mate in 290 (no joke)

white to play and mate in 290 moves - with the best wishes for the new year by Dr. Otto Bláthy, Budapest 1929

Which new year? 2014!

Finally solved it...

This problem is illegal. White's pawn structure requires four captures but Black has 15 pieces left.

[Edit: also, White has eight Pawns and two darl-squared Bishops.]

It's specifically at Budapest on the 25th of December, 1929! Dr Otto Titusz Blathy and others have created many problems like this one! The longest I'm aware of is from D.Wochenschach (March 1927) and is solved in 342 moves!! This one is also from Dr Otto and is solved in 127 moves! Haven't found it yet!! :)

Another interesting puzzle, which I have solved because it's only one move long, I give you below:

White plays and does NOT mate!!

TAKES THE BISHOP?

Get this positions with 4 moves from white and 4 moves from black, no more, no less!

Wow

Melapakanako

Nishapalaskan

Falakniksho

What is weird, is that posts in the topic appear to have changed in the past 24 hours. For instance I read the last post yesterday while the dating says it is just 4 hours old. Somebody hacking on chess.com?

Sick. Quack, quack!