In theory, chess can be solved because the rules create a closed, predictable system. In practice, however, chess cannot be solved because it’s beyond the capacity of any human mathematicians and beyond the capabilities of computers. There are 10120 potential variations of games in chess and around 1043 different potential positions on the board. To fully solve chess, every single one of these must be compared against the other.
Chess computers are now so strong that they are practically unbeatable. It is highly unlikely that even the greatest human players would beat a computer playing at a full capacity. This is because a computer can analyze millions of possibilities and compare them against each other within seconds. No human mind can hope to compete with such analytical powers.
It is probably easier to learn to play chess than bridge. It is harder still to learn the bidding language of bridge. Bridge can get somewhat more complicated because the players have to agree to certain parameters, which can change a player’s approach to the game. However, bridge has an element of luck which is not present in chess at all.
The difference is that in blitz chess each player must make all of their moves in 10 minutes or less. There is a minor variation to this rule if there are time increments involved. In rapid chess the players must make all of their moves in 30 minutes or less, which again, may be modified by increments.
Chess is harder than checkers because there are far fewer moves and board combinations in checkers. Checkers has been solved by a computer, meaning that a perfect game can exist which forces one player to win. Chess cannot be solved in the same way because the possibilities are far more complex.
There are two schools of thought on this: The first is that bishops used to be war elephants in the forebear of chess known as Shatranj. The second is that bishops in certain Catholic faiths wear hats called mitres, and the cut on top of the chess piece makes it look like one.
Chess is probably harder overall than Mahjong because there is no luck involved in chess. Some variants of mahjong are harder than others but the luck factor is still there. The rules of Mahjong, however, tend to be more complex and it is harder to learn than Chess.
Chess is harder than Backgammon because Backgammon has fewer moves and fewer rules. Since Backgammon involves dice rolls, it also has an element of luck so it is easier for a weaker player to beat a stronger one on any given day. Luck does not play a role in Chess so it is harder than Backgammon.
The idea of a difference between blitz and bullet chess came about during the early days of chess when blitz games lasted between 3 to 10 minutes and bullet games lasted 3 minutes or less. These standards arose in a day before time controls could be manipulated to a much higher degree and these absolute definitions don’t always apply today.
In theory, a chess game could go on forever but in practice it is not possible. There’s a limit in terms of the lifespan of the players involved and most games are played with specific time restrictions which limit their length. Rules such as the 50-move limit and the rule of repetition also prevent chess games from going on forever.
