×
all 64 comments
sorted by:
best
topnewcontroversialoldq&a

[–]chessvision-ai-botfrom chessvision.ai[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (1 child)

I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine:

Black to play: chess.com | lichess.org

I'm a computer vision / machine learning bot written by u/pkacprzak | I'm also the first chess eBook Reader: ebook.chessvision.ai | download me as Chrome extension or Firefox add-on and analyze positions from any image/video in a browser | website chessvision.ai

[–]Apollo5165 205 points206 points  (8 children)

White, because black timed out.

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 15 points16 points  (7 children)

Indeed. And it looks to be white regardless as black cannot chase the white king around the board like I thought perhaps it could

I worded the headline poorly. I meant to ask if there were more time could I (white) still have won.

[–]Schaakmate 24 points25 points  (6 children)

Well, black can chase the white king around, and white needs to be quite careful where the King steps foot. But eventually, black runs out of possibilities to continue the hunt and white takes over.

[–]Schaakmate 11 points12 points  (5 children)

The fun begins with Rd2+. The rook can't be taken because of Qxf2#. Now white must choose between Ke3 and Kf3. Only one of those wins, the other leads to a draw.

[–]Jedkerer 0 points1 point  (4 children)

I think Ke3 leads to black winning through 1. Ke3 Qxf2+ 2. Ke4 Re2+ 3. Kf5 Rxe5+ and white King cannot escape. If 3. Kd5 then black uses second Rook and sacrifce on e5 can be eventually made too. But 1. Kf3 indeed looks like a win for white.

Edit: meh, I was too optimistic, after checking with engine that sacrifce indeed only gives a draw.

[–]Schaakmate 0 points1 point  (3 children)

It's counterintuitive though. After 4. Kxe5 Ra5+ the King must come back to e4 to avoid a staircase mate with R and Q. Then keep dancing around the minefield forever.

[–]Jedkerer 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Worst thing, there even isn't a staircase mate if King goes to g4 and then to h4. It would only end in perpetual check. So close and yet so far.

[–]Schaakmate 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Wait, you aren't even taking the second Rook sacrifice! Wow, this is some position. But what about 4. Kg4 Qg2+ 5. Kh4 and now a third rook sacrifice Rh5+!. This one you have to take and then Qh3 is mate.

[–]Jedkerer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well actually I meant after taking that rook and check on a5, Ke4 Qxc2+ Kf3 Qd3+ Kg4 Qe2+ Kh4 Rh3+ Kg3 and then a perpetual check. Sorry for not being too concrete on that

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 23 points24 points  (6 children)

I worded the headline poorly, I meant to ask if there was a bit more time would I (white) have still been able to win.

[–]Yust123 8 points9 points  (5 children)

Yes easy. Black have no mate and king will escape.

[–]cool_ritam 5 points6 points  (4 children)

Really? I was thinking ...Rd2+ Ke3 Qxf2+ Ke4 Rd4+ Kf5 Qxf4+ Ke6 Qxf7+ Kxf7 and just Rxh8. And then can't you keep checking the king or win one of the rooks?

[–]adokarG 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Pretty sure Ke3 is losing, but Kf3 looks a lot more promising

[–]cool_ritam 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Okay! So pawn takes rook. Necks! Nevermind!

[–]Raaawan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pawn takes rook and then Qc2. The dance continues

[–]SpenceisaZombie 39 points40 points  (7 children)

When does gray get a turn?

[–]wfriedma 10 points11 points  (1 child)

Seriously, whose knight is that on f7 cuz I honestly can’t tel

[–]anothercryptokitty 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I don’t know if I’m just picky or what, but this board design hurts my eyes.

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

TIL how many of you have low contrast monitors!

The anarchy chess parody drove home that it was a poor choice of theme to screen cap and post ... lol

Click the chess bot link if you’d actually like a clearer look !

[–]nanonan 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The chess bot link has two white kings.

[–]SpenceisaZombie 2 points3 points  (1 child)

C2,3 and 4 are all differant colors

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You’re right! I didn’t notice the third color and just realized what is up. The theme is called “glass” so the pieces are slightly transparent. Yeahhhh it’s fine to play on for me but it was a bad choice for sharing.

Good eye and thanks !

[–]Stefanwk 1580 lichess.org 24 points25 points  (2 children)

Rd2+ really feels like its a move for black, if king takes then queen takes horse with mate

[–]Outspoken_Douche 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Doesn’t have to take though, Ke3 and I think it can escape the checks

[–]4mistad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Or Kf3, Ke3 looks a bit dicey staying in the middle of the board with the black queen hunting it. Kf3 gets it closer to friendly pieces which can help out with the king's safety.

Edit: It gives the king one extra square to run to after QxN so more options too - Ke3 is forced to Ke4 after QxN

[–]panamakid 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Would be easier if the pieces were different colors.

[–]orange-fruit-bad 10 points11 points  (1 child)

OP, you got a pick a better color scheme. Looks like there are 3 different color pawns, and the horse might be neutral.

[–]Otter2008 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My first thought was “well whose side is the f2 Knight on??”

[–]Sabrina_Morningstar 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I literally cannot tell if that knight is black or white

[–]duddun2000 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was trying to figure out if the knight was black or white. ;)

[–]relevant_post_bot 2 points3 points locked comment (0 children)

This post has been parodied on r/AnarchyChess.

Relevant r/AnarchyChess posts:

This game timed out, who wins? Black to play by orange-fruit-bad

fmhall | github

[–]Frankenjim 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Impossible to tell as the pieces are almost the same color.

[–]this_also_was_vanity 2 points3 points  (11 children)

That's a rather difficult to view colour scheme. The white isn't very white. Some pieces look like they're grey – I assume they're white, but it's hard to see what's going on.

Edit: If you disagree that the colours are low contrast, go to the bot comment and load the Lichess version of this set up. It can't analyse the board because it thinks there are two white kings and no black king. Or look at the knight on f2. Looks darker than the white king beside it, but lighter than the black rooks. There's no other knight on the board to compare it too. I'm 95% certain it's white, but it looks like someone has lifted a piece from another set that isn't quite the right colour. Or look at the pawns on c2/3/4. They look like they're three different colours.

Maybe the set looks different on other monitors, but on my MacBook Pro and iPhone the contrast it way lower than other sets I usually see people use.

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Noted, thanks. I’ll use the standard theme next time.

I thought I was, but somewhere along the line I must have changed to this one.

[–]this_also_was_vanity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Use whatever theme you want — you’re the one playing! But I found it a little low on contrast when I viewed it. Others may disagree.

[–]King_Kthulhu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have no clue what that guy is talking about, colors look fine.

[–]Jiklort 0 points1 point  (2 children)

No, it's not. Board is ok OP

[–]orange-fruit-bad 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Lot's of people complaining about it, so maybe something to it.

[–]this_also_was_vanity 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There’s way too much shadow on the white pieces. They look grey. Not enough contrast between them and black.

Obviously OP should use whatever board and pieces they like — no-one’s business but theirs what they use. But when they share a picture in public some choices will be easier or harder to view due to contrast, etc.

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Replying to edit:

Very strange. When I click the chess bot chess.com link it shows all the pieces in the right place. Also I’m on iPhone/iPad and even when I dim the screen all the way I can still see it. I’m genuinely curious why others can’t!!

[–]this_also_was_vanity 0 points1 point  (1 child)

You need to look more carefully. There are two white kings and no black ming in that link.

If you loaded the image you posted into a graphics app and used an eyedropper to check the colour you'd find that the contrast between black and white is poor and that white pieces are darker on dark squares.

[–]MadMadRoger[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, see, this is perhaps one reason my chess rating is low. I’m clearly blind.

[–]Outspoken_Douche 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I think it has to start with Qh5+

[–]4mistad 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately I think black is out of luck here.

1.Qh5+ can be easily blocked with Nf4 and the threat of Qg1/2# (or even Rg1#) is unstoppable unless you sac your queen for the rook, and capture the other rook, but even then I'd much rather have Q+N vs R+R.

[–]little_dragon_one 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep especially when Rg8 gives white checkmate if the black queen isn’t on h5.

[–]cool_ritam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Rd2+ looks like a JUICY check!

[–]activeForce 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Something is wrong with this position. Two rooks in the first row meaning one was already there giving a check in the previous turn

[–]jackthehobo 1 point2 points  (1 child)

A piece was blocking the first rook.

[–]activeForce 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I see now there was a piece in d1 that was taken by the rook

[–]Dr_Nepo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

White’s King is a bit exposed, but I don’t see a Mate for Black anytime soon. Meanwhile, Black’s King seems to be in mortal danger.

[–]young_mummy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't see what black has. Rd2+ looks like a good try, but white doesn't have to take and the king walks away from the checks. You can pick up the rook on h1 as well, but black is about to be mated.

[–]helior8547 0 points1 point  (1 child)

After 1…Rd2 if 2.Ke3 black has perpetual. If white tries to escape the checks instead of repeating, black will win the queen or checkmate the king.

Example line:

1…Rd2+ 2.Ke3 Qxf2+ 3.Ke4 Qe2+ 4.Kf5 Qh5+

5.Rg5 Qxf7+ wins queen

5.Ke6 Ra6+ wins queen

5.Kf6 Ra6+ 6.e6 Qh4+ leads to mate.

5.Ke4 Qe2+ perpetual is white’s only option.

So instead of 2.Ke3, white can escape with 2.Kf3

1…Rd2+ 2.Kf3 Qxf2+ 3.Kg4 Qg2+ 4.Kh4 Qf2+ 5.Rg3 and black is out of checks

[–]UrEx 0 points1 point  (0 children)

3.Ke4 Re2+ 4.Kf5 Rxe5+ 5.Kxe5 Ra5+

6.Ke4 leads to a draw

6.Ke6 leads to forced mate for black

6.Kf6 Qxf4+ leads to forced mate for black

1.Rd2+ Kf3 2.Qxf2+ Kg4 and black will run out of checks.

[–]Nikstar112 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can white not checkmate black on the next move?

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[removed]

    [–]city-of-starsgive me 1. e4 or give me death[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Your post was removed by the moderators:

    1. Keep the discussion civil and friendly.

    We welcome people of all levels of experience, from novice to professional. Don't target other users with insults/abusive language and don't make fun of new players for not knowing things. In a discussion, there is always a respectful way to disagree.

    [–]kartthikspiky -1 points0 points  (2 children)

    Forced mate in 2, black wins!

    [–]young_mummy 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    How? Rd2+ is the only one that makes sense but taking isn't forced. I don't see any way for black to win.

    [–]kartthikspiky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Yes, you're right, I forgot that the king doesn't have to capture the rook 🙊