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Questions tagged [mathematics]

Questions concerning the mathematics of the game of chess, or chess-related mathematical pursuits.

4 votes
1 answer
238 views

Ecological footprint of chess

Chess must be a very "green" sport, the resource demand is minimal. But then, lately online chess is in vogue, and servers eat amps. Any estimation how much energy online chess is consuming ...
Hauke Reddmann's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
3k views

Checkmate in ω² moves with finitely many pieces

The post Checkmate in ω moves? has inspired a lot of discussion and mathematical research into positions on an infinite chessboard where white can mate in a transfinite amount of moves. The current ...
Andreas Tsevas's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
277 views

Mate-in-N problems where N scales indefinitely with board size

Motivation - Long range mating patterns This question is inspired by my recent interest in infinite chess and the post on MathOverflow Checkmate in ω moves?. Since my chess endgame skills are quite ...
Andreas Tsevas's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
75 views

Longest sequence of moves where White's number of available moves does not change

There are challenges for the longest sequence of moves in which white's available moves increase or decrease. This challenge is for the longest sequence of moves (from the opening position) in which ...
Steve Bennett's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
97 views

What is the longest sequence of increasing White moves with only White pieces?

Inspired by a comment by @Evargalo on this question, I ponder how long a sequence can last where each turn, White has more available moves than the previous turn, in a situation with only White pieces ...
Rewan Demontay's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
67 views

Is there a Chess 960 position in which White's moves can be decreased to zero without check?

Inspired by this question, koedem proved that, from the starting position, White's legal move amount can be decreased sequentially from 20 to 0 in 20 moves. However, doing so required some checks. I ...
Rewan Demontay's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
637 views

Longest sequence of moves where white's number of available moves decreases

An easier version of this White has 20 available moves at the start of the game (from the standard position). After 1.h3 h5, white has 19 available moves. (The h pawn has lost the ability to move two ...
Steve Bennett's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
253 views

Longest sequence of moves where number of available moves increases

White has 20 available moves at the start of the game. After 1.a4 e5, white has 21 available moves. (The rook has gained 2 moves, while the pawn has lost 1). What is the longest sequence of moves ...
Steve Bennett's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
100 views

Roundtrips with no shortcuts

In the picture, you see the longest roundtrip of a rook such that there are no "shortcuts" - imagine the target squares are given, then at each square you have exactly two other given ...
Hauke Reddmann's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
112 views

Can you suggest book references on chess theory?

as stated in the title I am looking for structured textbooks on chess. I have followed chess.com lessons and I have a rough idea of tactics (forks, pins, skewers, sacrifices, etc) but I feel like I am ...
Fede Rico's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
116 views

Non-linearity in Armageddon bidding: Ostensibly, you give up more time in higher time control

Note: In the ff I assume everyone bids for black, not white. In blitz (below 10min) : I see often there's a 5min vs 4min predetermined time. No idea if this is fair, but let's pretend arguendo players ...
BCLC's user avatar
  • 2,172
1 vote
2 answers
277 views

Is armageddon more fair in a Vickrey auction?

I believe armageddon is fair only if they bid, but just because they bid doesn't mean it's fair, i.e. bidding is necessary but not sufficient to be fair. Which side has the advantage in an Armageddon ...
BCLC's user avatar
  • 2,172
-1 votes
1 answer
135 views

Is Armageddon always without increment?

Robert Hess said tells Danya that no increment influences why Robert prefers white to black in Armageddon chess960. Of course it really depends on the bid, but I guess Robert would want a lower bid ...
BCLC's user avatar
  • 2,172
1 vote
2 answers
143 views

Is armageddon more fair if bids aren't 1-time only?

As pointed out by GeneM here Armageddon Chess is a fair tie-break system only if the two players bid for how much time Black should have. Question: But is it actually more fair if the bids are the ...
BCLC's user avatar
  • 2,172
7 votes
3 answers
4k views

How many moves does it take a knight to move 1 square forward?

How many moves does it take a knight to move 1 square forward? For example, if I wanted to move a knight from e5 to e4 what is the minimum number of moves it would take?
danday74's user avatar
  • 229

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