No killer move demanding immediate attention. Black appears to have the better of the attacking options. e.g Qxc4 or Nxc4, exf5. winning material for almost free.

Dynamic evaluation: Bg5 to remove Nf3 protecting h7,( and g7 after Ne8.) Qd3 for a battery on the diagonal b2-h7, (or Qg4 or Qh5, after removal of Nf6), Re3 for back-up move to h3. Ne7+ to throw a cat amongst the pigeons. Let's try and string it all together.

13.Ne7+ ...Kh8 14.Bg5 ...Ne8 15.Qh5

PM=

Friday (Difficult): White to play and win.

Material: Down a P. White has 2Bs bearing down on the Black K-side, with Qd1 and Re1 on open files. The White Nc3 requires activation, but all other White pieces except Ra1 are ready to attack. The Black Q-side is undeveloped, and many Black pieces are misplaced for K-side defense, particularly Na4, Ra8, and Bc8. The Black K-side defense rests largely with Nf6. The White Nf5 is the salient feature of the position, but Pe6 threatens it.

Candidates (13.): Nxg7, Ne4, Nh6+

13.Nxg7 (threatening 14.Nh5, denuding the Black K-side)

Black can accept the sacrifice.

(1) 13…Kxg7 14.Bh6+

Again, Black can accept the sacrifice.

(1.1) 14…Kxh6 15.Qd2+

(1.1.1) 15…Kh5 16.Re3 (threatening 17.Rh3+ and mate soon)

16…Qxh2+ 17.Kxh2 Ng4+ 18.K moves

White has material advantage and a huge attack.

(1.1.2) 15…Kg7 16.Qg5+ Kh8 17.Qxf6+ Kg8 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Re4,

and mate soon.

(1.2) 14…Kh8 15.Qd4

(1.2.1) 15…Be7 16.Bxf8, regaining material with the attack.

(1.2.2) 15…Qd8 16.Bg5 Kg7 17.Qh4,

threatening 17.Bxf6+ Qxf6 18.Qxh7#

18…h5 18.Bh6+ Kxh6 [else, mate soon]

19.Qf4+ Kg7 20.Qg5+ Kh8 21.Qh6+ Kg8 22.Re5,

then 23.Rxh5 24.Qh7#

(1.3) 14…Kg8 15.Qf3,

threatening 16.Qxf6, 16.Ne4, and possibly 16.Qg3+ and 16.Qg4+

(1.3.1) 15…Bxc3 16.bxc3 Ne8 17.Qg4+ Kh8 18.Bxf8, gaining material

(1.3.2) 15…Ne8 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Bxf8,

regaining material with the attack, because of

17…Bxf8 18.Qxf7+ then 19.Re3

threatening 20.Rh3, so Black hemorrhages material.

Black can decline the sacrifice.

(2) 13…Bxc3,

That's funny you said that, because I told my wife last night the same thing (about this puzzle).

Usually, she's the one with the headache!>

In fact, in most cases it's considered rather an embarrassment to actually get checkmated. It's like having someone point out that you missed a mate-in-1.

Kevin, chess is the only "sport" in which players are taught and encouraged to give up when they begin to lose, rather than fight on; a trait that is pervasive throughout all levels of chess.

This would be like the yankees giving up after being down 10-0 in the 5th inning, or Mike Tyson walking out of the ring after being knocked down in the second round.

Rather than prolong their agony, the Yankees resign the game and do something more constructive with their time?

As for the debate about resigning, I agree with Dzecheil below that there's not much point in playing on with King versus King and four pawns. Even an idiot could win that ending. What's the point in dragging it out and wasting both players' time?

But there are cases when players resign too quickly. The famous game Byrne-Fischer from the 1963 US Champs is one example (Fischer was "bitterly disappointed" he couldn't demonstrate his brilliant mate).

R Byrne vs Fischer, 1963

Even worse, there are thousands of cases when players DRAW too quickly.