# Man killed after chess argument **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 15, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914 "2014-01-15T22:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/21 "2014-01-16T17:27:43Z")
The victim thought his joke of shouting _KING ME!_ would never get old. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/22 "2014-01-16T17:36:32Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Failing to announce _j’adoube_ before touching a piece that you don’t intend to move can result in some heated arguments. That’s precisely what I was thinking. I didn’t even realize there was a _j’adoube_ “magic word.” We always played if you touch it, you gotta move it. This would occasionally lead to arguments even with those who are aware of the rule. Also, letting go of the piece finalizes the move. Occasionally, some people would try to get out of that one, too. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/23 "2014-01-16T17:45:21Z")
Guess the guy felt that he got rooked. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/24 "2014-01-16T18:06:25Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Perhaps an argument over whether a position repeated three times leading to stalemate? No, it might lead to a draw by threefold repetition, but not to stalemate - which is another kind of draw with a perfectly cromulent definition of its own. “You may knock your opponent down with the board, but that does not make you the better chessplayer” - old proverb that someone apparently failed to take on board. (ahem) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/25 "2014-01-16T19:57:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That’s precisely what I was thinking. I didn’t even realize there was a _j’adoube_ “magic word.” IIRC from back in the dark ages when I played competitively, the rule was something like, “…or words to that effect…” meaning that it was perfectly sufficient to say, “I’m adjusting this piece,” or “This is not my move,” or anything along those lines – as long as it was said BEFORE the touch. So _j’adoube_ was, as you say, A magic word, but not the ONLy magic word. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walton\_Firm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@Walton\_Firm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walton_Firm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/26 "2014-01-16T20:05:31Z")
Maybe the question was whether it is allowed to castle with a rook which is under attack. There have been several cases where a chess grandmaster during a tournament game, turned out to be unsure about that rule. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/27 "2014-01-16T20:10:02Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Guess the guy felt that he got rooked. I’m thinking he got pwned. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/28 "2014-01-16T20:33:26Z")
> [@Walton\_Firm](#): > > Maybe the question was whether it is allowed to castle with a rook which is under attack. There have been several cases where a chess grandmaster during a tournament game, turned out to be unsure about that rule. :eek: The answer is yes, right, since the king does not pass over an attacked square? I admit, I’ve never really thought about that before. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/29 "2014-01-16T20:33:57Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > This is not 'Nam, this is chess. There are rules. Rules ?! In a knife fight ?! ---
**Author:** ![Walton\_Firm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@Walton\_Firm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walton_Firm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/30 "2014-01-16T20:57:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The answer is yes, right, since the king does not pass over an attacked square? I admit, I’ve never really thought about that before. Correct. The two most well-known cases where this question came up in a grand master tournament: [ul] [li]Korchnoi - Karpov, 1974: Korchnoi wanted to castle but wasn’t sure if it was allowed since his rook was under attack, so he got up and asked the arbiter, who told him that it was indeed allowed; he ended up winning the game.[/li][li]Averbakh - Purdy, 1960: Black castled Queenside while the extra square which the rook had to cross over, was being attacked by White. Averbakh pointed this out, thinking it was an illegal move. Purdy told him that the move was legal; Averbakh believed him but was quite surprised. Averbakh won anyway.[/li][/ul] So apparently it’s possible to get quite far in chess without knowing all the rules… ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/31 "2014-01-16T22:52:53Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > This is unacceptable. This should only happen in Russia. …because you can’t Castlenock out of Czech… =d&r= ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/32 "2014-01-16T23:10:19Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > The victim thought his joke of shouting _KING ME!_ would never get old. You know, this does bring up an interesting point: is there a specific rule that disallows that? And if you have two kings on the board, is the opponent required to trap both of them, or is one sufficient? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/33 "2014-01-16T23:24:42Z")
> [@For You](#): > > You know, this does bring up an interesting point: is there a specific rule that disallows that? And if you have two kings on the board, is the opponent required to trap both of them, or is one sufficient? Yes, there is a [specific](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook?id=124&view=article) (3.7.e) rule, so the second question falls by default. What I just learned from this article is that there is a game on record in which a player under-promoted (i.e. promoted not to a Queen but another piece) twice in the same game - to Knight each time. Both underpromotions were necessary in order to win. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/34 "2014-01-16T23:36:26Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Yes, there is a [specific](http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook?id=124&view=article) (3.7.e) rule, so the second question falls by default. > > What I just learned from this article is that there is a game on record in which a player under-promoted (i.e. promoted not to a Queen but another piece) twice in the same game - to Knight each time. Both underpromotions were necessary in order to win. I’ve done it when promotion to Q would hsve resulted in immediate stalemate. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/35 "2014-01-17T01:29:35Z")
To think I’m sending my 9 year old daughter to chess club. Unarmed. What kind of mother am I?! ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/36 "2014-01-17T03:30:37Z")
I’d like to see the score of the game. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/37 "2014-01-17T03:44:19Z")
I imagine the killer had a checkered past. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/38 "2014-01-17T04:01:23Z")
Huh, I’ve seen underpromotion to knight in puzzles where it’s mate-in-one, and I can see a situation where promoting to queen would be stalemate, but usually in such situations you can get away with a rook, which is still usually overwhelming power at that point in the game. I could maybe even see knighting into a royal fork, except that no grandmaster would ever let himself get into that situation. But underpromotion to knight, twice in one game? That’s hard to imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/39 "2014-01-17T09:03:04Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > The victim thought his joke of shouting _KING ME!_ would never get old. Thread win. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914/40 "2014-01-17T14:03:28Z")
Death by knife? The ultimate end game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-killed-after-chess-argument/678914.md?page=3)