The Naked Scientists
  • Login
  • Register
  • Podcasts
      • The Naked Scientists
      • eLife
      • Naked Genetics
      • Naked Astronomy
      • In short
      • Naked Neuroscience
      • Ask! The Naked Scientists
      • Question of the Week
      • Archive
      • Video
      • SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
  • Articles
      • Science News
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Answers to Science Questions
  • Get Naked
      • Donate
      • Do an Experiment
      • Science Forum
      • Ask a Question
  • About
      • Meet the team
      • Our Sponsors
      • Site Map
      • Contact us

User menu

  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Help
  • Search
  • Tags
  • Member Map
  • Recent Topics
  • Login
  • Register
  1. Naked Science Forum
  2. On the Lighter Side
  3. That CAN'T be true!
  4. More possible chess moves than atoms in the observable universe?
« previous next »
  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Down

More possible chess moves than atoms in the observable universe?

  • 3 Replies
  • 23883 Views
  • 0 Tags

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline majorminor (OP)

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • 46
  • Activity:
    0%
    • View Profile
More possible chess moves than atoms in the observable universe?
« on: 22/04/2013 12:12:53 »
I have been playing chess online  for over 10 years now and heard about this statistic a long time ago and assumed it was just some sort of joke. That there are more possible chess games or continuations than atoms in our observable universe!! Many years later Garry Kasparov (one of the greatest players ever) mentioned this fact !? in a TV interview and so of course I googled, and it  appears to be statistically consistent. I can understand its a statistical thing made possible by many repeating moves and situations but still it does not sit right with me and I am hoping it is refuted somehow in the future. To think of the amount of atoms in a grain of sand then to think of the amount of atoms in the universe .... surely somebody did not carry the 1 in their calculations. Maybe its all above board but I do not like it!
Logged
 



Offline damocles

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • 756
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 1 times
    • View Profile
Re: More possible chess moves than atoms in the observable universe?
« Reply #1 on: 27/04/2013 04:54:50 »
Let us try a quick back-of-envelope estimation:

The number of chess games possible might be around 50 moves a side times 20 options per move, making 20^100 different games.

The number of atoms in the observable universe might be around 10^25 per kilogram times 2 * 10^30 kg per solar system times 10^14 stars per galaxy times 10^14 galaxies in the observable universe.

Comparing the very large numbers, 10^83 is clearly less than 20^100, so the conjecture is probably true.
Logged
1 4 6 4 1
4 4 9 4 4     
a perfect perfect square square
6 9 6 9 6
4 4 9 4 4
1 4 6 4 1
 

Offline RD

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 9087
  • Activity:
    14%
  • Thanked: 150 times
    • View Profile
Re: More possible chess moves than atoms in the observable universe?
« Reply #2 on: 28/04/2013 00:38:46 »
something similar .... http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=29277.msg303727
Logged
 

Offline majorminor (OP)

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • 46
  • Activity:
    0%
    • View Profile
Re: More possible chess moves than atoms in the observable universe?
« Reply #3 on: 02/05/2013 22:03:47 »
Maybe the universe is smaller than I have always imagined or I cannot properly imagine the enormous numbers involved.
All those possible chess moves and still I let my horsey get  eaten for free :))))
And music too with its astronomical variations and still I  cant sing.  But its a wonderful world.
Logged
 



  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags:
 

Similar topics (5)

How do we know the Universe is expanding, and expanding into nothing?

Started by guest39538Board Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 43
Views: 14511
Last post 22/07/2020 05:10:15
by CPT ArkAngel
If the universe is expanding, what is it expanding into?

Started by Tornado220Board Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 16
Views: 5712
Last post 06/07/2017 10:35:51
by paulggriffiths
Where is the "edge" of the Universe?

Started by paul.frBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 25
Views: 20531
Last post 01/04/2020 06:01:21
by hamdani yusuf
If the Universe is expanding, does this mean that space is expanding?

Started by EthosBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 14
Views: 11672
Last post 27/03/2020 21:05:55
by yor_on
How do we "know" that the universe is expanding?

Started by PmbPhyBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 12
Views: 5125
Last post 10/01/2019 10:20:39
by Bored chemist
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
  • SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
    Privacy Policy
    SMFAds for Free Forums
  • Naked Science Forum ©

Page created in 0.155 seconds with 42 queries.

  • Podcasts
  • Articles
  • Get Naked
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • We love feedback

Follow us

cambridge_logo_footer.png

©The Naked Scientists® 2000–2017 | The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks created by Dr Chris Smith. Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators, sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.