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Subject: Re: Approximate # of Unique chess positions = (current estimated #)/4

Author: Sune Fischer

Date: 16:49:25 01/18/02

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On January 18, 2002 at 19:26:08, Chris Hull wrote:

>On January 18, 2002 at 19:06:26, Chris Hull wrote:
>
>>On January 18, 2002 at 17:13:29, Sune Fischer wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Hehe, this was the old:
>>>(64*(64 - 4)*62!)/((62 - 30)!*(8!*2!*2!*2*2)^2)= 1.1*10^42
>>>capture a piece and turn a pawn into a queen:
>>>(64*(64 - 4)*62!)/((62 - 29)!*7!*8!*2!(2!*2!*2*2)^2)= 1.33*10^41
>>>
>>>OK, so its about a factor 10 or maybe about same order of magnitude, they drop
>>>fairly quickly though.
>>>
>>>>Here is the table of numbers Uri's program dumps as it goes (which is the list
>>>>by category):
>>>
>>>I would like to know his approach ;)
>>>
>>>
>>>I'm quite sure it is, unless someone can find a flaw in the product (which there
>>>could be of cause;)
>>>A number like 64 squares for the king is very optimistic, most of the squares
>>>will be attacked, you can't be in check if it isn't your turn, and you can't be
>>>in check by more than two pieces (right?) and so on, many rules that will
>>>diminish the final product. In particular the pawn movement, pawns have a rather
>>>limited number of squares they can go to, if just one pawn has half of 64
>>>squares, then that is a factor 2 smaller yet.
>>>
>>>-S.
>>>
>>
>>Does this take into account all the possible promotions? It is possible to have
>>9 queens on one side or 9 rooks or 9 bishops or 9 knights, or any combination
>>thereof. Each possible promotion will make the number larger. 31 pieces on the
>>board has more possible positions than 32 because you have to take into account
>>the promotions. If 31 pieces are remaining there is upto 3 possible promotions.
>>Makes the calculation a little more difficult.
>>
>>Chris
>>
>
>Oops, make that 9 queens or 10 rooks, or 10 bishops or 10 knights. Some days my
>fingers work faster than my brain.
>
>Chris

You do have a point Chris.
I tried to refine the number a little bit:

All 32 pieces:
(64*(64 - 4)*23^4*21^4*18^4*14^4*62!)/((62 - 14)!*(8!*2!*2!*2*2)^2)
= 5.13*10^36

I put in the factor: 23^4*21^4*18^4*14^4
because the d and e pawns has 23 squares, the c and f pawns has 21 squares and
the b and g has 18, a and h has 14 (unless I miscounted;)

The number fell quite a bit.

Now if there are only 31 pieces, the cheapest to remove is an h or a pawn, so
lets do that:

31 pieces:
8*(64*(64 - 4)*23^4*21^4*18^4*14^2*62!)/((62 - 13)!*2!*(7!*2!*2!*2*2)^2)
=1.36*10^35

The new '8' in front represents: 2 possible colors * 4 possible pieces
there is a new factor 2! because there is now two queens (again an upper limit,
since 2!*2!<3! if we choose a knight or rook)

Same procedure with 30 pieces, I don't see this going above 10^40, but it is
starting to get a little tricky to do ;)

-S.



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