Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #400

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

Black to play and mate White

Solution

A miffed this one, choosing what I thought was the convincing 1..Re2??, seeing that most captures won for Black, but missing that 2 Ne2! wins: 2…Qh3+ 3 Kg1[] Qf3 is met by 4 Nf4, and the game is over (I also missed that 2 Ba8 is equal).

Alas, 1…Re3!! is the lovely winning move, and White resigned.

If 2 fe Nh3 and mate.

I fear that I could very well have played 1…Re2 in a game, expecting plaudits and praise, and then being devastated: chess can be a cruel game.

Finally, Komodo says that the rook life 1…Re5 is also winning.

FEN

r3r3/p1p2p1k/3p2pp/2p5/2P2n2/2N2B2/PPR1PP1q/3RQK2 b – – 0 26