Chess Fact Proven...?

Question

ive played in a tournament and i was down to my white king and 2 knights verses his king. he said to call the director and tell him it was a draw, since that piece possesion is impossible to mate and the director said it was a draw. i wanted o continue the game just for fun to see if i could mate him and i did. my king was on h6 and my knights were on g6 and f6 and his king was on h8. (check it out yourselves.) so i asked the directore to view the results of the fun game and change my score, but it was too late. why, until now has everyone been lying that 2 knights and a king vs. a king is impossible to mate. i did it and the director saw it, but only didnt change my score cuz it was already processed into the computer.? what should i have done and was it really mate?

Answer 1

The reason 2 knights and a King are just about impossible to mate your opponent is that they don't threaten enough squares.

If you could get your opponent next to the side of the board or in a corner you can do it, but in tournament level play it's rare.

The King can cover 3 spaces, the knights only about 2 each (close enough to the opponet's king to matter). That's only 7 of the nine spaces that a King can be in and move to.

Answer 2

It does appear that you could have mated your opponent in the position you've presented. I don't know the details of your particular situation, but I've never seen play continue in a tournament once a draw has been determined. Usually, players are required to move from the board and playing area. If tournament play would have continued would you have had the time on your clock to win?

Incidentally, in games played at the top level, a draw is the most common outcome of a game and it's generally believed that a perfectly played game will always result in a draw. Because of White's first-move advantage, a draw is sometimes considered a satisfactory outcome for Black.

What rules governed your tournament play?

Rule 5.2 of the official FIDE laws of chess detail the ways a game may end in a draw:

1. Stalemate - if the player on turn has no legal move but is not in check, this is stalemate and the game is a draw.

2. Impossibility of checkmate - if a position arises in which neither player could possibly give checkmate by a series of legal moves, the game is a draw. This is usually because there is insufficient material left, but it is possible in other positions too. Combinations with insufficient material to checkmate are:
a. king versus king
b. king and bishop versus king
c. king and knight against king
d. king and bishop versus king and bishop with the bishops on the same color.

3. Mutual agreement - a player may offer a draw to his opponent at any stage of a game; if the opponent accepts, the game is a draw.

4. Threefold repetition - if an identical position has occurred three times, or will occur after the player on turn makes his move, the player on move may claim a draw (note that in this case the draw is not automatic - a player must claim it). Article 9.2 states that a position is considered identical to another if the same player is on move, the same pieces of the same color occupy the same squares, and the same moves are available to each player (that is, each player has the same castling and en passant pawn capturing rights).

5. Fifty move rule - if fifty moves (by each side) have passed with no pawn being moved and no capture being made, a draw may be claimed (again, the draw is not automatic).

Answer 3

You cannot force a mate with two knights against a lone King, This is because the side with just the King has stalemate opportunities. However if the side with just the king also has a pawn which is not very far advanced, then two Knights can force a mate. This is done by blocking the pawn with one of the knights, forcing the king to the edge of the board and then unblocking the pawn and using the remaining knight to force checkmate while the pawn runs. With the pawn on the board stalemate is impossible and the two knights can force a mate. This is an extremely difficult mate in practice. In the worst case it can take 115 moves to accomplish.

Answer 4

The other player must have let you do that because he knew it didn't matter. He was probably just having fun with you and not playing seriously, because against two knights from any position there's always a series of moves that will allow you to avoid being mated. It's like a game of tic-tac-toe. Sure it's possible to win against someone who has no idea what they're doing, but that will be so rare that it's faster to just declare a stalemate.

Answer 5

You can challenge the director, only before the decision is made. Once the decision has been made, and recorded it cannot be changed, unfortunately. This is a rule of the United States Chess Federation. Don't forget this for next time. Hopefully, there won't be a next time. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Actually it is possible but , it would normally take significant number of moves before i would transpire that most people would endup making eough moves to consider it a draw. A the person ould hve to be incredibly ignorant in order to get caught in a checkmate with only two knights and a king.......

Answer 7

Two knights cannot FORCE mate to a lone King. But apparently it can be done with the opponent´s cooperation.

I suggest you go to the FIDE (international chess federation) webpage and post your question in the forum. There are international referees answering questions there.

www.fide.com

Answer 8

Was not a mate.Cannot mate with 2 knights.Research of the internet.

Answer 9

I would have screamed "THIS IS A TRAVESTY!!!" and slung chess pieces all over the room. And people lie about everything...

Answer 10

that is unfair, you won!!
yess that strange, I never new you could do that! I must try at once.