Single Comment

I can think of a couple of problems right off the bat, even though it seems that there are certainly reasons why I might be wrong about a couple of them and it probably requires some deeper analysis(there are certain move combinations which could occur that might throw this all in my face). It seems that a player that manages to get his diplomat next to his opponents rook can inevitably win or draw, because a rook is obviously the most powerful piece on the board (besides the diplomat itself) and the only way to protect a piece from the attack of a diplomat is to put another diplomat next to it. If the second player wants to avoid losing the game, the game would turn into a draw by three move repetition, as both diplomats suborn the rook. The second problem is that the central cell seems almost *too* important, as any bishop or rook that goes there can move to any cell on the board (but even pawns become too powerful to cope with) and it seems that the first player to safely place a piece in the center is certainly the winner (example: a bishop or rook in the center will automatically place the king in check, unless he has some sort of shield. On many occasions, it will not only be check, but checkmate). It seems rather distasteful that such an advantage can be gained so easily, and it also seems easier for white to place a piece in the center before black does, giving white a distinct advantage. The opening array seems a bit too free to me as well, as major pieces can move incredibly soon, again giving an advantage to white [It is possible to move the rook into a powerful position on the second move, after moving the diplomat, another extremely powerful piece onb the first move, also into a powerful position. For white, for example, diplomat to g2, can immediately be followed by a capture of the night, unless defensive action is taken (response by also taking the night continues to give white the one-move advantage, which will probably eventually turn into a greater advantage as soon as white can place black in check), and in such a case, the rook should be able to set up an attack on the central cell immediately]. Again, I have not fully analysed oppening possibilities, nor all of the options for the secon player in the first case, but it looks like the game is unbalanced, and any game which seems this suspicious before kickoff is, in general, a bad idea. Still, some of what is going one here is pretty cool, and it doesn't make my head hurt just to think about it (which is a good sign). It's going in the right direction, but it looks like it needs a bit more work.