(Qa3 is a good alernative move but there is another better move!!! I didn't manage to add alternative solution to the puzzle)

Hello chessplayers,

I was way too much distraced during the game and got destroyed by white. Still I managed to checkmate.

I want to share with you  last position where white had a chance to defend from the mate but didnt find it.

I am going to mate white in 3 moves, only two moves can save white. Find it!

P.S. It's probably only useful for players under 1200.

P.P.S I ask you not to post the answer in the comments.

As a full time chess teacher and coach, I see this type of situation arise quite a bit! Often when it looks like a player is about to be mated, the player being attacked panics and doesn't look at the entire board. I'll try to write this without giving away the solution:

When a mating attack comes our way, we tend to focus on directly on the pieces attacking our King and the pieces we have immediately in the vicinity of the attack. Rather than look for simple solutions, many players look for more complex ways to get out of the attack. I suggest to my students the following:

1. Emotionally detatch yourself from the situation. Look at the position as if it were a positional puzzle from someone else's game. This allows you to use a more balanced analytical thought process.

2. Go through the basic ABC checklist for the King; A = Avoid (can you more out of the attack). B = Block (can you block the attack). C = Capture (can you capture the attacker).

3. Do a positional survey of your pieces and pawns. This is important. Because you're concentrating on the area close to the mating attack, you can miss a piece that can come to your aid.

The solution to the problem presented in this post is a great example of finding a creative solution to potential mate. Thank you very much for posting it!

Bf4 also works and is much cooler.

A classic counter example of "always check your work".

Well, you are right:) Gonna fix it now...

Fixed the puzzle and the description.

My first thought was Qa3.  Not the best move, of course, but it does seem to stop the threat, and White's material advantage should be enough after that.

Sadly i didn't manage to add alternative solution:)

Qa3 is fine and was the original solution. Now the OP changed the puzzle to only allow for Bf4.

Yes it's much stronger move:)

There are more than two moves that keep white in a winning position. I can't see why white would lose after Bxh6, for example.

Of course, Qa3 and Bf4 are the obvious moves, but technically speaking, white can also sacrifice his queen with Qxd8+ and Qxc7+, and, due to his material advantage, still get a win. It's a little bit of an innacuraccy to say that white has only two options here that keep the win, because other moves do that as well, even though they are not as good.

Kd1 also saves mate but does not acheive checkmate

1.Kd1 Qa1+  2.Nb1 Qxb1+ 3.Kd2 Qc2#

...............................3.Bc1 Qc2#

MarvinTheRobot is of course right. No surprise with a brain the size of a planet!

Good puzzle, I think it's useful for more than players just under 1200.