What Is The Longest Possible Game Of Chess?

Here we uncover the answer to what the longest possible game of chess is in my final episode of my first series: "Understanding Chess"
Thank you for watching!

If you would like to read about what is the longest possible chess game, I made a blog post too!

Here is the PGN for the game!
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[morgard]

Imagine two guys who agree to perform this game in a competetive environment where every game stays forever in the database,

[petercavanaugh]

I can imagine on move 213 Ben Finegold said, “Still Theory!”

[davidguthary]

Interestingly, while this theoretical "longest game" assumes an instant draw using the threefold repetition and fifty move rules, Nikolic-Arsovic did not. There were several instances in that game where either rule could have been used to declare a draw, but the game continued anyway.

[musicguitar]

At first I thought the game in the corner was from the two players.

[ast]

I would like a full game analysis, move, by move.

[davecorry]

Really interesting. The longest game is so much shorter than I would have guessed. If you had said, "Ten to the power of 62, " I wouldn't have been surprised.

[BluSpykz]

And it was in this position, on move 5, 898, that both players agreed to a draw, as there was nothing more to be done here.

[bromanHenk]

I can just imagine stockfish having a complete conniption trying to analyze this game.

[magician]

While it used to be the case that one didn't have to claim, now if it reaches 75, the game is an automatic draw even if no one claims. So that is probably the number that should have been used. One can just change each 50 to a 75 in the equation to get the right answer (8850 minus the same four lost tempi = 8848).



This rule has a lot of history. There were various points at which the number of moves was something other than fifty and various other points where the number of moves depended on what pieces were left on the board (so that if a position had a known forced win that took more than 50 moves, the player was given a chance to win). The current rule is 50 moves allows the players to claim a draw. 75 moves forces the draw.

[felixthelemon]

This the kind of game I play when I think "well I've got enough time to do a quick game of chess"

[kamil]

"A game of chess played perfectly for 5898 moves always ends in a draw"

[QuotePilgrim]

We generally use the word "ply" to refer to a half move. "Tempo" is technically correct, but usage differs a little bit.

[euniYT]

I just looked for the game with the most number of moves and happen to stumbled on this video. Really nice graphics + content! Keep on creating ☺️

[awesomebosna]

Imagine how many blunders stockfish finds in the analysis

[farisalriyami]

This shows how much free time we have in quarantine

[StringDogg]

Great video Braden! :) I'd love to play the entire 'longest game' out on an actual board :D you got a free weekend?

[Daniele.Rossini]

Sir. How can you have so few subscribers with well made videos like that?

[kart]

Imagine playing so long ..to end up being a draw D:

[ReFrostByte]

This is a very creative and informative video that delves into the mechanics of chess and reshapes the objective of the game to be something completely unique. Well done!

[TrimutiusToo]

There is also rule where if one person can prove they can do a checkmate, 50 turn rule can be denied... It is relevant for 2 knighs vs a pawn where making a checkmate can take over 100 moves but is possible...