user11995: my question is about the position below.
This is, if I copied it correctly, from a book called "How Good Is Your Chess" by Evans.  I'm an amateur so pretty much every single problem is difficult and not the book I had thought it would be but as I was returning this book, I tried another problem in the first few pages, where white is said to have three options:
1.Rac1 2. Rfc1 and 3. Bxf6
We are then told the answer is 3.  I had chosen number 1.  In explaining the answer I had chosen and why it's wrong, he says that if you choose that, then it leads to loss of initiative and endgame:
1 Rac1 Nc5 
2 dxc5 Qxc5+
3. Kh1 Qxg5
4. Qa4 Qa5
5. Qxa5 bxa5
Eventually now we get to my question.  Why do I have to take the black knight on my second move anyways?  What if I just moved my queen to a square defending my knight?  Can I get out of this with a winnable endgame?
2r2rk1/p1qn1ppp/bp1ppn2/6B1/2PP4/PQ1B1P2/1P2N1PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1 


user8300: If white does not take the knight on c5 after 1. Rac1, Nc5, the c4 pawn will be lost after 2.Q-somewhere, Nxd3 3.Qxd3, Bxc4. And that is just horrible for white.

11995: <p>my question is about the position below.</p>

<p>This is, if I copied it correctly, from a book called "How Good Is Your Chess" by Evans.  I'm an amateur so pretty much every single problem is difficult and not the book I had thought it would be but as I was returning this book, I tried another problem in the first few pages, where white is said to have three options:
1.Rac1 2. Rfc1 and 3. Bxf6</p>

<p>We are then told the answer is 3.  I had chosen number 1.  In explaining the answer I had chosen and why it's wrong, he says that if you choose that, then it leads to loss of initiative and endgame:</p>

<p>1 Rac1 Nc5 
2 dxc5 Qxc5+
3. Kh1 Qxg5
4. Qa4 Qa5
5. Qxa5 bxa5</p>

<p>Eventually now we get to my question.  Why do I have to take the black knight on my second move anyways?  What if I just moved my queen to a square defending my knight?  Can I get out of this with a winnable endgame?</p>

<pre><code>2r2rk1/p1qn1ppp/bp1ppn2/6B1/2PP4/PQ1B1P2/1P2N1PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1 
</code></pre>
 8300: <p>If white does not take the knight on c5 after 1. Rac1, Nc5, the c4 pawn will be lost after 2.Q-somewhere, Nxd3 3.Qxd3, Bxc4. And that is just horrible for white.</p>
