how many possible first moves are there for white?  I know it's simple but I want to see the responses.

There are 20 possible first moves.

give this man a prize, 20 it is

20. but they aren't all good.

each pawn can make 2 moves, and each knight can make 2 possible moves.

1, because then after that it wouldn't be the first move?

oh! clever!

ayayay...

FEhockeykid13 wrote: 1, because then after that it wouldn't be the first move?

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but the question as worded was possible first moves not first moves. however the response was very thought provoking and funny.  Good one!

Actually knight2c4, most of the first possible moves are "playable". If the Rybka chess program was playing the white side with ANY first move I am sure that it will be able to get a reasonable position.

Believe me, I'm fully aware that not all of the 20 moves are good.  I fully understand that.  I'm just looking for responses that's all!  I wanted to make someone think in another media other than a board.

as far as im aware there are only 20 first moves. Two each per pawn and two each per knight.

 

How many possible 2nd moves are there?

 There are 400 distinct chess positions after two moves (first move for White, followed by first move for Black).  There are 5,362 distinct chess positions or 8,902 total positions after three moves (White’s second move).  There are 71,852 distinct chess positions or 197,742 total positions after four moves (two moves for White and two moves for Black).  There are 809,896 distinct positions or 4, 897,256 total positions after 5 moves.  There are 9,132,484 distinct positions or 120,921,506 total positions after 6 moves (three moves for White and three moves for Black).  The total number of chess positions after 7 moves is 3,284,294,545.  The total number of chess positions is about 2x10 to the 46 power.

That's awesome.

20 is incorrect. The answer is infinite as anyone who has little kids can tell you. Examples:

1. Be5!
2. Rd4!?
3. QxK?! of own color (talk about a dubious move)
4. And my personal favorite just shoving all of the pieces forward! (which refutes the '1' answer)

Now if the question had been about LEGAL chess moves... about 20 plus or minus; give or take; add or subtract; more or less; paper or plastic; red wine or white wine; shaken or stirred... What was I talkin' about?

MattHelfst wrote: Actually knight2c4, most of the first possible moves are "playable". If the Rybka chess program was playing the white side with ANY first move I am sure that it will be able to get a reasonable position.

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That, in itself, is an interesting observation (to me, at least) and something I've been considering a lot lately. People can discuss this or that opening, or whether Bishops are stronger than Knights, but in the final analysis, winning a game usually comes down to sheer skill and talent - that is, the ability to find more moves (or ideas) that better meet the needs of the position, and it all seems to go back to Steinitz' accumulation theory.

LeviAJones wrote: 20. but they aren't all good.

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Precisely, I'd say only about 8 or 9 of them are good moves

one  why?

 

billwall wrote:

 There are 400 distinct chess positions after two moves (first move for White, followed by first move for Black).  There are 5,362 distinct chess positions or 8,902 total positions after three moves (White’s second move).  There are 71,852 distinct chess positions or 197,742 total positions after four moves (two moves for White and two moves for Black).  There are 809,896 distinct positions or 4, 897,256 total positions after 5 moves.  There are 9,132,484 distinct positions or 120,921,506 total positions after 6 moves (three moves for White and three moves for Black).  The total number of chess positions after 7 moves is 3,284,294,545.  The total number of chess positions is about 2x10 to the 46 power.

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 3,284,294,545 moves after 7 move..OMG,COOL