Illegal Position Contest!

And you can't be in checkmate without being in check, so it is certainly correct that Black is in check.

Brisingaro, thanks for posting that. Some of those reading this thread don't know that it's an illegal position. But to help them, you should explain what makes it illegal.

This is a study, White to play and win, G. Horning, Schach #15 153 2002. Why is the position illegal?

Black has made seven captures with Pawns, yet White's light-squared Bishop must have been captured by a piece.

 OBVIOUSLY illegal because Black has no pieces, and White has 4 kings.

c2

This is a better challenge than many of the positions posted here. The white bishop must be a promoted piece, since the f1 bishop was captured at home. A promotion at a8 or c8 would leave the bishop trapped, and White's c-pawn needs four captures to promote on e8 or g8. But Black is only missing three men, so the position is illegal.

(Removing a black rook wouldn't be enough to make the position legal, since White also needs a capture to remove Black's c8 bishop.)

What's illegal about that?

is this illegal??

even this

umm judges where are you??

The judges tend to ignore positions that are too obviously illegal. See if you can create a position that seems like it might be legal.

ok 

thanks for the advice tho

umm here 

If you want it to seem legal you should avoid giving White nine pawns.

no kings