10 Apr 03
Originally posted by genius...a knight and a bishop can (although this is extremly hard...)
correct me if i'm wrong, but the only combinations that cannot mate a king on his own are two knights, a singlw knight or a single bishop. everything else can. two bishops can, a knight and a bishop can (although this is extremly hard...), a rook can, and a queen can(😲)
I bet!
😕
20 Nov 03
6 edits
Originally posted by geniusa small clarification:
2 bishops is a definate mate (http://www.redhotpawn.com/core/playchess.php?gameid=149920), but i don't think 2 knights is. but yeah, maybe if they made a mistake...
two bishops + king = mate if the bishops are not on the same color!
obviously, if they travel on the same color, there is no mate no matter how many of them you have!
i used to be noted for converting pawns into bishops in a dead-won position and mating with the bishops. mate with just two bishops is not that difficult, and the way the work together to cut off the king is artistic.
my favorite checkmate positon was: 4k3/4b3/4b3/4b3/4b3/2K1b3/4b3/8. it was against a nun many years ago. a diagram of it is at
http://home.graffiti.net/naked.driver:graffiti.net/Pictures/Chess/6_bishops_w.jpg .
and while king and two knights cannot force mate, king and bishop and knight (but it's tough), and king and three knights can force mate.
incidentally, the least material difference necessary to force checkmate is the double exchange (two rooks vs two minor pieces).
i don't remember where i read that.
by the way, i doubt if king + rook vs king will go longer than fifteen moves.