Queen sacrifice

In the game of chess, the queen sacrifice is the voluntary sacrifice of the queen , i.e. the usually strongest chess piece, against materially inferior compensation . Historically , queen sacrifices were already discussed shortly after the introduction of the modern rules of chess, among other things in the suffocated mate from the treatise by Luis Ramírez Lucena at the end of the 15th century.

Types of Queen Sacrifice

In addition to the tactically justified queen sacrifices, for which sufficient compensation is received in a few moves, there are various forms of strategic queen sacrifice. The material disadvantage for an improvement in one's own position or a worsening of the opposing position is accepted.

Common types of queen sacrifice are the sacrifice against rook and light piece with or without a pawn , in rarer cases against a rook alone, against two light pieces or even against only one light piece, each with or without a pawn. Jakow Neistadt assumes the value of the queen with the equivalent of the rook, bishop and one and a half pawns. Alexander Konstantinopolski, on the other hand, assumes the existence of a position sacrifice for all kinds of handing over of the queen, even for sufficient material, since the method of the chess fight remains the same.

Chess games with strategic queen sacrifices often show unclear positions with mutual chances, in which factors from chess psychology can also play a role.

In all cases, additional material can also be sacrificed, but this is more common with tactical victims.

Goals of the queen sacrifice

Tactical queen sacrifices usually aim to checkmate or achieve a material advantage for profit . When aiming for a draw, permanent chess , stalemate or a fortress in the endgame can be sought. The simplification of the position in order to bring about a won or a tie endgame can also be brought about by a temporary queen sacrifice.

Strategic victims, on the other hand, can be divided into eight goals, according to Jakow Neistadt: continuation of the attack, development of the initiative , preservation of the initiative, taking the initiative, creating an attack position, transition to counterattack, seeking counterplay, or changing the character of the fight.

According to Jakow Neistadt, the effects of a positional sacrifice are not shown in a forced variant, but in the further course of the game, which is the difference to a combination . In this way, the victim himself cannot forcefully lead to the goal, but its correctness can be proven in the further course of the game. The calculation of forced continuations is limited to the next moves.

The positional queen sacrifice is one of the most difficult sacrifices in chess and, according to Jakow Neistadt, requires a fine, intuitive assessment and a deep understanding of the game, whereby the unequal material also makes a high division necessary.

Examples

Vasily Smyslow - Mikhail Tal
Spartakiad of the Soviet Union
Moscow 1964

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position after 24. Rd1 – e1

In the example position, Tal sacrificed his queen with 24.… Qe7 – e2 . Smyslow initially accepted the victim with 25. Re1xe2 Re8xe2 . After much thought, he himself sacrificed the lady. After 26. Qd2xe2 Bf3xe2 there was an endgame that was advantageous for Tal. Both partners had calculated that after about 26. Qc1 Rg2 + 27. Kf1 Rxh2 28. Ne1 Bd5 29. Rb2 Rh1 + 30. Kf2 Re8 would have lasting initiative.

The example was the rare case where both players sacrificed the queen.

For further queen sacrifices, see the following games and game fragments:

literature

Jakow Neistadt : Queen sacrifice . Translated by Dagobert Kohlmeyer . Sportverlag Berlin, 1st edition 1988. Editorial deadline on November 20, 1987. ISBN 3-328-00169-7 .