Top 5 Chess Sacrifices Most Players Cannot Find
Sacrifice in chess is defined as a move that gives up some material in hopes for getting some tactical or positional compensation in the future. In other words, sacrifice is a risky business; you give up a piece now and may not get any return in future. Today we offer you to challenge yourself with 5 tactics problems, all involving a sacrifice of some sort, that are not obvious
and require some serious thinking from your side.
Even the great players like Karpov and Leko did not see it coming!
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“Combinations with a queen sacrifice are among the most striking and memorable … ” – Anatoly Karpov
Problem #1: Kasparov – Vinograd
White to move and win
Problem #2: Dvoretzky – Szilagyi, Magyarorsag 1978
White to move and win
Problem #3: Kramnik – Abramovic, Biel 1993
White to move and win
Problem #4: Karpov – Kramnik
Black to move and win
Problem #5: Gelfand – Leko
White to move and win
Solve more tactics:
Updated 04.07.2023
Problem #1: rf1xf4
Problem #2: nc3e4
Problem #3: rf4xbf6
Problem #4: nf5g3
Problem #5: qxnc5
Shirov’s Bh3 against Topalov shouldnt be forgotten, even the best computers cannot find it.
1.0 Rxf4
2.0 Ne4
3.0 Rxf6
4.0 rxh2
5.0 Rd7
Problem #1:
Txf4
Qxf4
Tf1 //taking the queen away
Qe5
Qg6+
Kf8
Txf7+
Ke8
Qg8++
Had trouble with #5 because I didn’t notice the queen is x-raying the e7-rook.
Problem 1: 1. Rxf4 diverting the Black queen from control on h8…followed by 2. Qh7+… & 3. Qh8# or 3. Qg6#
Problem 2: 1. Ne4; Rxe4 2. Bxf6 (threatening Nh6#); gxf5 or N8d7 3. Bxd8 winning the exchange..& having a passed pawn..
Problem 3: 1. Rxf6 (forcing the King into dangerous zone); Kxf6 2. Qh4+; Kg7 3. Qh6+; Kg8 4. Qh8# (If 2. …; Kg6, 3. Qh6+; Kf5 4. Qg5+ wins the Queen) (If 2…; Kf5, 3. Qg5+ wins the Queen)
Problem 4: 1. Rxh2 (simultaneously threatening Rh1# & Qxf2#); Kxh2 2. Qxf2+; Kh3 3. Qf1+; Kh2 or Kh2 4. Qh1#
Problem 5: 1. Rd7 (threatening the Queen & exploiting the pinned knight. 1…; Nxd7 loses to 2. Qxe7+ followed by 3. Rxd7); Rxd7 2. Rxd7 (1…; Qe5 loses to 2. Rxe7+; Qxe7 3. Rd7 pinning the Queen & exploiting the pinned knight); Nxd7 (forced) 4. Qe7_ followed by cxd7 & winning with the passed pawn on d7.
1. d6
#1 RxF4
1-Qh7+ …..Rxf4
2-Ne4
3-Rxf6
4-Rxh2
5-Re7