneously. I still make mistakes, but I have really cut down on hanging pieces and doing dumb stuff. I actually have most trouble getting through the opening and into the middle game. Once I get there with a fairly balanced position I can usually hold my own or perform better in the endgame. 

I have heard several people mention his books. They must be good. I will have to look into them. Thanks for the heads up man. Appreciate it. Always learning. Always improving.

Here for blitz, and inane, dumb, silly, stupid, childish threads!

IIMave missed "traditional".

i share BoyStan's opinion: apart a few specialists and the whole russian school and ex-countries of USSR, lotta people who invested massively money in learning chess openings till move 30, lotta non chess player find it boring for that reason : 30 best moves are now known and there is NO other sport with so many DRAWS, even if the match is good, who would pay to see Chicago bulls making 99/100 DRAWS ? seriously! or djokovith, Murray 98/100 of ALL their matches .... DRAW ????!!! think to it, 960 is chess future, russian lobby and satellites will fce INDIA and CHINA and the marketing rules will prevail, imho!

1. the "thrill" starts at move 30+in 99% of matches traditional

2. there is in fact NO thrill in the name of the winner :

D-R-A-W !

(cf. soccer in the 60's, no one attacked, because a system called Catenaccio, no goals in 99% of matches, ty Italy !).  They had to change the rules.

As they say in Torino / Juventus / soccer Italy/mafia EU, "how to buy a match if there is just only draws ?" 

Chess 960 or Random Chess's purpose is to make opening preparations irrelevant and focus on chess skills alone to win a games. Tactics, position evaluation, pawn structures, piece play, and other chess skills are still very much used, it's just that with the number of positions coming out at the opening is exponentially increased opening preparations is made much more difficult almost equal to no preparations at all. Thus the emphasis is switched to these chess skills instead and not to study of openings which many beginners usually do. Thus it usually helps if one develops the skills needed in chess rather than focus on the opening preparations. Many regular patterns occur in random chess games that are very similar in normal chess and by the middle game players usually try to make it more familiar to themselves by trying to reach a more familiar position. However, it loses the point of Random chess which is to be comfortable in unfamiliar positions, to train yourself how to plan and execute in unknown territory, positions you could very much face in a normal classical chess. Let's face it variety adds life to the game.

Thanks fBisnoPete and WalangAlam for insightful comments.