1. Qa5! puts up 4 mate threats: 2. Qxb4 2. Qd5 2. Qe5 and 2. Nf5.
Each of Black's pieces is protecting exactly one of these squares. However since the White queen now blocks the Black a6-pawn, Black gets into Zugzwang. If he decided to move any of his rooks up, he will block a bishops diagonal (or lose the rook with mate on 5th rank of course). And if he moves a Bishop he will either block the rook-file or will stop protecting the above mentioned squares (e.g. 1. ... Bh6). In all cases 1 of the 4 mating squares will be left unprotected.
And last but not least: If Black moves 1. ... Bc5 then he blocks the King's escape square and 2. Qa1 mate.
Originally posted by iraqi insurgent Therefore Qa5 is the answer to the solution.........
Now the odds admission of admiration from Ian would be appropiate
I never said Qa5 was not correct, I just said that you hadn't fully explained why it was correct. Even I had trouble seeing every move black could make in response.
Originally posted by Ian68 I never said Qa5 was not correct, I just said that you hadn't fully explained why it was correct. Even I had trouble seeing every move black could make in response.
even you had trouble seeing every move black could make in response