user1207: Are alternative chess rules/styles considered favourably by the main chess community? To be more specific I mean games like 3D chess (as seen in Star Trek) or landscape chess, as explained here:
http://intrepidis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/landscape-chess.html
Are there tournaments for chess variants?

user70: I have not heard of any regular tournaments for any chess variant with the exception of Chess960.

user291: The only variants I can think of that experienced chess players seem to have any interest in are Chess960 (aka Fischerandom) and Bughouse. Even Seirawan chess, which has the imprimatur of a grandmaster, has not really attracted any real interest.
Other variants are not looked on unfavorably but they are basically ignored.

1207: <p>Are alternative chess rules/styles considered favourably by the main chess community? To be more specific I mean games like 3D chess (as seen in Star Trek) or landscape chess, as explained here:
<a href="http://intrepidis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/landscape-chess.html">http://intrepidis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/landscape-chess.html</a></p>

<p>Are there tournaments for chess variants?</p>
 70: <p>I have not heard of any regular tournaments for any chess variant with the exception of Chess960.</p>
 291: <p>The only variants I can think of that experienced chess players seem to have any interest in are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess960">Chess960</a> (aka Fischerandom) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bughouse_chess">Bughouse</a>. Even <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seirawan_chess">Seirawan chess</a>, which has the imprimatur of a grandmaster, has not really attracted any real interest.</p>

<p>Other variants are not looked on unfavorably but they are basically ignored.</p>
