Most moves without a capture

In one of my current games, we joked about our "Mexican Stand Off."  Like one of the old western movies where 20 guns are all pointing at each other just waiting to see who will fire first.  Both of us kept defending and/or escaping until finally on move 13, we exchanged pawns.

Then we started joking about all the arguments we could start in the forums by asking:

Is it possible to play a game all the way to checkmate wihout a single piece getting removed from the board?

It should be interesting to hear all the responses.  Since I doubt anyone has actually played in a game like that (I'm guessing it's one of those "in theory" games like "Fool's Mate" that never happens in real life (in fact, technically Fool's Mate would qualify since there are no captures), let me ask another question:

What is the most number of moves you've played in a game without a capture on either side?

Yes.

1. f3 e4 2. g4 Qh4#

Short. Sweet. Simple.

As for how many moves I've played without a capture on either side, it has to be approximately 40 moves during a Queen's Gambit Game I played.

Billium248 wrote:

What is the most number of moves you've played in a game without a capture on either side?

Not sure. But I think the record is something like 32 moves.

I don't think it would be so shocking for a checkmate to happen without any captures.

I'm willing to trade material pretty readily (except the bishop pair). These days, it's rare that I find myself escaping from a threat unless I made an error. I try to look down the line far enough that if I get threatened, I can make a trade that will confer a positional advantage or a tactic of some sort. That doesn't always work out as planned (I'm still learning!), but I think it's generally good to simplify the game if you have some advantages.

106 i think ?

Most possible is 16x50, 16 total pawn moves and 50 moves between each pawn move.

Aren't there 32 pawn moves? 2 for each pawn?

Here's a link to a game with no captures at all. Ends in a draw though =(

http://www.chess.com/games/view.html?id=108606#

Latest first capture

In Rogoff-Williams, World Junior Championship, Stockholm 1969, the first capture (91.bxc5) occurred on White's 91st move.

Longest decisive game without a capture

Nuber - Keckeisen, Mengen 1994 lasted 31 moves without a single capture. In the end Keckeisen, facing imminent checkmate, resigned.

I guess that answers my questions.  Thanks for the links.

umm

i dont remember i might remember.. this?

1. e4 -e5

2. qh5 - d6

3. bc4 - qe7

4. Nc3 - Qd7

5. bb5 - nc6

then i take the knight and he takes the bishop.

let me show you

its real to be able to do it. but its a draw if its a game of 50 moves without losing a pawn..

its impossible without being a game without the real rules to do that..

its an automatic draw if you do at least 50 moves without losing a pawn...

but its ok for pieces???

jcamargos wrote:

ohh..  sorry for the double..  but this is interesting too..  not all of it is on-topic, but it is interesting..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_records_in_chess

actually, on the shortest game in the world thats not it.. it would be the game i played..actually i know one even less than that!

i think it is..its the shortest one i know..

this is the shortest game ever (i made it up lol)

i want to show you i think its the shortest though..

I played a game where we went 15 moves without a capture and then we exchanged queens as the first pieces to be captured.

Many people are bringing up the 50-Move-Rule.  Now correct me if I'm wrong, but everything I've ever read about this rule indicates that it does NOT kick in automatically.  Both players may agree to a draw long before 50 moves, or both players could agree to keep playing indefinitlely (which is apparently possible in many different situations). 

The 50-Move-Rule is for situations where one player wants to just call it a draw, and the other player refuses.  After 50 moves without a capture (or whatever specific pawn, rook, bishop details are in effect at the time (apparently this rule has been modified a couple times)) then the 1st player may DEMAND a draw, and the other player can no longer refuse.  Of course he/she can still try to fight it like OJ if the 1st player hasn't recorded all 50 moves as proof, so it could last well past 50 moves before the draw can be forced (or not).

_Shaurya_ wrote:

Yes.

1. f3 e4 2. g4 Qh4#

Short. Sweet. Simple.

As for how many moves I've played without a capture on either side, it has to be approximately 40 moves during a Queen's Gambit Game I played.

Not to be rude, but you say Queens Gambit, i am assuming it was declined but the Gambit means to sacrifice material for position.

linus911> automatic draw if you do at least 50 moves without losing a pawn...

That's not quite correct. It's only a draw if 50 consecutive moves occur without any capture or a pawn move and one side claims it.

Billium248> Of course he/she can still try to fight it like OJ if the 1st player hasn't recorded all 50 moves as proof...

Why would they stop recording moves? If it's due to time pressure, then recording the moves is not necessary to claim a draw by the 50-move rule, you can call the TD and ask them to count (or provide a counter)... at least, that's what I do.  :)

Try fools mate.I've never done it to anyone but a piece is not captured.