Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #444
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Vasiukov v Pribyl, Zalaegerszeg 1977
Solution
I messed up this one. I saw the first move, 1 Nc7+!, and thought I had seen the solution with 1…Nc7[]
2 Rd8+? Kd8[] 3 Qf8+ Ne8? 4 Qe7 mate. However, 3…Kd7 is better, after say 4 Re7+ Kc6 the engine says it is +4, but, when I tried to play the line out against the machine, it quickly turned sour. Some precise moves were needed, else Black unscrambles and is then better.
However, 2 Re7+! just mates. After 2…Ke7[] 3 Qf6+ Ke8[] 4 Rd8 mate,
FEN
r1b1kb1Q/qp2pp2/p3n1p1/2nN2Pp/2B4P/7N/PPP5/2KRR3 w q – 0 1
allanbeardsworth 
I reached mate via another sequence: Nc7+ then Bf7 Kf7 Rf1+ now Ke8 mate in one. so Ke6 and now Rf6+!! if ef Qf6 instant mate, and if Ke5 Rf8+ note the rook now is “on the other side” of the board… Ke4, Rf4+ Ke3 and Qe5 followed by mate next move.