2023/09/21 DPA: "The Shortest Distance Between Two Points Is Not Always A Straight Line"

Control of the e file; can win a Rook.

White's Queen is en prise.  Capture comes with check and loss of tempo which is probably ruinous for White.

c8 is protected so White can't play 1. h6+ Kf8 [to protect the Rook]  2. Rxe8+ Rxe8  3. Rxe8+ Kxe8  4. Qc8+ due to the Bishop.

Also, White is down 2 pieces so he doesn't want to do much trading.

Ah, I see another way to attack:  Qa3 which hits f8, which is where the King will probably end up.

1. h6+ Kf8

Does it matter whether I play the Queen check first or exchange a pair of Rooks?

It's a  puzzle; of course it matters.  So now I have to figure out which one works and why the other does not.

White needs to play the Queen check first:  if he does, he'll have 3 attackers on e7 when Black blocks check with ... Re7 [if he retreats to g8, 3. Rxe8+ Rxe8  4. Rxe8#] and Black will only have 2 defenders [K+Q].  If White exchanges a pair of Rooks, he'll only have 2 attackers.

1. h6+ Kf8  2. Qa3+ Re7  3. Rxe7, threatening 4. Re8# [double-check].

3. ... Qxe7 [hoping to play ... f6 to give the King an escape]  4. Qxe7+ Kg8  5. Qe8+ Rxe8  6. Rxe8#.

Hmm:  what about 3. ... Ne6, cutting off Rook communication?

Better yet. what if ... Ne6 could come with a tempo, attacking the Queen?  If 2. ... c5, a seemingly useless interposition, 3. Qxc5+ Re7  4. Rxe7 Ne6 does just that.

Ah, but White has 5. R7xe6 discovered + and attacks the Queen and also threatens 6. Re8 double +.  I can't predict what Black will do:  either 5. ... Qe7 or ... Kg8.  Both lose.

• 5. ... Qe7  6. Qxe7+ Kg8  7. Qe8+ Rxe8  8. Rxe8#
• 5. ... Kg8  6. Re8+ Rxe8  7. Rxe8#

I guess the puzzle took a shorter, less challenging route with the immediate 2. ... Re7.

Check out the more complicated variations:  solve the puzzle and then play through the alternate lines.