odds


  On the server you have the ability to give material odds (different pieces)
for a game.  Odds games are unrated by default; they are not rated.  Odds 
games are nonstandard (marked as 'n' in 'games' and 'history' listings).  
Currently, time odds is currently not supported on FICS.

Material odds
-------------

  For most games, you and your opponent have the same pieces for a chess 
game. But you can play a game with different pieces if you want.  Use the 
match command to select a particular starting position and player on move.
For example,

    match carlsbad odds rook-and-move

would challenge "carlsbad" to a match where you would give him material odds 
of a rook as well as it being his move.  No time controls can be given; by 
default, the game will be nonstandard with time controls of 0 0.

  For a list of odds starting positions, type "boards odds".  Currently, 
there are four possible odds: pawn, rook, knight and queen.  For pawn odds, 
the King Bishop Pawn (such as white's f2 pawn) is removed.  For knight odds,
the Queen Knight (such as white's b1 knight) is removed.  For rook odds, the
Queen Knight (such as white's a1 rook) is removed.  For queen odds, the 
Queen is removed.  The designation "-and-move" means that your opponent will
be White and will start the game; otherwise, you will be White.  Note: you
are offering to have fewer pieces; your opponent would have a full set of 
pieces.


See Also:  boards  clocks  match  ratings  seek

[Last modified: January 05, 2000 -- afw]