{"id":167,"date":"2021-05-13T16:11:20","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T16:11:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandbox.forwardchess.com\/blog\/?p=167"},"modified":"2021-05-16T14:00:40","modified_gmt":"2021-05-16T14:00:40","slug":"the-art-of-sacrifice-in-chess","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/the-art-of-sacrifice-in-chess\/","title":{"rendered":"The Art of Sacrifice in Chess"},"content":{"rendered":"

“A sacrifice is the natural product of the initiative.”<\/em> – GM Ivan Sokolov<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Only the player with the initiative has the right to attack.”<\/em> – Wilhelm Steinitz (Former World Champion, 1886-1894)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Our BOOK OF THE WEEK is The Art of Sacrifice in Chess<\/em><\/strong><\/a> by Rudolf Spielmann.<\/p>\n

\"AOS\"<\/a>
\nAustrian Grandmaster Rudolf Spielmann\u2019s The Art of Sacrifice in Chess<\/em><\/strong><\/a> first appeared in the mid-1930s. It was immediately recognized as a classic, a masterpiece that examined the nature of chess sacrifices. In this modernized, 21st century edition, all of Spielmann\u2019s original work has been preserved (the original book contained thirteen chapters categorizing and teaching thematic sacrifices). But the German grandmaster has gone far beyond simply inserting clarifying commentary. M\u00fcller has virtually doubled the size of the original work by adding eleven new chapters, including:<\/p>\n

— The Greek Gift Sacrifice Bxh2\/7+
\n— Disaster on g7; The Achilles\u2019 Heel f7
\n— Strike at the Edge
\n— Destroying the King\u2019s Shelter
\n— Sacrifices on f6
\n— Sacrifices on e6
\n— The Magic of Mikhail Tal
\n— Shirov\u2019s Sacrifices
\n— The Fine Art of Defense.<\/p>\n

There are exercises at the end of each new chapter to help you hone your skill of sacrificing.\u00a0 Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1:<\/p>\n

Chapter 1
\n<\/strong>Positional Sacrifices<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

To this class belong all sacrifices which have the object of effecting an improvement in position by temporarily giving up material.\u00a0The recapture of the material given up is an essential characteristic. It is not necessary for the compensation to be in the same currency. But the quid pro quo, in the material sense, must be adequate. In effect the positional sacrifice need not necessarily lead to an advantage in position. Undertaken in a bad position, it may barely save the game or merely prolong resistance.<\/em><\/p>\n

However, if when all is said and\u00a0done the positional sacrifice is only an exchange, it is nevertheless an exceedingly valuable weapon. Of course, one must gauge accurately the consequences of such a deal. This should not be difficult as a rule.<\/em><\/p>\n

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