Theoretical question: Is Heraclitus (aka Calvinball) Chess possible?

[richardhutnik]

This is a theoretical question, meant to test whether or not, even through boundaries, if the ruleset to chess is finite or infinite. This does NOT mean playing chess this way is the best way to play chess, but it does as the question of whether or not chess itself could remain unsolved if you introduce variant rules. Anyhow, onto the question posed by Heraclitus (aka Calvinball) Chess.

The philosopher Heraclitus said, "You can never step in the same river twice" . So, on this note, I would like to run this concept as part of the Chess of Tomorrow project. As part of the discussion of the future of chess, someone brought up Calvinball. They posted a link to one set of unofficial rules:
http://www.bartel.org/calvinball/

There is one permanent rule they have for Calvinball on that page. That rule is: You may not play the Calvinball the same way twice.

So the basic framework for the ultimate chess variant would be: Can you have a framework for chess and variants that would enable a person to NEVER play chess the same way twice (by the exact same set of rules)? A softer version of this challenge would be that a person would play both side (black and white) each once, before moving on to a set of rules. Another softer version of this question would the prospects of rules changing DURING a game, so a game which has rules change to something different in turn 3, would be considered a different game than one where the same rules change happened in turn 5.

Would this be true for a COMMUNITY of players, that keeps adding new players, given an infinite amount of time also? The community of players as a whole would never see the same set of rules twice in the games they play?

A Heraclitus (aka Calvinball) tournament would consist of this being unique for each game. During the tournament, a limited set of games, each game has a different set of rules. This is a practical application of the whole Heraclitus chess approach.

Please feel free to discuss this hear, or if you want it to add to the Chess of Tomorrow project, post in here:
http://chessvariants.wikidot.com/for...ed#post-139883