Sunday, December 26, 2010

Double Rook Sacrifice

In a game of speed chess at chess.com, I used a double rook sacrifice to mate. My opponent was Hautboiss of the USA who played black. Here are the moves of the game along with my commentary:

1. e4 b6
2. d4 Bb7
3. Nc3 g6
4. Bd3 Bg7
5. Nf3 e6
6. Be3 Ne7
7. Qd2 0-0
8. 0-0-0 d5

I castle queenside because I want to use my kingside pawns for an attack on the black kingside.

9. h4 dxe
10. Nxe4 Nd5
11. h5 Nxe3
12. fxe3 Na6

The black knight is not well-placed on a6. For this reason I do not capture it.

13. g4 gxh
14. Rxh5 c5

Black wants to attack my queenside with his pawns.

15. Rdh1 h6
16. g5 hxg

Now I have an open h-file.

17. Nexg5 f6

Black makes a mistake because the pawn on e6 is now undefended and can be captured by my knight.

18. Bh7+ Kh8
19. Bg6+ Kg8
20. Rh8+ Bxh8

I sacrifice a rook. Black must accept the sacrifice.

21. Rxh8+ Kxh8

I sacrifice another rook. Black does not have to accept this sacrifice but if he refuses and plays Kg7, I play Ne6+ and win his queen.

22. Qh2+ Kg7
23. Qh7#

This is the only game I can recall in which I sacrifice two rooks. My decision to castle queenside allows me to push my kingside pawns and the open h-file gives me the opportunity to mate the black king. Without question, this is one of the most memorable games I have ever played.

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