Answer to chess puzzle

Hi, Everyone,

I gave a position from my game with David Farrall, let's remind ourselves (altho' it reminds me what rubbish chess I am playing at the moment...) of David's fanstastic attacking position:

[David Farrall - Phil Watkinson; White to play and win].

and it looks like curtains for me; the question was: how would you proceed with the attack? We already mentioned that 19. Qh3 could be met by my defensive resource ...Rh8.

The obvious move 19. Rh7+? also fails: 19. ...Kxh7 20. Qh3+ Kg8 21. Rh1 with mate next move is saved by 21. ... Bxg5+ 22. Kc2 Bh4! and the bishop blocks the h-file and protects the f6 square from the knight check.

The move that David played was: 19. Qf4!

Threatening mate on f7. This threat, plus the attack down the h-file will be decisive. My planned defence, ...Nxe5, now does not work: 19. ... Nxe5 20. Qxe5+ f6 21. gxf6+ Bxf6 22. Nxf6 Qxf6 23. Rxg6+ Kf7 24. Qxg6 mate (horrible!).

So my only move is to protect f7: 19. ... Rf8. Which means that my other main defensive resource, ...Rh8 cannot be used! My defensive plans in tatters - all due to a move of one square by the White queen!

Play continued: 20. Rh6 (allowing the doubling of rooks and preventing any thought of ... f6) 20. ... Qe8 21. Rgh1 Rg8 (to give my king an escape square - what else is there?) 22. Rh7+ I resigned. (1-0):

[The final position].

After 22. ... Kf8, 23. Rxf7+ Qxf7 24. Qxf7# is mate; although Fritz prefers the more exotic: 23. Nxd7+ Qxd7 24. Qxf7# mate.

Excellent attacking play by David.