Beautiful chess

Beautiful chess is a chess variant originated by amateur players from Czech Republic in 2013. It is similar to Chess960 and Transcendental chess. In Beautiful chess the beginning positions of the pieces on the back row are changed, with an idea to preserve the spirit of the game and increase variability while retaining symmetry between pieces.
Requirements of starting position
Pawns are placed on the second and seventh rank as in standard chess. White and black pieces are placed with two restrictions:
# The bishops must be placed on opposite-color squares.
# The pieces for white and black must maintain left-right symmetry.
# Black and white pieces may or may not mirror each other.
Number of starting positions
White dark-squared bishop has 4 different places. Therefore it determines the spot for white light-squared bishop. After bishops have been placed, white king has 6 places and it determines place for white queen. Then first white rook has 4 places. Since the rooks are same, we must divide by 2. At last there is only 1 way to place the knights. Same applies for black pieces.
4 x 6 x 2 48 for one side and in total 48 x 48 2,304 starting positions. Since a-file (long) and h-file (short) castlings are not exactly symmetrical there is indeed 2,304 unique positions.
For example:
# dark-squared bishop is placed on g1, light squared bishop must be placed on b1
# white king is placed on c1, white queen goes on f1
# first rook is place on d1, second rook goes on e1
# white knights assume positions on remaining vacant square a1 and h1
Methods for creating a starting position
Rolls of a single die
# Roll a die and place white dark-squared bishop counting from a-file to h-file, 1 corresponds to a1, 4 corresponds to g1. Roll again if 5 or 6 shows up. Place white light-squared bishop symmetrically with respect to dark-squared bishop.
# Roll a die and place white king. Count only vacant squares. Accordingly place queen.
# Place first rook. Odd number or even number corresponds to first or second vacant square. Place second rook.
# Without additional rolling place two remaining white knights.
# Repeat these steps for black pieces. Begin with black light-squared bishop, count files from a to h.
Castling
Standard rules for castling apply: King and corresponding rook must not move before castling. King must not be in check. After castling king must not get into check. During castling king must not cross a square that is attacked by other side. There are no pieces in path towards castling squares. Rook may be attacked and may cross attacked square.
* Short castling (or h-side castling): King and corresponding rook are placed on g1 and f1 (g8 and f8 for black).
* Long castling (or a-side castling): King and corresponding rook are placed on c1 and d1 (c8 and d8 for black).
Remark: Rook which is closer to a-file can castle a-side, rook closer to h-file can castle h-side. In legal position NBKRRQBN for white pieces, long castling would mean not moving at all. This is of course not allowed, each move must change position on the board.
Dealing with possible first move advantage
Different starting positions for white and black pieces can create inequalities. One way to equalise these inequalities is to play a couplet: the players play two games, one each as White and as Black. To win the couplet, a player must win at least one game and draw or win the other. The other way to equalise the opening positions is to make the first move as White and let the other player decide which side he prefers (see Pie rule).
In orthodox chess, innovations in opening play are increasingly hard to come by, with most good players having processed an extensive catalogue of opening moves and novelties occurring later in the game. This is serious drawback and it impedes creativity right from the start of the game.

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