Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #429

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

 White to play and mate Black. 

Makov v Vazenjin, Novosibirsk 1976

Solution 

The first move is fairly easy, out of desperation, since the obvious 1 Rd8+ doesn’t work: 1…Kh7 and if 2 Rc8 Bb3+ and Black mates.

; and there is no cute finish with 2Qh5+ (though this sets up the idea for the actual solution).

So, 1 Qd8+! and if 1…Rd8 2 Rd8+ and 3 Rh8 mate.

Therefore, 1…Kh7 but now there is a nice breakthrough: 2 Rh5+! gh[] 3 Rh6+! Kh6
4 Qh8+ Kg6[] 5 Qg7 mate. A long, forced line. 

Black can also defend by 1…Qe8; when 2 Rh5! crashes through with mate. E.g. 2…gh 3 Rh6 f6 4 Qf6 and there aren’t even any spite checks. 

FEN 

2r3k1/pp3p2/3R2p1/7p/q3P2Q/2B2P2/b5P1/K6R w – – 0 1