How many total possible moves are there in chess?

At the start of a chess game, each player has 20 possible legal moves. This means there are a total of 20 possible moves for White and 20 possible moves for Black in the initial position, making a combined total of 40 possible moves at the beginning of a chess game. In chess, the total number of possible moves in a game can vary depending on the position on the board. On average, in a typical chess position, a player has around 30 legal moves to choose from. However, as the game progresses and the board opens up, the number of possible moves can increase significantly. In a complex position, the total possible moves for both players can reach into the billions over the course of a game. The vast number of potential moves is what makes chess such a deep and challenging game. read less