3 ms·

First player advantage seems to be consensus but I wonder how much of an effect piece layout has for players playing second. If you reversed the king and queen

First player advantage seems to be consensus but I wonder how much of an effect piece layout has for players playing second. If you reversed the king and queen placement for both players would the advantage be as great?

InitialLastName 5y ago
Unless there are hidden psychological effects (which good players will attempt to surmount, as a matter of course), mirroring the board placement will make no difference. There is no asymmetry of moves other than the starting position of the king and queen, so all strategy will simply be mirrored if the king and queen are mirrored.