A bunch of chess-related papers.HEADmaster

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+From: [email protected] (Hanon W. Russell)
+Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
+Subject: History of the 50-move rule
+Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1992
+
+
+A reader has inquired about the history of the 50-move rule,
+wondering if the move was put into effect in response to a
+"proof" in the 1930's that allegedly demonstrated that without
+the rule, infinitely long games were possible (we assume that
+this implied the best possible moves by both sides). Although
+we are decidedly non-mathematical (we are known to break out
+with severe cravings for ice cream and and hot fudge when
+subjected even to the threat of exposure to math books) we
+undertook a bit of historical research. The source, the newly
+released second edition of Whyld and Hooper's magnificent
+tome "The Oxford Companion to Chess" (which by the way, shall
+be duly reviewed here, possible when we finish this hot fudge
+sundae...)
+
+>From OCC: "The law existed in shatranj [whose golden age was
+the 8th-9th centuries, A.D.- HWR] as a 70-move version, and
+since then the intention has always been the same, that is, to
+counter the obstinacy of one who continues playing in an unwinnable
+position. In 1561 Ruy Lopez said that 50 moves was enough, but 
+Carrera thought this too generous and that 24 moves was right. On
+the other hand LaBourdonnais argued for 60 moves. By the 19th
+century a request for a count could be made only in specific
+endgames (not always the same in the various sets of laws). The
+count began only when the claim was made and was not annulled
+by a capture or a pawn move. Anomalies could arise such as if
+the queen were captured near the end of a 50-move count in an
+endgame K+Q v. K+R the result would still be a draw if mate was
+not effected in the remainder of the fifty moves. The laws used
+at London 1883 tournament stated that a pawn move or a capture
+annulled the count, but did not offer retrospective counting when
+the claim was first made."
+
+HWR