Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #32

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

White to play and mate Black

(i) find the move which White played, and the book gives as a solution; but

(ii) find the cook;

but, don’t spend too much time, because “more or less anything wins”

Sorensen v Wagner, Rim 1893

Solution

I tried 1 Qg8+!, knowing it is a 19th century move: but it draws: 1 …Ng8 2 fg(Q)+ Kg8[] 3 Ne7+ Kg7 4 Rf7+ Kh6 and perpetual by Rf6+/Rf7+ is all that can be achieved.

I therefore just brought a piece up, 1 Nf6, and White is dominant: but no mate.

The (cooked) solution is 1 Re1, diverting the Q from g6: 1…Qe1 2 Qg8+ Ng8 4 fg(Q)+

4…Kg8 5 Ne7+ Kg7 6 Rf7+ Kh6 6 Rf6+

6…Kg7 (all as in the line without 1 Re1) but now 7 Rg6+ (there is no Qe4*g6) wins

7…Kf8 8 Rg8 mate.

Cook

But the simple 1…Ng4+ is perpetual: Kh3/Kh2; Nf2/Ng4. White can’t play Kh1 because of Qe1+.