What is the longest forced mate in chess history?

Just curious. Has any genius ever announced a forced mate in like 10 moves or over?

I believe Blackburne has gone as far as announcing a mate in 35. (I believe it was busted, though)

And I always announce mate in 35 at the start of any game... 😉

Some endgames are probably mate in 35

Maybe it was Amos Burn instead of Blackburne

I guess I am looking for people who announced a forced mate that was upheld by postgame analysis AND computer analysis of master games where the computer discovered a long forced mate in a game that the masters missed.

Originally posted by heinzkat
Maybe it was Amos Burn instead of Blackburne

All those stories around the "announcements of mate" are a bit "shakey" I think...

For example, Alekhine is supposed to have announced a mate in ten, blindfolded, from this position...



(vs. Prat 1913)

And Tartakower mate in 8 from this position, blindfolded as well



(vs. unknown - possibly DannyVM - Vienna 1921)

I for one would not announce the mate as this would only help the opponent to find a way out of the mess 😛

Originally posted by homedepotov
I guess I am looking for people who announced a forced mate that was upheld by postgame analysis AND computer analysis of master games where the computer discovered a long forced mate in a game that the masters missed.

Thanks to Google (see the comment on move edit: 42, not 35, duuh)

[Event "US-Britain corr. match"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1879.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "George Hatfeild Gossip"]
[Black "Ellen E Strong Gilbert"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5
7. Nxe5 Nxe5 8. dxe5 Nc5 9. Bb3 Nxb3 10. axb3 d6 11. Qe2 dxe5
12. Qxe5+ Qe7 13. Bf4 Qxe5 14. Bxe5 Bb7 15. c4 O-O-O 16. Nc3
b4 17. Na4 Rd3 18. Rfe1 Rxb3 19. Re3 Rxe3 20. fxe3 Be7 21. Bd4
Rd8 22. Rf1 f6 23. Nc5 Bxc5 24. Bxc5 Rd2 25. Rf2 Rd1+ 26. Rf1
Rxf1+ 27. Kxf1 a5 28. g3 Kd7 29. Ke2 Ke6 30. Kd3 Kf5 31. Bf8
g6 32. Be7 Bg2 33. Kd4 b3 34. Kc3 a4 35. Kb4 Bf1 36. c5 Bb5
37. h4 Bc6 38. Bd8 Kg4 39. Bxf6 Kxg3 40. Kc3 h6 41. Kb4 Kg4
42. e4 {And Black announced Mate in 35.} 0-1

Originally posted by heinzkat
Can you say that again? (reword)

I still don't understand it but I recall Ivanchuk missing a mate in 13, a few years ago at the Mtel tournament vs. that Chinese dude Bu Xiangzhi

2 edits: 20. e4+

I saw a position, with forced mate, in 295 moves.

Originally posted by Ice Cold
It may have been Robert or Donald Byrne 😕

Thread alerted for flaming BTW
Accounting for all these "Burnz." 😞

Originally posted by heinzkat
All those stories around the "announcements of mate" are a bit "shakey" I think...


(vs. unknown - possibly DannyVM - Vienna 1921)

I for one would not announce the mate as this would only help the opponent to find a way out of the mess 😛

Originally posted by thaughbaer
The little touches make all the difference