Exeter Chess Club: Trawled from the 'Net

From cen.ex.ac.uk!strath-cs!str-ccsun!zippy.dct.ac.uk!uknet!festival!castle.ed.ac.uk!ipg Wed Mar 23 15:06:27 GMT 1994
Article: 25776 of rec.games.chess
Path: cen.ex.ac.uk!strath-cs!str-ccsun!zippy.dct.ac.uk!uknet!festival!castle.ed.ac.uk!ipg
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: consecutive checks in chess
Message-ID: 
From: ipg@castle.ed.ac.uk (Ian Gent)
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 1994 11:11:03 GMT
Sender: news@festival.ed.ac.uk (Network News)
References: <1994Mar22.172250.19097@research.nj.nec.com>
Organization: Edinburgh University
Lines: 87

In article <1994Mar22.172250.19097@research.nj.nec.com>, wds@research.nj.nec.com (Warren Smith) writes:
|> QUESTION: what are the most consecutive checks that can occur in
|> chess?  That is, you check me, then while getting out of check, I check
|> you, then while getting out of check, you check me, etc.

|> A lower bound: after promoting most of their pawns to rooks and queens,
|> the players reach this position [deleted], at which point 20 consecutive checks
|> can occur at the square marked "*".

I believe the current world record is a legal position without 
promoted pieces in which an amazing 36 consecutive checks are possible.

The position was composed by W Frangen in 1975.

[--------------
b . q . . . . .
B . . p . P . .
. p . p p . . N
R B b . . . . .
. . K . . k r r
Q . P P N P . .
. . n P . P n .
. . . . R . . .
white to play
--------------]

1. f8Q  Ke5
2. f4  Rxf4
3. d4  Bxd4
4. Qc5  Bd5
5. Nxd5  Nce3
6. Nxe3  d5
7. Nxd5  Ne3
8. Nxe3  Bxc5
9. d4  Rxd4
10. cxd4  Bxd4
11. Bc6  b5
12. Rxb5  d5
13. Rxd5  exd5
14. Nxd5  Be3
15. Ng4  Qxg4
16. f4  Qxf4
17. Qxf4  Rxf4
18. Bd4  Rxd4

An oddity is that although a condition is that there are no promoted pieces
on the board, promotions are necessary to reach this position, and the 
promoted pieces have been captured - rather like virtual particles in physics.

I don't know what the record is allowing promoted pieces.  I composed a position
with 39 consecutive checks and lots of promoted pieces. I think it's attainable
in play.  But doubtless you can push it much further using all these promoted 
pieces.

[--------------
. n . n . r Q R
R B . . k . . .
. . . . . . q N
q . . b K b . r
R . . B . . . N
. . n . B R N .
. b . . . b q .
. . . . Q . b q
white to play
--------------]
1. Rh7  Qg7
2. Rxg7  Nf7
3. Rxf7  Bxf7
4. Bc5  Qxc5
5. Bd5  Qc7
6. Rxc7  Nd7
7. Rxd7  Bxd7
8. Bg5  Rxg5
9. Kf4  Ne2
10. Qxe2  Be3
11. Rxe3  Bxe3
12. Qxe3  Qe4
13. Rxe4  Qxe4
14. Qxe4  Be5
15. Qxe5  Bfe6
16. Qf7  Rxf7
17. Qf6  Rxf6
18. N6f5  Rfxf5
19. N4xf5  Rxf5
20. Nxf5

Ian Gent

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