I often feel unsatisfied by the endpoint of a puzzle solution, for example https://lichess.org/training/XqLNi
The solution ends after winning a pawn and a Knight and losing a knight. Leaving me up 1 pawn.
In this example I feel the "end" should have been Bd2 Bxa1 Bxa5, leaving me up two Pawns. But probably I'm missing something? When do the puzzles end? Is it always just a forced line and I sometimes just misjudge that?
This example is not too bad but sometimes I just don't get the solution, is that just because my newbie brain doesn't get that the forced line ends there? Would really appreciate some help/ explanation.
IMHO the reason is that after 14. Bd2, the best continuation 14... Bxa1 Bxa5 evaluates as -3.5 but two other (14... Bxd2+ and 14... Qxd2+) evaluate as -2.1 (at depth 38), i.e. worse but they still can be seen as winning. The difference is probably below the threshold the software has set to identify a solution as unique.
Hmm, yeah that probably makes sense.
I've really just started counting out material balances, maybe doing that it'll be clearer to me in the future.
It just feels strange that some solutions are check mate in three, and some are up one pawn after four moves, sacking two pieces, or something like that. But that's probably why we can have soo many puzzles for free, so I'll deal with it... ;) also is mir realistic in a way
@lonelypeanut said in #3:
> It just feels strange that some solutions are check mate in three, and some are up one pawn after four moves, sacking two pieces, or something like that.
Yes, that's what often makes puzzles hard: you find the solution quickly but it's not very convincing and you have doubts if you didn't miss something (much) better. Especially when you eliminate multiple lines ending in a checkmate or queen up, leaving you with just an exchange up.
Okay then it's all good thx, good to know that's not just my problem
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