Why von Spee risked the Falkland Islands

Should von Spee have avoided the Falklands and tried to reach Germany without further contact?

Avoidance was more sensible, but von Spee appears to have expected eventual destruction and pursued an additional prize rather than a low-probability escape.

Avoiding the islands would have reduced the chance of an immediate clash and was the more sensible operational choice. A direct voyage home still offered very poor odds because British forces and supply constraints narrowed every route. In this reading, von Spee did not expect to reach Germany and pursued another conspicuous success before the squadron's likely destruction. The Falklands attack becomes a lesson in how a commander can overplay a strong position after victory by seeking a bonus prize instead of preserving freedom of movement.