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Subject: Re: K+Q vs. K: always mate in at least 8 moves?

Author: Bruce Moreland

Date: 10:01:29 11/15/00

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On November 15, 2000 at 12:53:28, Steve Coladonato wrote:

>On November 15, 2000 at 12:20:30, Robert Ericsson wrote:
>
>>A friend of mine claims that the stronger side will, from any start position,
>>deliver a mate in at least 8 moves in a K+Q vs. K endgame.
>>
>>Is his claim correct? If not, how many moves would be the correct claim?
>>
>>Kind regards,
>>Robert
>
>I remember the following from long ago:
>
>From any start position, a mate can be accomplished in at most the following
>number of moves:
>
> KQ v K =  9 moves
> KR v K = 12 moves
>KBB v K = 20 moves
>KBN v K = 34 moves
>
>I don't recollect if the stronger side is on the move or the weaker.
>
>Also, the latest tablebases may have shed some light on the above numbers.
>
>Regards,
>
>Steve

You are quoting numbers produced by Ruben Fine in Basic Chess Endings, in at
least two of these cases (KQ vs K, and KBN vs K).

The correct numbers are 10, 16, 19, and 33.

bruce






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