Author: Mike Byrne
Date: 18:51:39 11/28/02
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On November 28, 2002 at 21:33:29, Tanya Deborah wrote: > > >Hi to all ! > >I know that i answer this long time ago, but i lost the information, and i would >like, that somebody can help me with this again... :) > > >Can somebody explain me , how many positions exist in the game of chess, and how >can we know it with certitude... > >I need to know the exact number of positions, that the game of chess have... >It is possible to know it exactly???? > >I read in many articles, that the game of chess, has more positions than there >are atoms in the Milky Way. This is completely amazing, but very hard to >believe... > >This is like i read in a book : > > >When the game of chess beguins, White has a choice of 20 moves. Following >White´s 1st move whatever the move, Black has 20 replies. >Thus 400 diferent positions arise after only 1 move my each side. After 2 moves, >the number grows to over, 20,000, becoming astronomical after several more >moves... The entire chess tree, has more positions than there are atoms in the >Milky Way, although, because of the rules of the game, the number is finite. >According to the rules, a game is normally drawn if 50 moves, pass without the >capture of a piece or the advancement of a pawn, implying that a game can last >at most 3150 moves, and consequently the chess tree can have only so many >different positions. However, in practice the tree is far too large to consider >this approach. Even at positions in the middle of the game, determining, the >best move by searching the chess tree rooted at these intermediate postions is >imposible. > > >Very interesting.... > >Somebody can imagine how many atoms are in the Universe???? This number is >unimaginable... But, is this really true? > >How is possible to know, which is the exact number that the game of chess has? >or at least an aproximate number of positions... > >If somebody can post some information about this, i will realy apreciate that... > >All your answers are welcome... > >My best Regards! > >Tanya. 6.5104179521361946395624758693608e+308 I know this is the exact number of chess positions, because I counted them one day using my Palm and Chess genius. But how do you count all the atoms in the universe? I might need a newer Palm for that one ...hmmmm ....yea, I could that on of those new palms. Hold on - let me go talk to my wife and explain to her why I need a new palm. THANKS - You gave me the perfect reason for a new Palm - to count all the atoms in the universe. eh ...Does anybody want to help?
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