Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #167

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

Unknown v Mason 1948

So, pretty, this looks almost ‘too good to be true’, since five of Black’s pieces (six, including his king) are on the back rank, and yet there is a forced mate.

1…Bb5! clears the back rank for the Q to reach h8 once the usual double rook sac has cleared the lines, here with the addition of the rank clearing Bc5+.

White can grovel, and play 2 Qf3, but if he then plays (after 2…Bf1) 3 Rf1, the same line follows.

So, 1…Bb5! 2 ab Nhg3+ 3 hg (3 hg drops the LPDO Qe2) hg+ 4 Kg1 Bc5+,

5…Rh1+, 6 Rh8+, 7…Rh1+ 8…Qh1+ and 9….Qh2 mate.

k1q1bbrr/1p3pp1/p7/5n1n/PP2N2p/1NP5/1BB1Q1PP/2R2R1K b – – 0 1