Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #58

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

White to play and mate Black

Kotrc v Prokes, Bec 1907

Solution

If I were White, this would be one of those many positions were I just “played and hoped”; and if I won, be proud of my skill; or if I lost, would accept that it was just too complicated and I was unlucky.

So the first moves are obvious, in this regard: check and check. 1 Re8+ Ka7 (not hard to see that 1..Rc7 is weaker: but 2 Qa5+!! is best: 2….b6 3 Qe5+ and 4 Qe7 mate; or 2…Kd6 3 Qe5+ all the same, and 4 Qe7 mate) 2 Ra8+

2…Kb6 (2…Ka8?? 3 Qc8+ and 4 Qb7 mate) and now the very pretty, but not too hard (since White has to “keep on checkin’ ” 3 Qa5+!!

3…Ka5[] 4 ab+[] Kb5 (or 4…Kb6) 5 a8(Q)+ Kc5[]

And now only one move wins, but it isn’t too hard, 6 Ra5+ and picks up the rook with the checks continuing: 6…Kd4 7 Qf4+ 1-0