chess online

too many two move solutions

I enjoy them, they're always good practise and something to do when I have no moves to make in my games.
And why are a 1488 and 2195 player even looking at a 1 star puzzle, never mind having a dig at it.

Nothing personal, but if you don't like the puzzle then quit it and find one you do like, there's no need to go all critical on us.

the problem is NOT that the solution is two moves, just that there are may ways to solve IN two moves.

Please further my chess education, where is it written down that a chess problem should only have one solution and why should it be white to move?

Also, isn't accusing someone of being a troll, trollery itself?

e) solution can't start with a capture

Me too sicknero, very educational, especially when answers come from someone who knows what he/she is talking about, thank you noob81.

I too have come across some very unlikely positions in "Gameknot" puzzles, however, the membership covers a broad spectrum of players from well experienced to novice but I accept that these puzzles, no matter how simple, within or outwith to puzzle rules, can be instructive to the new player. We all were new players at one time!

Yes you do get some very informed contributions here; it's well worth my over-hasty posting and being called a troll just to provoke some discussion  

I enjoy the weird and wonderful ones just as much as the more ordinary variety - I was looking for an example of the former but can't find one right now - but yes it's all good chess practise whether the position is actually believable or not.

krell42, I think the point is the challenge and practise of finding the shortest possible route to mate (or material gain in some of the tactical exercises, many of which flummox me even when I see the solution) ... in a real game, it might not matter if you make that extra move or two to get mate, but equally, it could well cost you the game.

Well, there's a guide in Russian which is quite similar to what I read long time ago in some book:
www.popovgl.narod.ru (translate.google.com produces quite decent translation of the text). In fact only legal position and existence of the solution which is unique are mandatory, checks and captures are just not recommended because that's what most people would check first, and the solution has to be as non-obvious as possible. The other thing is unnecessary pieces -- lot's of puzzle-makers here on GameKnot put pieces on the board for no particular reason while they should participate in the solution or at least create some false traces.