Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #388

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

White to play and mate Black

Karker v Kan, correspondence 1974

Solution

Black threatens to promote with dire consequences, so desperate measures are needed.  Check, check, check and hope.

1 Qh8+ or 1 Rg7+ (1 Qh8+ is probably technically better) 1…Kh8 2 b8(Q)+ Kh7 3 Rg7+ Kg7[] 4 Rb7+

4…Kf6 5 Qe5+ keeps the king in his pen, followed by 6 Rg7 mate. So 4…Kg6 when 5 Qe8+ stops him escaping: 5…Kf5 6 Qh5+ and 7 Qe5+ etc.

FEN

1Q6/1P3Rpk/p6p/b7/2q2P2/1R1pK1B1/P1p4P/8 w – – 0 1