user8751: Today I remembered this position that I saw a few months ago in a tweet by Sergey Karjakin:
[fen "2k5/8/8/BQ6/4K3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]

It seemed very easy to me because there are just 4 pieces left but it was much more difficult than I expected. Sergey was asked to solve it in less than five minutes as part of a bet (which he won).  White to play and mate in 3. Can you also solve it in less than 5 minutes? :)

user8860: Got it barely under the mark.  Not sure if it helped or hurt that I knew the mate-in-2 with a similar position (move the Ke4 to f5).

 1 Qb2!! Kd7 2 Qe5! Kc8/Kc6 3 Qc7/Qd5#!

Spoiler for mate in 2 (Kf5 Qb5 Ba5 / Kc8):

 1 Qb3! Kd7 2 Qe6#!


8751: <p>Today I remembered this position that I saw a few months ago in <a href="https://twitter.com/SergeyKaryakin/status/608180812949950464" rel="nofollow">a tweet by Sergey Karjakin</a>:</p>

<pre><code>[fen "2k5/8/8/BQ6/4K3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
</code></pre>

<p>It seemed very easy to me because there are just 4 pieces left but it was much more difficult than I expected. Sergey was asked to solve it in less than five minutes as part of a bet (which he won).  White to play and mate in 3. <strong>Can you also solve it in less than 5 minutes? :)</strong></p>
 8860: <p>Got it barely under the mark.  Not sure if it helped or hurt that I knew the mate-in-2 with a similar position (move the Ke4 to f5).</p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p> 1 Qb2!! Kd7 2 Qe5! Kc8/Kc6 3 Qc7/Qd5#!</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>Spoiler for mate in 2</em> (Kf5 Qb5 Ba5 / Kc8):</p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p> 1 Qb3! Kd7 2 Qe6#!</p>
</blockquote>
