Yet another chess variant???

Another chess variant waiting to happen:  Chess played on a board that's not actually a board, but a globe.  Would this lead to more, or fewer, back-rank mates?  And what about the draws from not being able to promote a-pawns or h-pawns?

Starting formation would have to be a square placed at opposite poles. Each side gets 2 sets of pawns and pieces. Maybe you have to mate both kings of your opponent for a full win.

That's just wierd

You might as well just play Byzantine Circular Chess.  Notice the pieces don't go 8 out because they would be touching each other allowing for Rxa8 or Rxh8 first move.  N could take a7 or h7.

Interesting idea.  Looked it up on Wikipedia.  They say (the board is)  "topologically equivalent to playing on the surface of a cylinder".  However, this has already been institutionalized, with a World Champinoship dating back to 1996.  But I don't like the way the rules are structured (no en passant and no castling) so I think I'll pass.  Thanks for the comment and photo anyway.

En passant would be impossible with the outer files.  It's not that they chose to not do it, but the pawns would be going backwards if they allowed it.