A newbie's puzzle for me, help please!

[Ivan Karamazov]

Help me, please! I'm new at this :confused:

White to move, mate in 3:

http://www.chessvideos.tv/bimg/alc60hzohe04.png

This puzzle has been presented to me by a fellow newbie chessplayer, who has presumably found it in some chessbook that I haven't read. I'm not even sure she knows the answer. I can't seem to figure it out, and would be very grateful for your help.

[Spiny Norman]

Its a tough puzzle ... White's problem is that he's about to lose his rook ... which is a clue (I think) to the correct first move ...

[EvilDragon]

Moving the knight would be a good idea.

[Space_Dude]

Nc7+'s not a bad start

[Igor_Goldenberg]

Might've miss something (without the board), so do not judge harshly

1. e4 fe4 2. Nd3 Kxd5(2...ed3 Nc7#, 2...Rxg8 3.Nc7#) 3.Nf4#
1. e4 Rxe8 2.Nxg6 and 3.Nf4#, 1...Rxg8 2.Nxg6 and 3.Nc7# or Nf4#

[Crossfire (Axiom)]

Mate in 2 :


1.Nc7+ Kf6 2.Nxf7++

[Igor_Goldenberg]

Mate in 2 :

No

1.Nc7+ Kf6 2.Nxf7+ e5

But I would play it in the practical game!!

[Jesper Norgaard]

It seems despite all indications it is mate in 3, with a subtle point or two. I must admit it doesn't appeal much to me. All the pieces flushed on the board like thrown with a shovel. Perhaps that is why I had no patience to check it myself, since there was a doubt whether it was correct. But my faithful box spews out
1.e4 fxe4 2.Nxg6 Kxd5 3.Nf4+ mate or
1...Rxg8 2.Nf3 Rxe8 3.Ng5+ mate or
1...Rxe8 2.Nxf7 Rxg8 Ng5+ mate or
1...Rxe8 2.Nxg6 Rxg8 3.Nf4+ mate (ouch! it has 2 solutions in one branch) or
1...g5 2.Nxf7 Rxg8 3.Nd8+ mate or
1...g5 2.Nf3 Rxg8 3.Nc7+ mate (ouch! another double solution) or
1...f4 2.Nc7+ Kf6 3.Nd7+ mate or
1...f4 2.Ng7+ Kf6 3.Nd7+ mate

In the two last cases the mate could be 3.Ng4+ mate instead, so we have a doubled double jeopardy. But I admit f4 didn't do much to stop mate.