Moving On

This variant has interesting endgame strategies, multiple different openings and is simple yet very tricky. The variant is KOH and pawns promote to knights.

The original version was on a 8x8 board with the whole board filled with pawns. It was too chaotic and the opening usually resulted in a ton of trades. Also the promotion to a queen was too op.

The second version was on a 6x6 board with only two rows of pawns. Pawns promoted to knights which were less op but being up a knight was just enough to win. The opening was no longer chaotic, but it was too drawish with good play; the endgame often ended with all the pawns blockaded and kings just shuffling.

The final version of my variant was on an 8x8 board with 3 rows of central pawns and 2 rows of flank pawns. I only put 2 rows of flank pawns because in the opening and middle game, most central pawns get traded. I made it so the pawns on the first rank could move 2 squares to speed up the endgame. Since there were more pawns than the second version but not as many as the original, it made the variant not too drawish and not too chaotic.

Also thanks to 2bHNST for giving me the idea to make the board larger on the final version so it’s less drawish.