Prescribed Openings
Keywords: Opening, Variant
KarlKnechtel: one possibility for Go variants is to just prescribe the first few moves, either based on some (poorly applied) theory or whatever principles. The opening can have an effective handicap deliberately built in, or attempt to be even - or just interesting.
This sort of thing has been done before; see Sunjang Baduk.
Other possibilities:
- The Trojan Ponnuki
- Black is not allowed (during the opening moves) to play on the hoshi: a special case of free handicap (only makes sense when playing handicap games)
- (add yours here!)