After 3. ... Qb1, 4. Rc2, blocking the Queen from e4, loses to 4. ... Rd5#. Nc2 loses again to Ng4+ and Qh1#. 4. Rd7 loses to 4. ... Qe4+ 5. Kd6 Rxd7#. So with best defense, 4. Qd3 Qxd3 5. Rd7 Qe4+ 6. Kd6 Rxd7#. Kudos to anyone who spotted Qc1 or Qb1!
Here 3. ... Qh1 works just as well. With best defense, 4. Nf3 Qxf3 5. Rd7 Qe4+ 6. Kd6 Rxd7#.
3. ... Qb1! Maybe deserves a !! itself. Threatening Qe4#. Very dangerous, and all White has left now is throwing pieces in the way. Why not a move earlier? Well, 2. ... Qb1 could have been met with 3. Rd7, giving the King d6. The Queen supports the Rook. But now, the Queen has been distracted.
3. Qa3 The best defense for White. Covers e3, doesn't allow Rd5 and leaves the Knight able to block the diagonal from h1 by going to f3. What next for Black? We are here:
2. ... Qc1!! Hopefully a double exclamation is not out of place here. What a move! Immediate threat is Qxe3#. The most obvious defense, 3. Rxc1 (or 3. Rc3) loses to 3. ... Rd5#. Also, both 3. Nc2 and 3. Nf5, defending e3, lose to 3. ... Ng4+ 4. Ke4 Qh1#. So that leaves one defense for White.
The next move is the big one, so if you want to take a second to look at this position, go ahead. Black to play and mate in 5 from here. Next move in next post.
