Kuniegit Notes

Note 1

I'm beginning to have doubts about the starting position. 1.Ne3 might be too strong. Last night I got discouraged after 1...Ne6 2.We2 Nc5 3.Wf2. If White turns out to have a quick win, I will need to find a starting position that gives more play.

Note 2

After 1.Ne3 Ne6 2.We2 Nc5 3.Wf2 Na6, White can force the harassed Knight all the way back into the corner: 4.Wd3 Nc7 5.Wc3 Na8. At first glance White has made a lot of progress by harmoniously developing three pieces while at the same time chasing a Black piece to a very inactive and vulnerable square. But I have so far not found a win here for White. I have also noted some virtues in Black's position. His Warriors are undeveloped but well-coordinated. The wide separation of his Knights perhaps makes them less vulnerable to double attack. Anyway, White needs to be careful. After 6.N1c2, 6...Ng7 is a winning counterattack.

I hope the specified starting position does hold up, because I think it is pleasing, classical, appropriate in appearance. I have experimented a little with stabling the two camps in opposing corners but have not found that arrangement as attractive.

Eight horses on 64 squares yields an acreage of 8 squares per horse. Twelve horses on 100 squares would give an almost equal amount of freedom per horse. I am wondering if twelve horse kuniegit on a 10x10 board also might be an interesting game. If so, it would be less of a toy game, more respectable in the eyes of a supercomputer. But eight horse kuniegit is a good practice game for building chess skills and thus it is very appropriate that it can be played with standard chess equipment.

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