Sacrifice (chess)
In the game of chess, sacrifice refers to a move with which a player voluntarily offers (sacrifices) one or more pieces to the opponent to capture . The aim is to at least compensate for the material disadvantage resulting from the acceptance of the victim by other advantages (gain in time, gain in space, positional factors). The opponent can accept or reject the victim .
If the sacrificed material can be forcibly recovered, this is called a sham offering .
If the sacrifice (usually a pawn) is made during the opening phase , it is called a gambit .
Figures given to one's own disadvantage without a higher purpose are not victims. Such mostly nonsensical moves are called adjuster in the chess game .
In the case of a victim, figures of the opposing party are often beaten that are adequately defended, which often forces the acceptance of the victim in order not to get materially disadvantaged. Sacrifices are often part of multiple combinations , but can also be part of a long-term strategic plan. The material value of the characters , which is considered normal in the game, is "suddenly" negated or ignored. The sacrifice often comes unexpectedly for one of the players, since in the course of the game one usually only takes the usual figure value into account and does not recognize exceptional situations in which, for example, positional advantages outweigh material ones. This affects inexperienced players more often than strong players or even grandmasters .
The success of a victim depends on the correct evaluation of the resulting position. Otherwise the material advantage of the opponent can lead to the loss of the game, in this case one speaks of an "incorrect" sacrifice. However, if the sacrificing player knows or suspects that the victim is incorrect, but it is playing for psychological reasons, one speaks of a speculative victim. The Austrian grandmaster Rudolf Spielmann , who wrote a book entitled Sacrifice Correctly in 1935 , only regards those who cannot be calculated through to the end, i.e. who are essentially based on intuition , as "real" victims .
classification
Victims in the game of chess can be classified according to various criteria, e.g. B. According to the target of the victim:
- Checkmate
- Draw , e.g. B. Patt , perpetual chess
- Material advantage
- Positional advantage
When dividing up according to the sacrificed pieces, one speaks of
- Pawn sacrifice
- Knight sacrifice
- Runner sacrifice
- Tower sacrifice
- Queen sacrifice
- Quality sacrifice is called the surrender of a tower for a jumper or runner
While pawn sacrifices are relatively common and are routinely made in many openings , a queen sacrifice is particularly spectacular.
The Russian Grand Master Yuri Averbach undertook a thematic classification :
- Restraint victim : an opposing figure is forced onto a certain space on which damage occurs
- Distraction victim : an opposing figure is distracted from its task to be fulfilled (e.g. covering a certain square)
- Destruction victims : the defense is switched off
- Evacuation victims : fields, rows, lines or diagonals are cleared for the path of your own figures
- Self-destructive victims: in which one lets one's own figures that are a hindrance to the implementation of an action hit
In addition, victims to block an opposing pawn are called inhibition victims . The pawn blockade can, for example, prevent important defense figures from intervening.
An attack combination can also consist of several types of victims at the same time.
Jakow Neistadt described several subdivisions in his book on female sacrifice. Accordingly, victims were divided into real and apparent victims. According to Rudolf Spielmann , apparent sacrifices include position sacrifices in which the material is regained and one's own position is improved, as well as sacrifices with the aim of mating or gaining material. Real victims are victims for their own development or against the mobilization of opposing stones, victims to prevent opposing castling or to open lines. In addition, real sacrifices include distraction sacrifices to keep opposing stones away from the main part of the fight and sacrifices to clear a space for your own piece. Victims against the already castled king, for example, in order to persecute him , are therefore also real victims. According to Neistadt, Leonid Schamkowitsch also divided into two types of victims, namely sham victims as above and real victims, which he subdivides into dynamic victims, such as inhibition victims, and those based on a general assessment of the situation.
example
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A series of different sacrifices leads to Black winning.
25.… Be6 clears the 8th row for the queen.
26. Bxe6 Nd3 opens the b- file with a gain in tempo.
27. Qf7 Qb8 +
28. Bb3 Rxb3 + eliminates the last defender.
29. Kc2 Nb4 + the black rook's sacrifice to the withdrawal chess
30. Kxb3 Nd5 + the knight clears the b-file and blocks the diagonal c4 – f7
31. Kc2 Qb2 +
32. Kd3 Qb5 +
White gave up because mate is inevitable.
(33. Kc2 De2 + 34. Kb3 Qb2 + 35. Kc4 Qb5 mate)
The bishop ending of Tarrasch shows a combined evacuation and employment victims .
literature
- Rudolf Spielmann : Sacrifice right! Requirements, aim and implementation of the sacrifice in the game of chess. Explained in 38 games. Schachverlag Mädler, Düsseldorf 1982, ISBN 3-7919-0215-6 .
- Vladimir Vuković: The Book of the Victim. Technology, art and risk in sacrificial chess. Engelhardt, Berlin-Frohnau 1964.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jakow Neistadt : Lady offering. Sportverlag, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-328-00169-7 , pp. 5-7.