MARK RUBERY CHESS

The longest direct mate problem (in which all the moves are forced) was devised by the Danish composer Walther Jörgensen. He published it in the problem magazine “Schwalbe” in 1976 as a mate in 200 moves although later that year the celebrated endgame theorist, André Chéron (1895-1980), found a small change that ‘improved’ the problem by adding an extra three moves.

Acclaimed problem solver, author and grandmaster, Dr John Nunn, emphasizes the significance of the study:

‘Longer direct mate problems have been published, like a mate in 257 by O. T.

Blathy, and one by the same author in 290 moves. But these problems all contained duals, which means that at certain points in the solution the white continuation is not forced. In particular, many of these very long problems involve repeated king marches by White in order to lose a tempo. These marches have a triangulation in them at some point (for example, Kb1-a1-a2-b1), so that it will be Black to move at the end of the march. Generally, these triangulations involve a dual in that they can be executed in two ways, for example Kb1-a1-a2-b1 or Kb1-a2-a1-b1.

The beauty of the Jorgensen problem is that there are no such alternatives. This is precisely why the Jörgensen problem is so remarkable: every single one of the 203 moves is forced (assuming optimum defence by Black), and each white move needs to be executed in exactly the sequence given.’

The solution begins thus: 1.Qg1+ Kf3

2.Qf1+ Kg4 (2... Ke4 3.Qd3 mate) 3.Qe2+ Rf3 4.Qe6+ Rf5 5.Bh2 Kf3 (Threatening to release the black heavy pieces, which White must avoid at all costs.) 6.Qe3+ Kg2 7.Qg1+ Kf3 8.Qf1+ Kg4 9.Qe2+ Rf3 10.Qe6+ Rf5 11 Kb2! – for the next 192 moves refer to: chessbase.com/post/longest-dual-free-direct-mate-problem

‘I think the most wonderful feat I ever saw a chessplayer perform was when Pillsbury played at the Columbia Club, Vandeventer and Lindell. He played 16 games of chess and eight games of checkers, all blindfold, and took a hand at duplicate whist at the same time. He won 15 and drew one at chess, won all the checker games and the rubber of whist. During the intermission Pillsbury picked up a copy of the Post Dispatch, read a paragraph, fully one inch deep, through once and handed the paper to me. He then repeated that paragraph backwards word for word without a single mistake.’ (L Haller)