That's only true if you're trying to invent something better, Chess 2.0. If you're just trying to create something different and fun with similar rules, it's not really necessary to deeply understand the strategic balance of chess.
Exactly. She appeared to make something more complex (though I didn't look at the rules). But perhaps it's something that allows here to make stories about it better, or something that uses her favourite toys, or something that is more fun for some other reason.
Now, if she'd said - that game is no good, it's not complex enough, it's not challenging enough or somesuch (and wasn't a grandmaster) then I think she would perhaps have been irreverent, though more likely ignorant.
