💡📝M Winther wrote on Fri, Dec 11, 2009 10:42 AM EST:
Mirari, the bishops would otherwise point at a very important development square of the Mastodon, namely b3/b6, h3/h6. Placing the Mastodon two squares away from the knight also makes them not compete about development squares. I think it's an ideal initial setup. The fact that the bishop points at the rook is of little consequence. The Mastodon, or the Pasha as Paulovits called it (c. 1890), is an attractive piece.
/Mats