One of the earliest versions of random chess was mentioned in an old book titled “Miscellanea sul Giuoco degli Scacchi”, E. Carlo Usigli, Naples, 1861:
rnqbbknr/p1pppp1p/1p4p1/8/8/1P4P1/P1PPPP1P/RNQBBKNR w - - 0 1
Mutatis mutandis, the position in the diagram is identical to the position number 521 of chess960, if not for the -b and -g Pawns already advanced one square and the apparent non-faculty of castling. Let’s quote from page 607:
The pieces randomly set up. Game played between General van der Hoeven [White] and Alexandre [Black] (1).
1. Qb2 f6 2. d3 Nh6 3. e4 Nf7 4. Bf3 c6 5. Bc3 Kg7 6. Nd2 d6 7. Ne2 Rf8 8. h4 h5 9. Rd1 Nh6 10. Nc4 b5 11. Ne3 e5 12. d4 Bc7 13. Bg2 Bd7 14. Rd3 a5 15. Ke1 b4 16. Bd2 c5 17. d5 a4 18. Nc4 a3 19. Bxh6+ Kxh6 20. Qc1+ Kg7 21. c3 Na6
The pieces randomly set up. Game played between General van der Hoeven [White] and Alexandre [Black] (1).
1. Qb2 f6 2. d3 Nh6 3. e4 Nf7 4. Bf3 c6 5. Bc3 Kg7 6. Nd2 d6 7. Ne2 Rf8 8. h4 h5 9. Rd1 Nh6 10. Nc4 b5 11. Ne3 e5 12. d4 Bc7 13. Bg2 Bd7 14. Rd3 a5 15. Ke1 b4 16. Bd2 c5 17. d5 a4 18. Nc4 a3 19. Bxh6+ Kxh6 20. Qc1+ Kg7 21. c3 Na6
22. Nd2 bxc3 23. Nxc3 Nb4 24. Re3 f5 25. f3 f4−+
(1) The General, fearing his opponent as being much stronger than him in the knowledge of openings, proposed him to draw the starting array, which had to be the same for both colours. Thus the following position resulted: Rooks and the Knights at their own squares, Bishops at e1 (e8) and d1 (d8), King at f1 (f8), Queen at c1 (c8); Pawns at their own squares except for the b- and -g Pawns being advanced one square.
(1) The General, fearing his opponent as being much stronger than him in the knowledge of openings, proposed him to draw the starting array, which had to be the same for both colours. Thus the following position resulted: Rooks and the Knights at their own squares, Bishops at e1 (e8) and d1 (d8), King at f1 (f8), Queen at c1 (c8); Pawns at their own squares except for the b- and -g Pawns being advanced one square.
