Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #214

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

White to play and mate Black

Macukovic v Bodisko, Tula 1958

Solution

The first move has to be 1 Qe6+, and the only move worth considering is 1…Ke6, when 2 Bc4+ Kf5 is forced.

Here, all you can hope is that there is a mating net, and that you haven’t the solitary escape route that might exist. In this position, there is no escape route, and the main line is 3 Nh4+ Kg4

and now various moves win: I chose 4 g3 since if 4..Kh3 5 Be6+ mates; but 4 h3+ Kh4[] 5 Be2 is the engine’s choice, and mates one move quicker.

FEN

r1q2b1r/2pnpkpp/p1Q1bp2/2P1p3/1P6/2P1BN2/P4PPP/R3KB1R w KQ – 0 1