We’re used to doing puzzles which might be mate-in-one (Level I),
mate-in-two (Level II) and so on. Someone asked on Friday, what’s
the highest level you can get? Well, I have heard of a 1220-move
monster by Babson, but that has some peculiar conditions.
The most moves in a forced-mate problem with no conditions is this
one, from Otto Blathy, who published a whole book of such
monsters.
Mate in 290 — best of luck!
SOLUTION:
P.S. I thought that was the record, but when searching on the web
this weekend I found this Level 292 problem (which is also an illegal
position):
[blockquote][em]The longest in a legal position I thought was a
226-mover, sent to me by David Beckwith, but
apparently some computer has found a
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxIaMcO2amE]Level-524
[/url]
puzzle… I expect only a computer could invent or solve that one![/em][/blockquote]