Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #225

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

White to play and mate Black    

Katalimov v Mnacakanjan, SSSR 1959

Solution

I fluffed this one: I chose 1 Bh6 Rh6 2 Re6 thinking that after 2…Re6 3 Qf8 is mate; but 2….Qe6 is 0-1.

Right idea, wrong execution.

1 Rd7! Bd7 2 Bh6! works.

Komodo 10 says that 1 Be5 is also +-,  and it does, but in the sense of being an exchange up in the ending (a simple ending): 1 Rd7! mates.

FEN

1rq1B2k/2p1Q1pp/pb2br2/5p2/1P3B2/6P1/5P1P/3RR1K1 w – – 0 1