You are perfectly right! Grabbing the rook is what the computer would do, since it saw in advance that Black's attack can be stopped. But yes, Qxe6 is a game-winning safe move. What problem is that (message me).
Next time, post comments when you encounter the problem. It is more likely that somebody will answer.
If you played Qxe6 against me - I think I'd play Qxb2 rather than protecting the rook on h8. Knight could then check on e6, so Kd8 and white brings it's rook to safety with Rc3.. perhaps followed with bishop takes knight on e6.
I'm just thinking off the top of my head, not really looking into - but I think that there is good counter play for black here somewhere if Qxe6 :)
I played Qxe6 when I first saw the problem ;)
my problem with the tactics trainer is that for the last few days it's been giving me EXTREMELY easy problems and calling them 1800 level problems. They're more like 1300 level problems. I usually have a lot of trouble with 1700 problems, so I know these are miscalculated in some way. Anyone else having trouble with this?
well I can't agree, after 3..Nd5 4Qh5+Kd8 5Nf7+Kc7 (5..Kd8 Ng5+)6Bxd5+ cxd5 7Bf4+ it's still white who has the attack and the material.
3Qe6 is good also but I would see nothing to be feared after Nxh8 in black's threatened Qxb2 either, if 3Nxh8Qxb2 4 0-0 and black has nothing, he can capture on d4 but white is threatening Bxe6 and is a whole rook up for a pawn. I don't think you need a computer to see through that.
It's a pity the trainer can't give points for other good moves I agree.
Edit: I meant to comment that I think you are right, 1..Nxe5 was a good move for black. Also whilst I agree with your last paragraph about computers and ridiculous sacs/complications just to win a pawn instead of taking a human positional approach this is not the same, this is taking a clean rook for nothing, or next to nothing.
hmm...forgot about Bf4 covering that diagonal as well. Maybe this one was my bad then =)
So I decided to get my daily 3 in with Tactics Trainer in hopes I can one day pretend I'm a Grandmaster from memorizing puzzles :P
And this position came up... I thought wow, this is going to be easy enough, played the two moves most natural to me, and I was wrong...but I don't think I am. Does anybody else think the way I do?
This is the move I have a major issue with...it allows black to regroup in a variety of ways by playing Nd5 whereas Qxe6 Rf8 (Nf5 Bxf5 Nd6+ Kd8 Nxf5) puts black on defense for the entirety of the game with two pawns down at a major positional disadvantage with no possible counterplay til the endgame where it least matters with the shape the remaining black pieces would be in by then.
I'm almost POSITIVE I'm not wrong. Nxh8 may make sense in a program sort of way, where having a "hold" on the game involves little more than seeing ridiculous sacrifices and counterplay ahead so you can capture a pawn, but in my world, permanently restricting the play of the other side is more of an advantage than a rook will ever be.