Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #498

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

White to play and win

C McNab v P Hammer. Malta Olympiad 1980

Solution

 The backward move 1Qb1 might normally be hard to see, but here White’s Queen is restricted, so finding it is easier. 

If 1…Ke7 2 Qb4+ Ke8 3 Nc7+ wins the queen. 

FEN

5qB1/p2b4/Np1kpp2/nP1p2p1/P2P4/4P1P1/5PK1/1Q6 b – – 0 1