Mate in 3

Although it’s unlikely for a mate-in-3 to start with a check, examining forcing sequences of checks is not entirely without merit. Analysing them — and seeing exactly why they fall short — can sometimes nudge the solver in the right direction. In this case, 1.Qe5+ Kxc6 2.Nb8+ is one such line: it nearly delivers mate, were it not for the flight on b5. And that flaw invites a shift in focus. Perhaps we ought to begin by controlling b5.

The quiet 1.a4! does precisely that, and in doing so, it sets up the threat of 2.Qe5+ followed by 3.Nb8# — too compelling to be anything but the key, wouldn't you say? To be sure, the details must still be fleshed out; as ever, the real flourish lies in the details.

Guarding e5 is, of course, Black’s main response. Remarkably, each such defence is met with a queen sacrifice:

1...Bc3 2.Qxc4+!

2...Kxc4 3.Ba2#

2...Kxc6 3.Nb8#

1...Nf3 2.Qe4+! Kxe4 3.Nf6#

1...Nf7 2.Qe6+! Kxe6 3.Nxc7#

In each variation, the defending piece lands on what could have been the black king’s escape square — a striking instance of remote self-block.

One final variation (a bit of a by-play) deserves mention: 1...Kxc6 2.Nb8+ Kxc5 (or Kd5) 3.Qe5#.

A splendid creation — born of the collaboration between Kostas Prentos, a seasoned craftsman of the art, and Antonio Tarnawiecki, a fresh voice finding his footing in the world of composition.