Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #390

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

White to play and mate Black

Bartrina v Ghitescu, Olot 1974

Solution

The first move isn’t too hard, but calculating all the lines takes some time.

1 Bg7!

1..Bf2+! (1…Qg7 2 Rd8+ and mates) 2 Kf1! (2 Kf2 Rb2+ -+) 2…Bb5+ 3 Kf2 (the Rb7 no longer looks at b2) Qe2+ 4 Kg3 Qd1 5 Bh8!

and game over. There is one more check, 5…Qd6+, but no more after 6 Qf2.

FEN

5Bk1/pr2pp1p/2b3pQ/2p1q3/8/2P4P/PP4P1/1B1Rb1K1 w – – 0 27