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See below for an explicit and improved construction of Mate in $N\omega$
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Noam D. Elkies
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EDIT See below for an explicit construction of mate in $N\omega$ with a fixed number of pieces on a ${\bf Z}^2$ board. TIDE

This doesn't work as it stands on an edgeless board because the White King can hide around the shell in $O(1)$ moves rather than go after the Rook. But I think something similar should succeed, using a protected but pinned Black rook to substitute for the vertical edge.

This doesn't work as it stands on an edgeless board because the White King can hide around the shell in $O(1)$ moves rather than go after the Rook. But I think something similar should succeed, using a protected but pinned Black rook to substitute for the vertical edge.

EDIT See below for an explicit construction of mate in $N\omega$ with a fixed number of pieces on a ${\bf Z}^2$ board. TIDE

This doesn't work as it stands on an edgeless board because the White King can hide around the shell in $O(1)$ moves rather than go after the Rook. But I think something similar should succeed, using a protected but pinned Black rook to substitute for the vertical edge.

added 218 characters in body
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Noam D. Elkies
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EDIT See my subsequent answer for a variant of this position with K+R vs. K+B+P on a quarter-infinite board thats mate in $2\omega$, and might be extended to $3\omega$, $4\omega$, etc. with more pawns. TIDE

(I think the theoretical position Kc3,Qd1/Ka2,Rb2 is likewise a White win in $\log_2(n) + O(1)$ on an $n \times n$ board, and thus in $\omega$ on a quarter-infinite board, but the analysis is harder and it might be harder to adapt to an edgeless board.)

(I think the theoretical position Kc3,Qd1/Ka2,Rb2 is likewise a White win in $\log_2(n) + O(1)$ on an $n \times n$ board, and thus in $\omega$ on a quarter-infinite board, but the analysis is harder and it might be harder to adapt to an edgeless board.)

EDIT See my subsequent answer for a variant of this position with K+R vs. K+B+P on a quarter-infinite board thats mate in $2\omega$, and might be extended to $3\omega$, $4\omega$, etc. with more pawns. TIDE

(I think the theoretical position Kc3,Qd1/Ka2,Rb2 is likewise a White win in $\log_2(n) + O(1)$ on an $n \times n$ board, and thus in $\omega$ on a quarter-infinite board, but the analysis is harder and it might be harder to adapt to an edgeless board.)

Changed "K+B vs. K+R" twice to "K+R vs. K+B" which is clearer
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Noam D. Elkies
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On an infinite board even K+Q vs. K is not sufficient mating material against a lone King, while on a quarter-infinite board it is well known that K+R still suffice, with a mate of bounded length given the positions of the Kings (I think this is even in Winning Ways). Since mate in $\omega$ also requires Black to have a long-range piece, the minimum conceivable material is K+BK+R vs. K+RK+B. I claim that this is sufficient!

In the orthodox game K+BK+R vs. K+RK+B is usually an easy draw, but there are some known nontrivial wins. One standard example is Kb3,Rc2 / Kb1,Bc1. I claim that if we set this up on a quarter-infinite board with Black to move then White forces checkmate in $\omega$ moves.

On an infinite board even K+Q vs. K is not sufficient mating material against a lone King, while on a quarter-infinite board it is well known that K+R still suffice, with a mate of bounded length given the positions of the Kings (I think this is even in Winning Ways). Since mate in $\omega$ also requires Black to have a long-range piece, the minimum conceivable material is K+B vs. K+R. I claim that this is sufficient!

In the orthodox game K+B vs. K+R is usually an easy draw, but there are some known nontrivial wins. One standard example is Kb3,Rc2 / Kb1,Bc1. I claim that if we set this up on a quarter-infinite board with Black to move then White forces checkmate in $\omega$ moves.

On an infinite board even K+Q vs. K is not sufficient mating material against a lone King, while on a quarter-infinite board it is well known that K+R still suffice, with a mate of bounded length given the positions of the Kings (I think this is even in Winning Ways). Since mate in $\omega$ also requires Black to have a long-range piece, the minimum conceivable material is K+R vs. K+B. I claim that this is sufficient!

In the orthodox game K+R vs. K+B is usually an easy draw, but there are some known nontrivial wins. One standard example is Kb3,Rc2 / Kb1,Bc1. I claim that if we set this up on a quarter-infinite board with Black to move then White forces checkmate in $\omega$ moves.

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Noam D. Elkies
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