Chess960: Champions Showdown LIVE

@BeachBum2 is right, certainly there should be more favorable starting positions, so one would have to memorize the optimal response to them.
To say that some positions favor white based on engine analysis - is this actually true? There are endgame positions where it takes a strong engine some time to reverse its initial position, how can it be accurate in the opening position? It would take a computer like Alphazero to determine the relative advantage of starting positions.
Or look at all the games played in each position on a chess website and tabulate the results over tens of thousands of games for each position. But is that even enough? Analysis of very large numbers of games in the initial chess position and I believe studies have shown different results in terms of what the white advantage is.

In a tournament or match where players get an equal number of whites and blacks, it all evens out in the end. It's like poker, players can get really lucky in a tournament, but it doesn't stop anyone from playing.

960 favours white.

Would not Bronstein chess result in similar "deep theory" around some preferred placements? It could happen in Fischer chess, but more randomness would make it harder?

I do not want to see what player has a better team/computers and memory to prepare and memorize openings till 18th move or more... I want to see how they think in positions they are not prepared for. I'm almost thinking... computer should randomly create position with equal computer evaluation, give players a few min and let them play? I think this would be fun? Yes, it could be "unfair" but watching Carlson grinding wins in every tournament is a bit boring.

In many sports (tennis, ping pong, volleyball) we do not play from 0 to 75 points (or some large number). We play shorter "sets" (to 6 or 11 or whatever). This allows for more randomness, allows a bit weaker player to actually upset better player once in a while. To have a game as a series of smaller sets, to (occasionally) keep intrigue. imho chess needs more of this to be more fun for "general public".

Even when I have time to watch some analyses of some big tournaments (King, Svidler and some others do a great job commentating on them!) I skip first ~15 moves. Who cared what theoretical version of French they picked this day... boring.

I agree with boorchess. I addition to what he has said, according to engine analysis some 960 starting positions favor White much more than the standard classical starting position.

Please understand that Fischer was inspired to create this varient from the idea of Bronstein known as "pre Chess" or Placment Chess where the players take turns on the first 8 moves placing the pieces. I encourgae the chess community to consider the advantages of Bronstein Chess over Fischer Random. 1. No need for randomization device. 2. It keeps the personal style factor but get's around opening theory. 3. It is just better!

http://www.quantumgambitz.com/blog/chess/cga/bronstein-chess-pre-chess-shuffle-chess