The number of possible chess games is greater than the number of atoms in the observable universe
Some trivia is so bizarre it forces you to rethink your entire understanding of the world. Check out the fact below, see how others reacted, and scroll down to dive into the verified science and history behind it.
The Shannon number — named after mathematician Claude Shannon — estimates the number of possible distinct chess games at around 10¹²⁰ (a 1 followed by 120 zeros). The number of atoms in the observable universe is estimated at roughly 10⁸⁰. This means there are 10⁴⁰ times more possible chess games than atoms in the known universe. Even if every atom had been playing a unique chess game since the Big Bang, they would not have covered all possibilities.
A game played on an 8×8 board with 32 pieces contains more possible states than the universe contains atoms — the complexity of chess is literally astronomical.
The Science Behind It
The Shannon number — named after mathematician Claude Shannon — estimates the number of possible distinct chess games at around 10¹²⁰ (a 1 followed by 120 zeros). The number of atoms in the observable universe is estimated at roughly 10⁸⁰. This means there are 10⁴⁰ times more possible chess games than atoms in the known universe. Even if every atom had been playing a unique chess game since the Big Bang, they would not have covered all possibilities.
Why Your Brain Finds This Hard to Believe
OddlyHuman Editorial
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Read our Editorial Guidelines →“There are more possible chess games than atoms in the observable universe. The 8×8 board contains multitudes.”