Both kings face mating threats, but White succeeds in constructing his mating net more quickly.

Other queen retreats allow White to bring the rook into the mating attack at once:
A) 1...Qb6 2.Rd1! d4 3.h4 Bg3 4.Qd3 Be5 5.Qxh7 Qxe6 6.Qxc2+–;
B) 1...Qc5 2.b4! (a necessary move) 2...Qb6 (2...Bxb4 3.Qh5+ g6 4.Qxh7+–) 3.Rd1 d4 4.h4 Bg3 5.Qd3 Be5 6.Qxh7 Qxe6 7.Qxc2+–;
C) 1...Qc6 2.Rd1 Ba5 3.Qh5+ g6 4.Qxh7 Qxe6 5.Nxc7+ Bxc7 6.Qxc7, with a decisive attack.

2...Rf5 3.Qxe5 Rxe5 4.Nxc7+ Kf8 5.Rc1 Nd4 6.e7++–.

3...c6 4.Rd3! Qb8 5.Rf3+–.

Black has no satisfactory defence.

We have a very sharp position on the board. White has already practically queened his d-pawn, but Black is attacking the king:

Bad is 25...Qh4? 26.Qe5 Qxh3 27.Qg3± – White defends against the threats.

He loses at once after 26.exf4 Qh4 27.Rd3 Qxh3 28.Rxf3 Rxc1+ 29.Qxc1 Qxf3 30.d7 Qxg4+.

Also bad was 27.Kf1 Rxc8! 28.d7 Rd8 29.Ke1 (29.Qd4 Qh4–+) 29...Qxg4 30.Qd4 Qg2 31.Kd2 Nxf2–+.

But not 27...Qxg4? 28.Rxe8+ Kh7, because of 29.Rg1!.