In the puzzle you show you have just captured a free piece. Blacks last move was Nd7 (from f6). This is a simple puzzle on the theme of capturing hanging material, and as it looks like you are at the start of your exploration of chess these are the sort of puzzles you will get to begin with. It's basics, but these basics have to be in place for you to become a decent player. If the opponent hangs a piece, you have to see it and take it every time. If a puzzle is confusing to you then you can click the magnifying glass at the bottom and this will give you the computer analysis, what happens with 'best play' after the correct move. You can also enter other moves to see what happens and then compare.
Puzzle help
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Feb 4, 2021
0
#3
Yes find the best move doesn't always mean checkmate. Puzzles usually have themes and these themes will transfer into your games. Ideas like forks, pins, skewers, sacrifices, removing the defender. The more puzzles you do the more you will instinctively recognize these patterns. It doesn't come quickly though for a lot of people, but it will.
Feb 4, 2021
0
#4
OK, thank you. That makes sense. I do get what a hanging piece is, but I don't look for them. I certainly wasn't thinking that when I started the puzzles. The theme was "bishop pair" - and that wasn't a term I was familiar with.
I got a subscription to US Chess, and I've been reading a lot of the forum posts here. Even recognizing terms like these are helpful, and I wasn't sure how to apply that to the puzzles like this. I appreciate you both for replying.
A lot of the posts here say to work puzzles to improve - I am trying to do that more. But sometimes, I get stuck.
I don't mean that I can't find a move - that is what the hint is for when I absolutely cannot figure it out. But sometimes I don't see a good move, and I pick the best available... and then the puzzle shows as solved. What did I learn? Here is an example:
I move my bishop to a spot where at least he cannot get captured for the moment, and the puzzle ends. It's not a mate.. I didn't capture a piece... what does this mean?
Someone on the forums here said that the puzzles aren't always trying to find checkmate, or a mate in 2 (3, etc), but to find the best move. Is that all this puzzle means?