Chess question?

Hank Rearden

Posers and Puzzles

25 Jul 06

Hank Rearden

Inside Dagney

Joined: 22 Oct 05
Moves: 3307

25 Jul 06

I've been pondering this one for a while but if two moves is the minumum move you can make to win in chess what is the maximum move you can make on a chess board?

BenSparksIsSexy

Joined: 29 May 06
Moves: 2159

25 Jul 06

the game could go on forever....

ThudanBlunder

Joined: 21 Jul 06
Moves: 0

25 Jul 06

2 edits

Originally posted by BenSparksIsSexy
the game could go on forever....

But isn't the whole point of the 50-move rule to prevent any of the 10^40 (or whatever) possible board positions from occurring an infinite number of times? 😕

Gastel

B is for bye bye

Joined: 09 Apr 06
Moves: 27526

25 Jul 06

Originally posted by BenSparksIsSexy
the game could go on forever....

Could it?

There are a finite number of positions available on a board (some of which are mutually exclusive of one another - meaning you cannot get from one to another). There is a rule that if an exact position is achieved 3 times then it is an automatic draw. Therefore there must be a maximum number of moves which would be 2 x the maximum number of positions achievable and duplicable + the number of positions that cannot be duplicated (like a pawn moving backwards) + 1.

ThudanBlunder

Joined: 21 Jul 06
Moves: 0

25 Jul 06

Originally posted by Gastel
Could it?

There is a rule that if an exact position is achieved 3 times then it is an automatic draw.

I don't think it is automatic. One side needs to claim, just as with the 50-move rule.

crazyblue

Joined: 29 Apr 05
Moves: 827

25 Jul 06

We had this before, but I don't know how to find the thread with the limited search functions that are offered here. I think it was 9000 something moves.

ThudanBlunder

Joined: 21 Jul 06
Moves: 0

25 Jul 06

Originally posted by crazyblue
We had this before, but I don't know how to find the thread with the limited search functions that are offered here. I think it was 9000 something moves.

No, it was about 6,450 (assuming 50-move rule).

Bowmann

Non-Subscriber

RHP IQ

Joined: 17 Mar 05
Moves: 1345

30 Jul 06

Originally posted by ThudanBlunder
No, it was about 6,450 (assuming 50-move rule).

Less with Russ' 25 Move Rule.