Custom Position Tournaments

Okay, I know I am presenting a new idea here, but this might be a cool fix to help us in the future of tournaments. 

Have you ever wanted to explore an idea with friends, a specific move order, but found that it was not available?  I find the amount of openings to choose from on this site fantastic, but I couldn't find a simple idea I wanted to explore, 1. f4 c5.  I don't even know the name of it, I call it Bird's Opening - Sicilian Variation.

How about this?  The ability to create a custom position tournament - this can be from something as simple as an idea I discussed with Amnesiac earlier (Center Game: Pinson (me) Variation:

Or, you could even have the option to create random positions, such as:

This would fix Erik's issue of trying to institute new lines into the database - people could input their own custom tournaments.  We could use the tournament forum to generate hype for our ideas, see if they are well-enough liked to be played, and then create the tournament. 

Any feedback would be appreciated :-)

Let's say you wanted to make the old favorite around here, the Bongcloud Attack... I am sure it is not available in the tourney choices :-p

Okay, I am resurrecting this thread.  It doesn't look like it got much attention in the past, as no one responded.  

I recently created a "thematic tournament" here with the idea of 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 g5!?.  I call this the Pinson Variation - it has never before been documented as an official variation until I created a Wikipedia article about the opening. 

Chess.com does not offer the ability to create custom positions, so the closest I could set the moves to was 2. Nf3.  I put in my notes that all players must play 2...g5, or they will lose the ability to continue their games.

I recently found out that the staff says that I cannot do this - if a tournament has different moves than what my notes suggest, there is nothing I can do.

But I believe the idea of custom tournaments has some huge perks - I offered two suggestions to chess.com   This is a portion of the letter I wrote to the staff:

#1 (the small fix) - chess.com could offer 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 g5 as a viable position in the Starting Position pulldown tab.  We could name the position French Defense - Pinson Variation.  This way, in the future, we would be able to explore this variation with thematic tournaments, the exact thing we are trying to do right now.

#2 (the fix I have desired before) - chess.com creates the ability to set up custom tournaments - the creator of the tournament puts in a valid list of moves.  This would have strong ramifications in a positive way!  Players on chess.com who want to discuss novelties would be able to create custom tournaments on chess.com that revolve around exploring positions from the place of the novelty.  This could be a new nice perk to chess.com - the ability to begin a game as deep into the opening, middlegame, or even endgame, as the chess player desires.  

I believe the second suggestion has a lot of merit.  Let's say that you have an idea that you want to explore on chess.com - you might want to create your own tournament to explore the idea.  How about a novelty in the Marshall Attack?  How about a tournament revolving aroung an endgame?  Or maybe you simply want to explore anything...

Let's admit, some of the openings offered on chess.com (Cabbage Attack) don't inspire confidence, but they are there.  Why not offer us, the flesh and blood of chess.com, the opportunity to create custom positions for tournaments?

My idea behind this is as follows:

If you have a relevant chess position that you can provide a list of moves, that would be wonderful - so people can see where you are coming from.  I am certain some players might use this idea to create tournaments full of nonsense (wouldn't surprise me to see a Fool's Mate tourney!), but there will be players (like me) who are interested in exploring opening novelties, unique middlegame ideas (think of Gonnosuke and his Halloween Gambit!), and even endgames (whether they are standard ideas, or unique positions).  I am not sure if it makes sense to provide a custom position without providing the moves that led up to the position - this might enhance the discussion.

For instance, let's say I wanted to create a tournament around another opening I came up with (don't believe it has been tested before, at least to my knowledge - this opening doesn't yet have a Wikipedia article).  This is a simulation of what I am discussing:

Tournament Name: Bird's Opening - Sicilian Invitation, Pinson-Raider Gambit.

(Of course, this is not an official name, but I do have a story behind the name, believe it or not. Next, we have notes about the idea, and then the presented idea (in .pgn format would be nice, but not necessary).)

Did you know that 1. f4 c5 doesn't have an official name?  Some may call it the Sicilian Invitation - I proposed the idea of "Sicilian Invitation", for instance.  However, the next few moves are a personal idea of mine against a friend of mine.  He loves to play the Kan - his last name is Raider.  Therefore, the first few moves of the Black pieces are part of his standard opening.  I got the idea for the White pieces from reading Taylor's book on Bird's Opening, but the idea of castling after ...Qc7 is my own.  White castles and allows the f-pawn to be taken.  I believe that if Black does choose to play ...Qxf4, he is walking into a landmine.  However, that is left to be determined by the brilliant explorers who are willing to test lines and see if they hold up to standard.

Here is the idea:

We could explore this idea - even maybe have a tourney where Black is forced to take the pawn, if they dare!  Or simply see if Black can "refute" White's setup with something more typical, like early ...d5.  Or even better - tread unknown territory.

Note - this is not about joining a tourney.  Someone did ask me that - this is about having more options in games and tourneys.  Let's say you and a friend have been discussing the following line:

( I don't really buy into this line, I am simply posting this as a quick line that I doubt chess.com has in its server).  You really believe White is much better, but your friend is convinced Black has his chances, and you both want to try the idea out.  With the ability to create custom positions, this is no problem.

About 2 years ago, I was trying a thematic idea with linkspringger, but I accidentally altered the idea and walked into a line that was more dangerous for White to play (I was Black).  This was an accident, and we called a quick draw.  That being said, this wouldn't have happened if I had the option of the custom chess position.

I believe it would be a wonderful perk to this site.  What do you guys think?

I think it's a great idea. Also f4 ,c5 then e4 is the grand prix attack

I don't think it would be particularly too hard for chess.com to do this and it certainly has my support.  I've wanted to do tournaments for my novelties but found myself frustrated by the lack of options of the starting position.  This would be a great add!

This is a great idea.  Have you tried to talk to the staff yet?

Once so far - I did send a letter to staff about this, and I have brought it up to Erik before - he told me that it is going to take some work.  Some players on here seem to think it is an easy fix.  I am not a tech-genius, so I cannot tell you what is easy or not.  But if there is a lot of support from guys like us, chess.com may see it as a more valuable thing to bring into their site.  I would definitely be appreciative of something like this.  

It all stemmed from this one tourney I am hosting with 2...g5 against the 2. Nf3 French - there is no option to set the moves at 2...g5 for beginning, and staff said as of now, I can do nothing about it. 

awesome Idea I would buy a membership for a feature like that.

This is a great idea! I would be very interested in playing thematic endgames, for instance, because I think my endgame play is far from good. Thematic tournaments for openings are good, but chess.com could and should bring it a step further!

For instance, right now in the Starting Position Database, there are about 27 different position available for Bird's Opening.  There is even a Dudweiler Gambit:

I cannot picture playing this at all - no good reason, not one!  But it is available for discussion.  

However, there is no option for what ought to be one of the most pronounced options available for discussion: 1. f4 c5.

I am not sure this variation has a name, really, but it is a very pertinent idea in Bird's Opening.  Fischer played the idea (no need to name every name, just mentioning his name is often enough) instead of 1...d5.  Why?  There are a lot of reasons why a person would choose 1...c5.  One reason, besides gaining queenside space, and clamping down on d4, is to play ...d6 followed by ...e5, which is a strong idea for Black.  

But as of right now, the option isn't available for the consumer.  

With the idea of custom positions, let's say you have an idea you want to explore, and it becomes a real idea - not just yours, but something that other players can relate to.  They begin to play it.  It begins to develop a shape and character of its own.  It is birthed in tournaments and discussions.  Suddenly - it becomes a "valid idea" and chess.com (and other chess sites out there) birth your idea on the market - with your name!  This is your TN.  Whether it becomes ?! or !?, or maybe even ? (God forbid! ), your idea got the exposure it deserves. 

BTW, I would probably call 1. f4 c5 Bird's Opening, Sicilian Invitation, in honor of 1. Nf3 c5, which is called A04: Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation.

I love the idea. Write a ticket to the site feedback and suggestions department and put the link to this forum as backup.

I will - they should be responding to my initial ticket, which I wrote yesterday.  My purpose in working with this forum is to show chess.com that its consumers really value this idea, and that it would not be a waste of time for them to pursue it.   Thanks for your support cpctc - I will be following back with chess.com staff in probably 3 days, giving as many people time that they need to post their ideas on this idea. 

LOL -- what some people won't do to get their names in print.  

Those who mock others normally spend their lives on the sidelines, never accomplishing much.  Every great mind has been mocked before, because their idea wasn't other's cup of tea.

I am not advocating that 2...g5 is the next best thing, but this has less to do with how good that is, and more about the custom positions.  The real question is, would you like to be able to begin a game, or a tournament, in any position, whether it is in the database or not?

The suggestion to start ordinary games from custom positions has been raised several times e.g.

1. can-i-start-a-game-with-the-pieces-in-specific-position
2. does-anybody-think-this-would-be-fun
3. new-games-with-predetermined-set-up
4. custom-starting-positions2

Of course artfizz, you would enter a game at your own discretion.  I am not entering any Fool's Mate tourneys any time soon!  lol or even that Dudweiler gambit with 1. f4 d5 2. g4...but there you go, it may be someone else's cup of tea. 

Yeah, it might.

My most humble apologies. Thanks for informing me of your great mind.  

You promotion scheme is certainly failsafe.  Find some unnamed idea or process, name it after yourself, write a Wikipedia article about your idea, cite your own experiences as supporting material.  Then declare that it is now "officially" recognized.  I'm sure it won't be long before a search for "Pinson" on Wikipedia turns up all sorts of goodies-- perhaps a Pinson Pass in basketball, a Pinson Parking Maneuver in driving, a Pinson Omelet with an ingredient no one else would use . . . 

Cystem, first off, since you didn't know, I already asked Stefan Buecker about the validity of my name on this idea - he didn't seem to think anything was wrong.  He is a very respected chess mind.  If you want to see that for yourself, you can look up http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1308194168 - take a special look at Post #12.

Second, if I wanted to attach my name to something else with no name, I would probably be putting it on 1. f4 c5, since it doesn't seem to have a name either.  But I didn't.  I didn't really become the first one to discuss that variation.  To the best of my knowledge, I am the first to discuss 2...g5 actively.  

Third, even if it didn't have my name on it, you are totally missing the point here.  Please, let me show you how to run the bases - first, go to base 1, then 2, then 3, then home.  You can't run the other way.

The point here has nothing to do with my name on an opening.  It has to do with creating custom tournaments.  I believe you totally missed the point here.  If you continue to be arrogant and nonsensical, I am not going to respond a third time, as I can tell you are blatantly missing the point of this forum.