How many ways can white mate black in three moves?

TimmyBx

TacticsTime.com

Only Chess

20 Nov 11

TimmyBx

TacticsTime.com

Colorado Springs, CO

Joined: 26 Mar 07
Moves: 30333

20 Nov 11

This was an interesting thread on reddit.com

http://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/mijy0/a_counting_exercise/

The poster asked: How many different ending positions exist where white delivers a checkmate on his third move? To get you started: there are 4 different ending positions where black delivers a checkmate on his second move. Can't be too hard, can it?

It took me several tries, and I kept finding new ones.

If you want to see my answer and analysis, I posted it on my chess blog at: http://tacticstime.com/?p=1439

I suggest trying it yourself! It was a lot of fun actually 🙂

Cheers,
Timmy

Savielly

Joined: 18 Jun 11
Moves: 1179

21 Nov 11

I think you missed the most obvious one:

1.	e4	e5
2.	Qh5	Ke7
3.	Qxe5

TimmyBx

TacticsTime.com

Colorado Springs, CO

Joined: 26 Mar 07
Moves: 30333

21 Nov 11

1 edit

Yep! You are right, I did!! lol 🙂 Thanks!! I updated my list to include it 🙂

yosiman

Genius

playing chess

Joined: 29 Sep 07
Moves: 38842

21 Nov 11

Hmm how about that same variation but with e3 instead?

Also, there are a few variations where you move the c pawn first, move the queen to c2 and then g6 mate.

TimmyBx

TacticsTime.com

Colorado Springs, CO

Joined: 26 Mar 07
Moves: 30333

21 Nov 11

Thanks yosiman! I used your ideas to find 5 more :-)

Kaoslos

Joined: 21 Jul 04
Moves: 38677

21 Nov 11

While you are solving funny psudo chess puzzles try this: Whats the shortest stalemate you can construct - Don't spoil the fun with google ;-).

Erekose

Joined: 16 Feb 07
Moves: 27653

21 Nov 11

Originally posted by Kaoslos
While you are solving funny psudo chess puzzles try this: Whats the shortest stalemate you can construct - Don't spoil the fun with google ;-).

I'd be really impressed if anyone gets this without Googling the answer.

Marinkatomb

wotagr8game

tbc

Joined: 18 Feb 04
Moves: 61941

22 Nov 11

Originally posted by Erekose
I'd be really impressed if anyone gets this without Googling the answer.

I got it first time but thought i'd check it on Youtube... 😉

greenpawn34

Joined: 06 May 08
Moves: 43363

22 Nov 11

1 edit

The best way to catch all the 3 move mates is to use the Help Mate
feature which Fritz has. Start from the initial position. that should list them all.

Maxacre42

Joined: 16 Oct 09
Moves: 2448

22 Nov 11

Originally posted by greenpawn34
The best way to catch all the 3 move mates is to use the [b]Help Mate
feature which Fritz has. Start from the initial position. that should list them all.[/b]

ohhh GP advocating box use!

TimmyBx

TacticsTime.com

Colorado Springs, CO

Joined: 26 Mar 07
Moves: 30333

22 Nov 11

Originally posted by greenpawn34
The best way to catch all the 3 move mates is to use the [b]Help Mate
feature which Fritz has. Start from the initial position. that should list them all.[/b]

That will list all of the mates that there are, but not give you the unique positions.

For example the mates after.

1. e3 f6 2. e4 g5 3. Qh5#

is the same position as after

1. e4 g5 2. Qf3 f6 3. Qh5#

but Fritz would list these as different mates.

But you are right, it is a good way to check an answer, just like putting a tactics puzzle into Fritz is the best way to check the solution to a chess tactics problem 🙂

Or getting in a car, and driving 26.2 miles is the best way to "run" a marathon lol

The fritz "Show all legal moves" can help also. For example the first time I tried this, I missed the tempo killing moves like Ba6 that you would never play in a real game, because they just hang a piece. You have to "think outside the box" to find them all.