Casino chess!

Greetings, chessers!

After imbibing several pints of a certain fizzy amber-colored liquid last night, I had a stroke of genius:  I'm thinking about pitching a casino-based chess game to Harrah's or Boyd Gaming, and I wanted to get some input from some of my chess.colleagues on the matter before I put my proposal together.  This may be the silver bullet that I've been looking for to make me loads of $$$ without having to do any real "work." 

Okay, here's what I've got:  The game will be set up on a standard half-moon shaped gaming table with maybe 4-5 player seats instead of the standard 6 that a blackjack or mini-baccarat table would have.  In front of the player slots will be  slightly-smaller-than-regulation chess boards mounted on turntables so the player can choose whether he wants to play black or white.  I think using video/electronic chess in the casino would be too impersonal (chess players are notoriously personable!) and would also make it harder to argue that it's fair for the players if they were playing an engine.  So, using real chess boards and a non-robot dealer are of paramount importance.  Since there's an extremely high unemployment rate amongst the THOUSANDS of chess grandmasters in Reno alone, it shouldn't be too hard to recruit dealers. 

What I'm wanting to get some input on is exactly how the betting should be set up, how the timing should play out (maybe have multiple tables like they do for blackjack only with different TIME limits at each instead of just minimum/maximum bets).  Also, since 90% of all AMERICANS play chess (the game WAS invented here, after all!) I was wanting to also get some ideas on how I should spend/invest/donate the MILLIONS of US DOLLARS that I will have within weeks.  Possibly pay hundreds of homeless people $20/hour to wear chess piece costumes and stand on gigantic chessboards that I could have painted on a parking lot?  It would help feed and employ the homeless, and more importantly, it would amuse me.

If anyone has any input at all on this idea, please do share!  But please, save your praise and adulation.  I know this is pure genius, I don't need to be told!  Also, does anyone else listen to Jim Croce?

Yabba

So basically, recruit GM's to give an all-day mini-simul at a casino?

What are the odds of the average person winning? A heck of a lot lower than at a slot machine would be my guess.

The problem is that titled players could just walk in there and clean up.

The whole point of casino games is that they're games of chance, with all the odds rigged in the casino's favor. The casino always wins in the long run, no matter what. By having games of skill instead, you give the players a legitimate chance of beating the system through pure skill - which is exactly what casinos don't want.

lanceuppercut_239 wrote:

So basically, recruit GM's to give an all-day mini-simul at a casino?

What are the odds of the average person winning? A heck of a lot lower than at a slot machine would be my guess.

The problem is that titled players could just walk in there and clean up.

The whole point of casino games is that they're games of chance, with all the odds rigged in the casino's favor. The casino always wins in the long run, no matter what. By having games of skill instead, you give the players a legitimate chance of beating the system through pure skill - which is exactly what casinos don't want.

Hmm, good point.  Chess IS a game of skill and not chance.  But, so is poker.  Perhaps a version of the game where players are pitting their skills and bankrolls against each other and not the house might be more practical.  The house takes a rake off of each bet, maybe 5%, and then lets the chess.pugilists slug it out.  

And yeah, obviously titled players could come in and clean up.  But, so could a WPT or WSOP professional poker player.  Perhaps it's a case of "player beware."  I know I wouldn't sit down at a poker table with Gus Hansen.  I wouldn't sit down at a CasinoChess(tm) table with chess.com's own Rusa, either. 

Anyway, thanks for your input!  That's why I posted the thread, to get suggestions and point out flaws.  My idea is already evolving.  I'm gonna be RICH!

one idea is to instead of have chess boards, have cards with chess pieces on them, and whoever gets to 21 without going over, wins! that makes it a LOT simpler.

erik wrote:

one idea is to instead of have chess boards, have cards with chess pieces on them, and whoever gets to 21 without going over, wins! that makes it a LOT simpler.

That is absolutely INGENIOUS, but alas, that game already exists.  And even if it didn't, simply having pictures of chess pieces on standard poker cards hardly makes the game worthy of being called CasinoChess(tm).  And yeah, it won't be the simplest game to play even if you are a master player.  But, who doesn't like a challenge?  Wait, don't answer that. 

Perhaps the betting should be set up similar to a full baccarat table where the players take turns playing "Banker."  Doing this without using house money would probably exclude all but the wealthiest chess players though.  Hmmm.   Thinking.  Anyone have any input on this aspect of the game?  Maria?

Yabba

rich wrote:

No I don't think it's fantastic.

So, you think it's AWESOMELY fantastic?  I don't understand - what exactly are you saying?  It's obviously a great idea, but HOW great?  Please advise.

Pure and Absolute

BRILLIANCE

I think it's a ABSOLUTE STROKE OF BRILLIANCY!!!

(As you requested on Live Chess, Yabba)

I'd pay to play a GM in real life...
Not to win but just to play, I think the system itself could be adjusted.
Nobody expects to win from a GM, disguise them as young children with trouble paying attention at all:) And you can play for ice cream, lots of ice cream:) with a small umbrella on top and a sparkling thing on top.

You could earn money based on how many points you capture =o. Or maybe the return depends on the amount of points you gain. Say, 1-10 points = 0 return. 10-20 = normal 20+ = double or something like this. =P Casino's would earn a lot of money on this, especially if everyone had to play gms XD. And make them blitz games =o.

i think what you should do is modify it a little so that people snap off a pawn head and then spin it around in a wheel and bet on where it is going to land!!

"Also, since 90% of all AMERICANS play chess (the game WAS invented here, after all!)"

Interesting fact, but I dont think there is a bit of truth in either of those statement. Get it correct before you go pitching the idea to cainos.

Good Luck

FIrst of all, chess was made in India about 2,500 years ago, not america for godsake(your a TRUE american, not *not in the good way P-:*) and also, i hope you have a  A LOT OF MONEY

iamcosmo wrote:

"Also, since 90% of all AMERICANS play chess (the game WAS invented here, after all!)"

Interesting fact, but I dont think there is a bit of truth in either of those statement. Get it correct before you go pitching the idea to cainos.

Good Luck

Nonsense.  I speak nothing but the truth.  In fact, my truthiness is so strong if I tell a lie it instantly becomes fact.  Remember that time in 1999 when the sky turned green for a couple hours?  That was because I had a billboard put up in downtown Dallas that said "The Sky Is Green - Yabba."

Face the fact, chess was invented by Chuck Norris in AMERICA in 1987.  Anyone who claims to have played chess before then is either lying or in possession of a time machine, which is a prosecutable offense the world over.  So, who's word are you going to take - mine, a liar's, or a criminal's?

Lentinik wrote:

I have an idea! You could set up randomly generated chess potitions, half played games, for people to play out (bet before they see the board). Then you could rig the games sightly in the casino's favor!

Diabolical!  But, the gaming regulators would sue and fine me out of existence.  It's gotta be fair to a point.  I'm thinking of a non-house staked community pot game where the players just pay a "rake" for the privelege of having an air conditioned place to play chess and drink free booze, like casino poker.  Not sure if the rake should be a percentage of the pot or a flat fee.  Hmmm.  More questions than answers!  Arrgh!

yabba, your a funny guy. . .

firestare500 wrote:

yabba, your a funny guy. . .

You sir are too kind.  But, my words are NOT to be taken lightly!  Too many chess.critics write me off as a "Silly Billy," but rest assured, I'm so serious that in certain circles I'm known as "Mr. Serious" to this day.  Seriously!

Good idea. And what? Sky green?

why would they pay you when they can just hold a meeting place for free?

did you know that i suck at chess.?