Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #492

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

White to play and mate Black

Barbakadze v Radionov, Daugavpils 1980

Solution

 With a jump-biff of Rc8 mate in the offing, clearing the c-line seems to be a natural priority. So 1 Rb5! is the mov3 which came immediately to mind.

Then if 1…Nb5 the c-line is further cleared by 2Be7+! and after 2…Qe7[] the denouement  3 Qa8+ and mate on c8.

FEN

3kq2r/p1n2pbp/b5p1/PnB5/3pQ3/6PB/5P1P/1RR3K1 w – – 0 1