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1500 questions
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6 answers

What kinds of unconventional chess problems exist?

What are some unconventional chess problems that ordinary chess engines can never solve? I'm attaching two examples below so that you can get an idea. My students seem to love these puzzles. I'm researching and learning about it now. Example…
Arun J
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4 answers

Outcome of a game in case of an illegal checkmate

Suppose that, in an amateur rapid play tournament (where supervision is inappropriate), the following position appears: [fen "5K2/8/1q6/1N1k4/8/8/8/2R1R3 w - - 1 1"] 1. Re5+? Qc5+? {illegal} 2. Rxc5# The players do not agree on the result of the…
Alexandre Aksenov
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How do people use chess software to improve their practical skills?

I'm currently using chesstempo to get better at tactics, reading books on strategy, analyzing grandmasters' games, etc. My current rating is around 1800 and I am planning to gain 200-300 points within the next couple of years. I'm considering…
Alex Petrov
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What is the longest forced win with 3 to 6 pieces (ignoring 50 & 75 move rules)?

I am wondering, what endgame, with 3 to 6 pieces, has the longest checkmate with optimal play? Right now, the longest I'm aware of is the two knights versus one pawn endgame, which in certain positions can take up to 115 moves for the knights to…
DrZ214
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11
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5 answers

Any chess software with "force move" facility?

Does anyone know if there is a chess program on the market (PC or iPad) which provides force-move functionality while it is the computer's turn to play (the opponent tells the computer program which move it must make)? I think that is the best…
sigismond kmiecik
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2 answers

Is there a USCF API?

A while ago there was a site made by NM Jonathan Hilton's father that did some analytics on player's USCF rating histories. I thought it was a pretty good site, but it disappeared. There are still some tools like that floating around. I was…
Andrew Latham
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3 answers

Bathroom cheating

A serious threat to human chess competition seems to be phone-in-the-bathroom cheating. Is anything being done to address this problem?
Cecil De Vere
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4 answers

What's the best time control to play online in order to improve?

I am an amateur, 33 years old, never took chess lessons, never played in a tournament. Last year I rediscovered chess and I am trying to improve as much as possible by reading books, watching videos and playing correspondence chess online. There is…
Taw
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3 answers

What is the most queens that have been on the board in a grandmaster game?

There are quite a few grandmaster games with 3 queens or 4 queens, but what is the highest number of queens on the board in a game between two GMs? I'd be interested in both the most on the board at the same time and the most total during the…
Peter Flom
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Are there any (free) games databases out there?

I am searching for a broad and extensive games database (i.e. games played between real players.) I can hardly seem to find any (even paid ones.) - However all sorts of chess software has these built in. Where can I get my hands on one? I will use…
SharkX
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4 answers

Java Library for PGN parser

I would like to find a Java library that will allow me to read a PGN file that could contain several chess games, probably with comments inserted also. But, it won't be used to generate moves or play the moves in a board. I just want to read the PGN…
Chale CS
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5 answers

What's the best strategy against the Hippo?

What's the best strategy against the so-called Hippopotamus opening or defense, in which White or Black pushes almost all of her pawns on the 3rd or 6th rank, except perhaps the a and h pawns, and then possibly moves her Knights and Bishops on the…
A. N. Other
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Where to play online Bughouse Chess

As far as I can tell the main sites I use like chess.com, lichess.com, and chess24.com do not support bughouse. Is there a popular place to play online somewhere? It would also like to have the ability to play on iOS. Thanks.
The Nightman
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Prophylactic defenses

I'm a beginner and I haven't gotten into memorizing games. I don't like the idea of memorizing but now I think I have to learn a few to get to a higher level. Can someone give me a list of prophylactic defenses that a beginner should learn. Taking…
AWE
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How to challenge a queen with a bishop pair in endgame?

Any hints how to survive or win having a bishop pair against a Queen in endgames. What you should do? how to cooperate between them? what's the opponent best strategies?
BigOther
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