Chess Sacrifices Guide, Sacrifice to Gain Material, Example:
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Chess Tactics Guide
Chess Sacrifices Guide
[Sacrifice to Gain Material, Example]

Sacrifice to Gain Material, Example
- Overview -

Chess Sacrifices, Chess Tactics, Sacrifice to Gain Material, example. Historical Game:
Tal-Parma,
Bled, 1961

The Sacrifice to Gain Material: White's Queen,
Qe6xf5 (yellow square).

The Plan: This Clearance Sacrifice initially captures Black's Nf5. But it's the deliberate sacrifice of the Queen, to ...g6xf5 (red square), that enables White to Gain Material with Ng5-e6+, a Grand Fork Attack, which would also result in the capture of Black's Qc7.

Sacrifice to Gain Material, Example
- ChessFlash Viewer -

Sacrifice to Gain Material, Example
- Video Example -

PGN File(s) [+]Show

Historical Game:
Tal-Parma, Bled, 1961

This example sees Tal (White) pull off a cracking Grand Fork Attack, following the Sacrifice of his Queen ...

This stunning move forced Parma (Black) to Resign, rather than allow White to Gain Material advantage, from his tactical Queen Sacrifice.

Move 27, White's kNight is sent Kingside, onto e4; Black's Queen strides up to c7.

Pause the video after Black's 27th Move:

Take a good look at the positioning of White's Queen, Rook, Bishop and King ...

Now, imagine White's Queen is actually the Knight and you can see a similar Forking pattern that proves troublesome for Black!

Being aware of such position patterns can help you to avoid falling for similar traps, or walking your pieces into unnecessary jeopardy.

Anyway, back to the example ...

Move 28, White's kNight gets into its 'ready' position, on g5; Black, surely with no idea of White's Sacrificial plans, slides his Rook onto f8.

Move 29, White's Queen captures (x) Black's Knight, on f5! ...

Black Resigns, here's why:

Not only does White Gain Material when his Queen captures Black's Knight, but the Sacrifice - to Black's g-file Pawn threatens to Gain even more Material ...

With White's Rook guarding on the Open 'e' File, Black would be compelled to capture White's Queen with his Pawn.

But, with Black's capture done, White's Knight, patiently waiting on g5, would suddenly spring into action; jumping over to e6 and landing its devastating Grand Fork ...

Because that attack also "Checks" Black's King, and without any pieces to capture White's Knight, Black's King would have to move and watch on helplessly, as White's Knight captures Black's Queen.

Not only that, but White's Knight would be in position to capture one of Black's Queenside Pawns.

One Queen Sacrifice would have been responsible for a potential Material Gain of 3 of Black's personnel!

In terms of the relative Point Count scoring system, White would lose a Queen (9). Black, meanwhile, stood to lose a Knight (3), Queen (9), AND possibly a Pawn (1) ...