What did I miss? My solution is 7+ points better than theirs.
lichess.org/training/45263
training puzzle 45263
The puzzle's "correct" solution starts
1. ... axb5
2. Qxb5+ Kd6
Then the supposedly correct solution continues
2. Qxb4+ Ke6
and White wins Black's Bishop.
But I prefer
2. Nxe4+
Knight takes e-Pawn and now forks Black's Queen and King. Black may have believed e-Pawn to be guarded by d-Pawn, but Black's d-Pawn is pinned to Black's Queen by White's Queen along Rank 5. Black is in check, Queen is threatened by checking piece, which furthermore cannot be taken without revealing second attack on Queen. Thus, Black loses Queen: (A.) f Black ends check by taking Knight with Pawn (3. ... dxe4), then White takes Black's Queen with Queen (4. Qxg5); similarly, (B.) or (C.) if Black lets Knight survive and ends check by moving King instead (2. ... Ke6/7), then again White takes Black's Queen, this time with Knight (3. ... Nxg5). So:
if (A.)
2. ... dxe4 then
3. Qxg5
White wins Black's Queen exchanged for White's Knight;
or if (B.)
2. ... Ke6 then
3. Nxg5
White again wins Black's Queen, this time for nothing;
or if (C.)
2. ... Ke7 then
3. Nxg5
White again wins Black's Queen, again for nothing.
My solution (2. Nxe4+) wins Black's Queen and e-Pawn either for (A.) Knight or for (B.) or (C.) nothing; the "correct" solution (2. Qxb4+) wins only a Bishop. Thus my solution is at least seven, maybe ten points (Pawn-equivalents) ahead of theirs. Seven points can't possibly be just a judgment-call that my solution is "sub-optimal". I think it's an error.
But I don't claim to be a chess genius, maybe I misunderstood something ... WHAT did I miss? Does this happen often? Maybe there chould be forum-type comments linked to each training puzzle for this sort of discussion?
Thanks!
lichess.org/training/45263
training puzzle 45263
The puzzle's "correct" solution starts
1. ... axb5
2. Qxb5+ Kd6
Then the supposedly correct solution continues
2. Qxb4+ Ke6
and White wins Black's Bishop.
But I prefer
2. Nxe4+
Knight takes e-Pawn and now forks Black's Queen and King. Black may have believed e-Pawn to be guarded by d-Pawn, but Black's d-Pawn is pinned to Black's Queen by White's Queen along Rank 5. Black is in check, Queen is threatened by checking piece, which furthermore cannot be taken without revealing second attack on Queen. Thus, Black loses Queen: (A.) f Black ends check by taking Knight with Pawn (3. ... dxe4), then White takes Black's Queen with Queen (4. Qxg5); similarly, (B.) or (C.) if Black lets Knight survive and ends check by moving King instead (2. ... Ke6/7), then again White takes Black's Queen, this time with Knight (3. ... Nxg5). So:
if (A.)
2. ... dxe4 then
3. Qxg5
White wins Black's Queen exchanged for White's Knight;
or if (B.)
2. ... Ke6 then
3. Nxg5
White again wins Black's Queen, this time for nothing;
or if (C.)
2. ... Ke7 then
3. Nxg5
White again wins Black's Queen, again for nothing.
My solution (2. Nxe4+) wins Black's Queen and e-Pawn either for (A.) Knight or for (B.) or (C.) nothing; the "correct" solution (2. Qxb4+) wins only a Bishop. Thus my solution is at least seven, maybe ten points (Pawn-equivalents) ahead of theirs. Seven points can't possibly be just a judgment-call that my solution is "sub-optimal". I think it's an error.
But I don't claim to be a chess genius, maybe I misunderstood something ... WHAT did I miss? Does this happen often? Maybe there chould be forum-type comments linked to each training puzzle for this sort of discussion?
Thanks!