What is the longest known 7-piece checkmate?
1 Answer
549 moves. Here is the link to the Lomonosov tablebase for this special position. This record was generated and discovered in 2014 by Guy Haworth; his publication "Chess Endgame Records" can be found at online..
[FEN "1n1k4/6Q1/5KP1/8/7b/1r6/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
1.Kf5 Rb5+ 2.Kg4 Rb4+ 3.Kf3 Nd7 4.Qh8+ Ke7 5.g7 Bf6 6.g8=N+ Ke6 7.Qh3+ Kd6 8.Kg2 Rb2+ 9.Kf1 Rb1+ 10.Ke2 Rb2+ 11.Kd1 Rb1+ 12.Kc2 Rb2+ 13.Kc1 Rb5 14.Qh6 Rc5+ 15.Kb1 Rb5+ 16.Ka2 Ra5+ 17.Kb3 Rf5 18.Ka3 Rf3+ 19.Ka2 Ke6 20.Qh7 Ne5 21.Nh6 Rf2+ 22.Kb1 Rf4 23.Qg8+ Kd6 24.Ka2 Nc6 25.Ng4 Bd4 26.Qg6+ Kd5 27.Qg5+ Ke4 28.Kb1 Nb4 29.Qe7+ Kd3 30.Qh7+ Ke2 31.Qh2+ Kf3 32.Qh3+ Ke4 33.Qg2+ Kd3 34.Qg3+ Ke4 35.Qe1+ Kd3 36.Qd1+ Ke4 37.Qe2+ Kd5 38.Kc1 Kd6 39.Qh2 Nd5 40.Kd2 Bc3+ 41.Ke2 Bd4 42.Qh6+ Kd7 43.Qh7+ Kc6 44.Qg8 Kc5 45.Kd3 Nb4+ 46.Kd2 Nd5 47.Qc8+ Kd6 48.Nh6 Bc3+ 49.Ke2 Re4+ 50.Kf2 Rf4+ 51.Kg1 Bd4+ 52.Kh2 Ne3 53.Qd8+ Kc6 54.Qe8+ Kc5 55.Nf7 Rf2+ 56.Kh3 Rf3+ 57.Kh4 Rf5 58.Nh6 Rf1 59.Qa8 Kb4 60.Kh5 Kc3 61.Qc8+ Kd3 62.Kg6 Rf2 63.Qa8 Rf1 64.Qb8 Kd2 65.Qb3 Ke2 66.Qb5+ Kd2 67.Qg5 Kc2 68.Kh7 Kd3 69.Qb5+ Kc3 70.Qa5+ Kd3 71.Qg5 Rf6 72.Qb5+ Ke4 73.Qb7+ Kd3 74.Qd7 Kc3 75.Qe8 Kd2 76.Qb5 Kc2 77.Qe2+ Kc3 78.Qh5 Rf1 79.Qg6 Rf6 80.Qe4 Kc4 81.Qe8 Kd3 82.Ng8 Rf1 83.Ne7 Rh1+ 84.Kg6 Rg1+ 85.Kf7 Rf1+ 86.Ke6 Rf6+ 87.Kd7 Bc5 88.Nc6 Nd5 89.Nd8 Rd6+ 90.Kc8 Ne7+ 91.Kc7 Nd5+ 92.Kb7 Rb6+ 93.Kc8 Ne7+ 94.Kd7 Nd5 95.Qe1 Rd6+ 96.Kc8 Be3 97.Qd1+ Ke4 98.Qc2+ Kd4 99.Qa4+ Ke5 100.Qh4 Kf5 101.Qh3+ Ke4 102.Nf7 Rc6+ 103.Kd8 Kd4 104.Ke8 Rc7 105.Kf8 Bf4 106.Qe6 Ra7 107.Qe2 Be3 108.Qg4+ Kc5 109.Qc8+ Kd4 110.Qb8 Kd3 111.Kg8 Rc7 112.Qb5+ Kd4 113.Qa4+ Kc5 114.Qa6 Kd4 115.Kf8 Bd2 116.Qf1 Bc3 117.Kg7 Rc6 118.Kg8 Nf6+ 119.Kf8 Rc8+ 120.Kg7 Ne4 121.Qb5 Ke3+ 122.Kh7 Rc7 123.Qb6+ Rc5 124.Qe6 Kf4 125.Qh6+ Kf3 126.Qh3+ Ke2 127.Kg8 Rc6 128.Kf8 Bb4+ 129.Kg7 Bc3+ 130.Kg8 Rf6 131.Qh4 Kd3 132.Nd8 Kd4 133.Qg4 Ke5 134.Qe2 Kf4 135.Qc4 Kf3 136.Qb3 Kf2 137.Ne6 Ke3 138.Qa2 Rf3 139.Qc2 Be5 140.Qd1 Bc3 141.Qc1+ Kd3 142.Nf4+ Kc4 143.Ng2 Rf2 144.Nh4 Nf6+ 145.Kg7 Ne4+ 146.Kg6 Rf6+ 147.Kh5 Kd4 148.Qd1+ Ke3 149.Qb1 Bd2 150.Ng6 Ng3+ 151.Kh6 Bc3 152.Qc1+ Kd3 153.Qg1 Ne4 154.Kh7 Rd6 155.Kg8 Rd8+ 156.Kf7 Rd7+ 157.Ke6 Rd6+ 158.Ke7 Bf6+ 159.Ke8 Rd8+ 160.Kf7 Rd7+ 161.Ke6 Rd6+ 162.Kf5 Rd5+ 163.Kf4 Bg5+ 164.Kg4 Ke2 165.Qa7 Bd2 166.Qe7 Rg5+ 167.Kh3 Ke3 168.Nh4 Rg3+ 169.Kh2 Rg4 170.Qa3+ Bc3 171.Qa7+ Ke2 172.Ng2 Be5+ 173.Kg1 Nd2 174.Qf2+ Kd1 175.Kh1 Bd4 176.Qe1+ Kc2 177.Qe2 Re4 178.Qh5 Nf1 179.Qd5 Nd2 180.Qf5 Kd1 181.Nf4 Be5 182.Qh5+ Kc2 183.Ng6 Bf6 184.Kg2 Bg5 185.Qh7 Kd1 186.Qh8 Be3 187.Qh5+ Kc2 188.Nh4 Bd4 189.Nf5 Be5 190.Qe8 Rg4+ 191.Kh3 Re4 192.Qc8+ Kd1 193.Qc5 Nc4 194.Nh6 Nd2 195.Ng4 Bd4 196.Qb5 Rf4 197.Kh4 Be3 198.Qd3 Bd4 199.Kh5 Re4 200.Qa3 Rf4 201.Qd6 Re4 202.Nh6 Bf2 203.Kg6 Rc4 204.Qe5 Bb6 205.Qg3 Rc6+ 206.Kg7 Rc4 207.Nf7 Bc7 208.Qg1+ Kc2 209.Nh6 Be5+ 210.Kg8 Re4 211.Nf5 Bf4 212.Qh1 Be5 213.Qh3 Kd1 214.Kf8 Bf4 215.Qg4+ Ke1 216.Qg2 Be5 217.Qh1+ Ke2 218.Ke8 Bg3+ 219.Kd7 Bf2 220.Ne7 Rd4+ 221.Nd5 Kd3 222.Kc6 Rh4 223.Qg2 Rc4+ 224.Kb5 Be3 225.Qh1 Bc5 226.Qh7+ Ke2 227.Qh5+ Ke1 228.Kc6 Bd4+ 229.Kd6 Bf2 230.Kd7 Rd4 231.Qh1+ Ke2 232.Ke6 Rh4 233.Qg2 Rc4 234.Ke7 Nf3 235.Qh3 Re4+ 236.Kd8 Rd4 237.Qh5 Bg3 238.Qe8+ Be5 239.Qb5+ Kf2 240.Kc8 Re4 241.Kb7 Bd4 242.Qc6 Rg4 243.Ka6 Rg7 244.Nb4 Re7 245.Nd3+ Ke3 246.Qc1+ Ke4 247.Nb4 Re5 248.Qb1+ Ke3 249.Qc2 Rc5 250.Qd3+ Kf4 251.Qe2 Kg3 252.Qe7 Rh5 253.Nd3 Rh6+ 254.Ka5 Rh4 255.Qe6 Bc3+ 256.Ka6 Bd4 257.Qc6 Be3 258.Qe8 Bd4 259.Qb8+ Kg2 260.Qg8+ Kh3 261.Qg6 Rg4 262.Qc6 Kg3 263.Qc7+ Kh3 264.Nf4+ Kh4 265.Qd6 Kg3 266.Ng6+ Kf2 267.Qe6 Rg1 268.Nf4 Ra1+ 269.Kb7 Ra7+ 270.Kb8 Ra3 271.Qe2+ Kg3 272.Nd3 Rb3+ 273.Kc8 Rb6 274.Qe4 Rf6 275.Kd7 Bc3 276.Nc5 Bd4 277.Ne6 Be5 278.Ng5 Bb2 279.Qe3 Kg4 280.Ne4 Rf7+ 281.Kc6 Rf5 282.Nf2+ Kg3 283.Nd3 Be5 284.Kd7 Rf7+ 285.Ke8 Rf5 286.Qc5 Kg4 287.Nf2+ Kg5 288.Qd5 Kg6 289.Nd3 Bg7 290.Qe4 Kg5 291.Ke7 Bd4 292.Kd7 Rf6 293.Kc8 Rf8+ 294.Kb7 Rf7+ 295.Ka6 Rf6+ 296.Ka5 Bc3+ 297.Ka4 Ra6+ 298.Kb5 Ra5+ 299.Kb6 Rf5 300.Qe7+ Kg6 301.Qe8+ Kg5 302.Kb7 Bd4 303.Qe7+ Kh5 304.Qe4 Rf7+ 305.Ka6 Rf6+ 306.Kb5 Kg5 307.Nb4 Be5 308.Nd5 Rf5 309.Qe3+ Kh5 310.Ka6 Rf7 311.Qf2 Ng5 312.Qc2 Nf3 313.Qc8 Kg5 314.Qe6 Rf5 315.Kb7 Bd4 316.Qe7+ Bf6 317.Qe3+ Kh5 318.Qe4 Kg5 319.Nc7 Nd4 320.Qg2+ Kh5 321.Nd5 Nf3 322.Ne3 Rf4 323.Qh3+ Nh4 324.Qe6 Kg5 325.Qd5+ Kg6 326.Qd6 Kg5 327.Qc5+ Kg6 328.Qc7 Kg5 329.Nd5 Rf3 330.Qc1+ Kg4 331.Ne3+ Kg5 332.Nc4+ Rf4 333.Nb6 Kg4 334.Qd1+ Kg3 335.Nd5 Rf3 336.Qd2 Kg4 337.Ne3+ Kh5 338.Nc4 Bg5 339.Qd1 Bf4 340.Nb6 Bg3 341.Nd7 Kg5 342.Qd5+ Rf5 343.Qe4 Rf4 344.Qe7+ Kg4 345.Qe6+ Kf3 346.Nf6 Kg2 347.Qd5+ Kh2 348.Ne4 Nf5 349.Ng5 Nd6+ 350.Kb6 Bf2+ 351.Kc7 Bg3 352.Kd7 Nf5 353.Qd2+ Rf2 354.Qd1 Rf4 355.Qe2+ Rf2 356.Qh5+ Kg2 357.Kc6 Rc2+ 358.Kd5 Rd2+ 359.Kc4 Rf2 360.Qh3+ Kg1 361.Kb4 Rf1 362.Ka5 Rf4 363.Ka6 Ra4+ 364.Kb5 Rf4 365.Ka5 Rf2 366.Qh8 Kg2 367.Qc3 Rf4 368.Qd2+ Kf1 369.Qd5 Nd4 370.Kb6 Bf2 371.Kc7 Rh4 372.Qe5 Kg2 373.Ne4 Kf3 374.Nd2+ Kg2 375.Qd5+ Kh2 376.Kb7 Rh7+ 377.Ka6 Rh6+ 378.Ka5 Rh4 379.Qd6+ Kh3 380.Qd7+ Kg2 381.Qb7+ Kg3 382.Qg7+ Rg4 383.Nf1+ Kh3 384.Qd7 Kh4 385.Qh7+ Kg5 386.Qg7+ Kf4 387.Qc7+ Kg5 388.Nd2 Rf4 389.Qg7+ Kf5 390.Nc4 Nf3 391.Nd6+ Ke6 392.Ne8 Kf5 393.Ka6 Bd4 394.Nd6+ Ke6 395.Qg8+ Kf6 396.Qh7 Ke6 397.Ne4 Kd5 398.Qb7+ Ke6 399.Ng3 Be5 400.Qb3+ Kd6 401.Qb6+ Ke7 402.Ne4 Kf7 403.Qh6 Kg8 404.Qe6+ Kh8 405.Qe7 Rf5 406.Kb6 Bg7 407.Ng3 Rf6+ 408.Kb5 Nd4+ 409.Kc4 Rc6+ 410.Kd3 Rc3+ 411.Ke4 Rc6 412.Qe8+ Kh7 413.Kd3 Rd6 414.Qh5+ Kg8 415.Ne4 Rd8 416.Ke3 Bh6+ 417.Kf2 Rf8+ 418.Kg2 Kh7 419.Ng3 Ne6 420.Qh4 Ng7 421.Qe4+ Kg8 422.Qd5+ Kh7 423.Qd6 Rf7 424.Qd3+ Kg8 425.Qd5 Bc1 426.Kh3 Ba3 427.Kg4 Be7 428.Qc4 Kf8 429.Qc8+ Ne8 430.Nf5 Rf6 431.Qd7 Rf7 432.Qd3 Bf6 433.Qe3 Be7 434.Qh6+ Kg8 435.Qh1 Rh7 436.Qd5+ Kf8 437.Kf3 Nf6 438.Qe5 Ne8 439.Ke2 Bf6 440.Qd5 Rf7 441.Kd2 Bg5+ 442.Kc2 Rc7+ 443.Kb2 Bf6+ 444.Kb1 Rh7 445.Qf3 Ra7 446.Qb3 Rc7 447.Qb4+ Kf7 448.Qb6 Rd7 449.Qb3+ Kf8 450.Nh6 Rg7 451.Qa3+ Be7 452.Qf3+ Bf6 453.Ng4 Ke7 454.Kc2 Rg5 455.Qe3+ Kf7 456.Qb3+ Kf8 457.Qe6 Bg7 458.Ne3 Re5 459.Qb6 Bf6 460.Ng4 Rf5 461.Qe6 Rf4 462.Qc8 Bd4 463.Qd7 Bg7 464.Ne3 Rf2+ 465.Kb1 Rf7 466.Qc8 Rc7 467.Qa6 Rd7 468.Qa3+ Kf7 469.Qb3+ Kf8 470.Qb4+ Nd6 471.Qf4+ Kg8 472.Nd5 Nf7 473.Qc4 Ra7 474.Nf4 Rb7+ 475.Kc2 Rb2+ 476.Kd1 Rb6 477.Qc8+ Kh7 478.Qc7 Rd6+ 479.Ke2 Kg8 480.Qe7 Bf8 481.Qe8 Ng5 482.Qc8 Rf6 483.Qg4 Bh6 484.Nh5 Re6+ 485.Kf1 Re5 486.Qc8+ Bf8 487.Qc2 Re6 488.Qa2 Kh7 489.Qg2 Kh6 490.Qh1 Rb6 491.Nf4+ Kg7 492.Qh5 Nh7 493.Qg4+ Kf7 494.Qd7+ Be7 495.Qd5+ Kf8 496.Ne6+ Ke8 497.Qh5+ Kd7 498.Ng7 Nf6 499.Qf5+ Kc7 500.Qe5+ Kd7 501.Qd4+ Kc7 502.Qe3 Nd5 503.Qe5+ Kc6 504.Nf5 Rb7 505.Qe4 Kc5 506.Qc2+ Kb6 507.Qb3+ Kc6 508.Nd4+ Kc5 509.Qxb7 Kxd4 510.Kf2 Ke4 511.Qb1+ Kd4 512.Qg6 Bf6 513.Kf3 Be7 514.Qg1+ Kc4 515.Qg4+ Kc5 516.Ke2 Nf6 517.Qf5+ Kd4 518.Qf4+ Kd5 519.Kf3 Ke6 520.Qc4+ Kf5 521.Qa6 Nd7 522.Qd3+ Ke6 523.Qe3+ Kd6 524.Kf4 Nc5 525.Kf5 Bf8 526.Qf3 Nd7 527.Qc3 Ke7 528.Qd4 Ke8 529.Ke6 Nc5+ 530.Kd5 Nd7 531.Kc6 Nb8+ 532.Kb6 Nd7+ 533.Kc7 Nc5 534.Qc4 Be7 535.Qg8+ Bf8 536.Kc6 Na6 537.Qe6+ Be7 538.Qc8+ Kf7 539.Qxa6 Ke6 540.Qd3 Bg5 541.Qe4+ Kf6 542.Kd6 Bd2 543.Qe5+ Kg6 544.Ke6 Bg5 545.Qf5+ Kh5 546.Qf3+ Kh6 547.Qf7 Bh4 548.Kf5 Bg5 549.Qg6#
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1How do you know it's the longest?– user21899Commented Oct 26, 2021 at 1:29
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4If you follow the link it asserts it is the longest, though I think the answer would be improved if there was a little bit of text saying here is a link to the relevant database, and on the link asserts that this is the longest solution in the database– Ian BushCommented Oct 26, 2021 at 6:49
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1Very interesting that the line includes a promotion to knight. Commented Oct 27, 2021 at 9:02
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The "human-comprehensible" part starts around move 498 (maybe earlier for GMs). It's incredible that all the moves before build up to that attack on the rook. Commented Sep 22, 2023 at 8:47
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@theonlygusti the key part is that we have a full 7-piece ending database, so we know that it's the longest by comparing it to every single other 7-piece ending possible and observing that they have a shorter checkmate.– PeterisCommented Jan 7 at 15:53