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[An About Chess guest article; May 2007. This article
is a portion of a much longer essay
A Perspective on the Art of Odds-giving,
and grew from a forum discussion on the Ehlvest vs. Rybka match ('Man-Machine Match at Odds'). The longer essay has examples of many of the types of odds discussed here.]
Types of Odds
For odds to have a more universal meaning that allowed two players of disparate skills to contend on equal footing and to allow the results of that contest to be the basis of some comparable judgment, there had to have been some standard of classical odds. There doesn't appear to have been any codification in this regard, but rather a general agreement that certain odds were considered practical. These types of odds were treated in books and spoken about in periodicals and communications.
The Classical Odds were:
The next group of Odds type may be called Uncommon Odds since they seemed to have been occasionally used and seldom, if ever, expressed in terms of assessing a player's level of play. These might include:
- Queen Rook + Queen Knight Odds
- King Rook + King Knight Odds
- Rook + Pawn and Move Odds
- Queen Rook + (King Bishop) Pawn and move Odds
- Pawn and Three Odds
- Capped Knight Odds
- Capped Pawn Odds (Pion Coiffé)
In capped odds, the giver places a marking on the piece or pawn he contracts to mate with. Mating with any other piece or pawn loses the game. These are rare but exquisite odds. (special note: according to Staunton in the Chess-Player's Chronicle, in games employing a "marked-pawn," at no time can that pawn "Queen.")
Roger Cooper
at the
Chess Variants
site presented an odds hierarchy that adds to the above list. I replicated that hierarchy along with some richer detail in an article on stakes and odds entitled,
Odds and Ends.
From Howard Staunton's Chess Player's Handbook:
Rules For Playing The Game At Odds.
I. In games where one player gives the odds of a pieces, or "the exchange," or allows his opponent to cont drawn games as won, or agrees to check-mate with a particular man, or on a particular square, he has the right to chose the men, and to move first, unless an arrangement to the contrary is agreed to between the combatants.
II. When the odds of Pawn and one move, or Pawn and more than one move, are given, the Pawn given must be the King's Bishop's Pawn when not otherwise previously agreed on.
III. When the odds of two or more moves are given, the player receiving the odds shall begin the game with these moves, but may not, in making them, advance any piece beyond his fourth rank.
IV. When a player gives the odds of a Rook he may move his King as though to castle with the Rook given, provided the square of the missing Rook has been unoccupied throughout the game, and provided the ordinary conditions as to squares and the King are complied with.
V. When the odds of a Pawn, Knight, Bishop, or Rook are given, it is understood that the King's Bishop's Pawn, or the Queen's Knight, Queen's Bishop or Queen's Rook, is intended unless special agreement to the contrary is made.
These "Rules" indicate that there are certain odds that were considered standard. Any other odds needed special arrangements or agreements between the combatants.
***
For many examples of games played at odds, see the full essay
The Romance of Chess - A Perspective on the Art of Odds-giving.
The example games may be viewed online.
About the Author:
Sarah Cohen has a special interest in chess history. Her main body of work may be found at
Sarah's Chess Journal and
Paul Morphy.
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