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While watching the Tour De France I wonder whether we can award points (and prizes) based on certain aspects of players play during games. In the Tour you can gain points for for winning specified sprints or by doing the best climb; in chess (with live boards) would it be possible to allocate points for best performance in different areas of the game, with prizes (or just recognition) for the players who scores best say in the opening, the middle or end game?
Not sure on what basis you would allocate points: for example is it solely based on the advantage achieved after x moves in the opening or would it be for following the book furthest (not sure if that would encourage learning or just dis-courage players from thinking for themselves).
Could this be used as part of a training event to incentives players ?
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It is almost certainly impractical but I mentioned live boards because the only way to make it work would be to automate the judging process, using the silicon beast to determine what each player scores based on how much they have improved their position or how accurately they have played the end game? This could be done in real time and made available to on-line viewers?
Another motivation is that if you play well in 90% of the game you can blow it with one dumb move and you get no credit for that first 90%.
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OK, so I'm in a vaguely inspired / silly mood... the following could be compared to getting a few hundred Euros for being the first over the top of a 4th cat climb from a doomed breakaway:
Lucky letters. A particular move gets chosen at random by a computer from a list of moves that do not involve developing a piece from its starting square (e.g. Ng3). Shown on website but secret to the players. First player to play that move with either colour wins a prize.
Countdown. A particular move number gets chosen at random. Move counter that totals all of the moves made in all of the games is used. Player who makes that move number wins a prize. This could be done per round or across an entire tournament.
Swingometer. The move that makes the computer evaluation of the position shift by the most, without allowing a forced mate. Optional rule: Position before blunder must be evaluated in the range of -1.00 to 1.00 to avoid people deliberately sandbagging for the prize from a hopeless position (e.g. swing from -5.00 to -30.00).
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"Heather's clever book" - as plugged by the Rampant Chess team.
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Bingo knight. Computer generates a random bingo card for each player containing x squares that must be visited, and keeps track of all the knight moves made by each player across the tournament. First to move a knight to each square of the bingo card wins. Optional rule: Players do not see their card in order to avoid stupid finishes where an opponent with no pieces co-operates to win the prize; computer just keeps track of number of bingo squares found in a league table beside the games.
Battleships. Computer generates an 8x8 battleships grid for each player. The battleships game is played concurrently with the chess game. When a piece moves to a square, the battleships grid is automatically filled in. First player to win at battleships wins a prize. Battleships grid displayed on website alongside game.
Bullseye. "Keep out of the black and in the red, there's nothing in this game for two in a bed." 8 red squares chosen at random, each with a small prize behind, and displayed online alongside game. If a player moves a red square, they light it up for themself. But if another move is made on that square (by either player) the light goes out again. At the end of the game, the players win the prizes associated with the squares they have lit up.
Blockbusters. Players turn squares "their colour" by moving a piece to that square. First to complete a route across the board in any direction wins (diagonal links are OK). I think the squares would need to change colour each time someone landed on them to avoid blockages.
If any of these take off, I'll claim full credit. :-)
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"Heather's clever book" - as plugged by the Rampant Chess team.
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Methinks Ms Lang is not taking this too seriously
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'Most combative player' award, for whoever launches the most sacrifices or unsound attacks in one game: gets to play with a red chess clock the next round.
For the Swingometer, surely you'd be wanting to allow swings from winning positions as well as balanced ones. There's nothing quite as funny as a +5 to a -6 in one move.
Even if that wasn't a problem you would still need someone to make the decisions on who was winning what.