Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate # 29

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and win

Vazzaroni v Mazzochi, Rim 1891

Solution

Another pretty puzzle: intuitively you know that there has to be a mate, probably with Bf7, but how to get all the pieces out of the way/ in what order do you throw things away?

A bit of thinking shows how: 1 Qg4+! Bg4[] (B diverted off the diagonal, escape square blocked) 2 Rh6+! (clearance, stops g7-g6) 2….gh 3 Bf7.

A nice smothered mate.

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