After 3. Nxd4 cxd4, the continuation is 4. Rb1 (winning the bishop on a6). From there White is a full rook ahead. There still would be plenty of time for mere mortals like me to blunder away the victory, but it is a strong advantage for White.

Thanks finally see it ! Took me 30 minutes even with your explanation.

Thinking chess isn’t for me if this makes sense to everyone else. Maybe I should concentrate on chasing shiney objects !

Nah, chess if for everyone and the more you play the easier it will be to spot patterns. At least that is what I’ve been told as it hasn’t happened to me yet… 😉

I think this puzzle was about spotting the fork as even just trading the knight for the rook puts white up +2. It would have been nice if the puzzle included the follow on rook move to win the bishop, which is why I think it was just about spotting the initial fork.

Analysis mode is super useful figuring out the follow on moves as I didn’t really get it either until I watched Stockfish play it out.

Wow. I’ve gone over multiple responses to this and if I follow it deep enough I see how that move works. Don’t know if I could ever see that in a game.

I suppose I should look at my progress more than my failures. On the plus side, I did see the fork and the pin immediately. I also am getting better at analyzing moves.

But, the fact remains , I am real good at spotting shiney objects.

As Nelson said in the lessons, it is much easier to spot tactics in puzzles than when you are actually playing a game. Because in a puzzle, you always know that some tactic is hiding in the position somewhere.

My approach to puzzles has shifted to starting out with the blunder check process taught in this course. So when I see that the opposition is lined up with a mate in one pattern, I know the solution is either a forced checkmate of my own or otherwise disrupting that plan. Otherwise just going through all the pieces often helps me find the tactic.

I’m hoping it also reinforces my ability to consistently apply the blunder checks in my games. Too often I get tunnel vision and start missing things in games.

Tunnel vision. Auto stupid for me. Get the bone in my teeth and it’s attack mode, sometimes forgetting the blunder check. Hopefully this will teach me methodical patience.

Anyway, thanks for you input.