2007-07-05 05:06:51 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Games & Recreation ➔ Board Games
my friend wants to bet me 50$ that 2 horses and a king cant checkmate a single king
2007-07-05 05:14:55 · update #1
Don't take the bet. His meaning of "cannot" is almost certainly "I will play with a bare king and I bet you $50 you cannot beat me". But if he means that it is impossible for the two horses to win, no such mating position can be constructed, then he is wrong.
In the K N N v K ending, checkmate can occur but it cannot be forced. The player of the lone king has to obligingly blunder by going to a corner square when he doesn't have to do that. Mate is avoidable.
In the K B B v K ending, checkmate can be forced and if the player with the 2 bishops knows how to do it, mate is unavoidable.
In the K B N v K ending, checkmate can be forced and if the player with the bishop and knight knows how to do it, mate is unavoidable.
However, many players don't know how to do it (they never learn because it occurs so rarely) so the player with the bare king can often get a draw under the 50-move draw rule.
That rule states that if checkmate has not been delivered in 50 moves (for each side)since a piece was last taken (by either side) or a pawn was last moved (by either side) then the game is a draw.
The defender in K N N v K can use that rule to claim a draw if the opponent refuses to accept that he cannot win the game against best play and tries to prolong the agony by playing on. The defender may also have cause and occasion to use the rule that the game is a draw by threefold repetition of the position.
2007-07-05 15:54:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here is one way to win the bet,
First of all, he made the bet that two Knights and a King cannot mate a lone King. He did not bet that it could be forced.
Since he did not specify the board position beforehand, you can do this little trick.
Set up the board first with the 2 Knights and King checkmating the enemy King.
Move one Knight away so it is not checkmate.
Invite the person to the board and have him sit down.
Move the Knight back to the original square and announce checkmate.
You have just demonstrated that 2 Knights and a King CAN checkmate a lone King.
Collect the bet!
Rob
P.S. - I won similar bet against an Expert. I didn't force him to pay up, a slight humiliation was payment enough.
2007-07-08 20:25:53 · answer #2 · answered by barefoot_rob1 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is theoretically possible for the king and 2 horses to checkmate a lone king yes but if the player with the lone king does not make any mistakes he shouldn't be checkmated (the player with the single king must make sure he doesn't move his King into the corner)
2007-07-05 06:08:13 · answer #3 · answered by wycombew2001 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
With no other material on the board at all, then in general 2 knights and king cannot FORCE a checkmate. However, based on the wording used in your bet, you should win, because it is POSSIBLE for 2 knights and king to checkmate the opponent if they make a dumb move. Its quite easy to set up a position, for example, where the defender did something dumb, and now the side with 2 knights has mate in one. just place black king on a8, white knight on c6, White king on b6, and a white knight on d5, white to move. White plays Nc7, checkmate, and you win your $50.
2007-07-06 02:09:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Checkmate With 2 Knights
2016-12-08 16:17:11 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there is a lecture that shows how it is possible, BUT THE WEAKER SIDE HAS TO HAVE A PAWN!! You can not win against King only, and this is incredible. White needs to jail the enemy King in the corner, then move the second Knight to checkmate; while black Pawn is free to good-for-nothing Queening! Search for such a study by GM Yuri Averback.
2007-07-06 12:24:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Can't be done. Two knights and a king cannot maneuver into a position to checkmate because of the way the knights (horses) move. There are always gaps that the opponent's king can use to escape. Check my source, it's more detailed and lots of other interesting chess stuff on there.
2007-07-05 05:22:14 · answer #7 · answered by lucas1170 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it is possible for that checkmate to happen, but it is very unlikely.
A possible scenerio that would be checkmate:
Black king on h8, White King on g6 White knight on f7 king is in check, other white knight is on f6, attacking the g8 square.
That situation would be a checkmate.
2007-07-05 10:42:24 · answer #8 · answered by vabanu 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As long as the player with the lone king stays away from the edge of the board, they are safe. And there is no way to force them to the edge of the board.
Should the lone king choose to move to the edge, then yes it is technically possible. Pull out your chessboard, put the pieces out there, and figure it out. Doing it for yourself will improve your game.
2007-07-12 01:08:37 · answer #9 · answered by SDW 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
NO. It is impossible to checkmate a lone King.
2014-10-20 18:10:14 · answer #10 · answered by Chris Ancor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋