Chess/Puzzles/Middlegame/Match 2/Solution

1.Rxa6+! Kb8

1...bxa6 leads to 2.Qb6+ Ka8 3.Qxa6+ Ra7 4.Qxc8#

2.Qa4

Black Resigns

There is a defense against 2.Qa4 and prevents Ra8+ and Qa5#, but it is still a loss for black.

Analysis by Gordon B. Elo rating 2681 Starting from original position 1.Rxa6+! Kb8 2.Qa4 Rxc5!! 3.dxc5 Qxc5+ 4.Kh1 Kc7 5.Ra7 Kd6 6.Ra5 Qxa5 7.Qxa5 Ke7 8.Qc5+ Ke8 9.Rxb7 Rd1+ 10.Ng1 Nd7 11.Qb4 Rd3 12.Qa4 Rd5 13.Nf3 f6 14.Nd4 Ke7 15.Kg1 g5 16.Qa7 Ke8 17.Nxe6 Rd1+ 18.Kf2 Rd2+ 19.Ke1 Rd3 20.g4 g6 21.Ke2 Rd6 22.Nc5 Rd5 23.Nxd7 Rd2+ 24.Kxd2 Ke7 25.Qc5+ Kf7 26.Nxf6+ Kxf6 27.Qe7#

a b c d e f g h
8 a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 8
7 a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7 7
6 a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6 6
5 a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5 5
4 a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4 4
3 a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 3
2 a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 2
1 a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 1
a b c d e f g h