The forces line up against the Black King's-side

An old Greek Gift sacrifice on h7 from El Greco

[Event "sacrifice on h7 by B (Greek Gi"]
[Site "sacrifice on h7 by B (Greek G"]
[Date "1792.??.??"]
[Round "83"]
[White "greco"]
[Black "Anon"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C00"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "21"]
[EventDate "1792.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bd3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be7 (4... Bb4+ 5. c3 Ba5 6. h4 O-O 7. e5
Nd5 8. Bxh7+ Kxh7 9. Ng5+ Kg8 10. Qh5 Re8 11. Qxf7+ Kh8 12. Qh5+ Kg8 13. Qh7+
Kf8 14. Qh8+ Ke7 15. Qxg7#) 5. h4 O-O 6. e5 Nd5 {[#] the simplest setting for
the sacrifice - sometimes known as the Greek Gift after El Greco's pioneering
analysis} 7. Bxh7+ Kxh7 8. Ng5+ Kg8 (8... Bxg5 9. hxg5+ Kg6 10. Qd3+ (10. Qh5+
Kf5) 10... f5 11. gxf6+ Kf7 12. Rh7 Rg8 13. Qg3 Qf8 14. Bh6 Ke8) (8... Kg6 9.
h5+ Kh6 (9... Kf5 10. Qf3+ (10. g4#) 10... Nf4 11. Qxf4#)) 9. Qh5 Bxg5 10. hxg5
f5 (10... f6 11. g6) 11. g6 1-0

A checklist:

• Bxh7 is possible
• Nf3 can get to g5
• Q can get to h5
• No knight on f6 and ...Bf5 not possible
• Is there another piece if you need it?

Let's try a harder one:

Greek gift sacrifice on h7

[Event "sacrifice on h7 by B (Madrid)"]
[Site "sacrifice on h7 by B (Madrid)"]
[Date "1971.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Markland, PR."]
[Black "Klundt, K."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B22"]
[PlyCount "33"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 d6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Nc3 Nxc3 8.
bxc3 e6 9. exd6 Bxd6 10. Bd3 Qa5 11. O-O {!?} Qxc3 12. Rb1 O-O {?} 13. Rb3 Qa5
{[#]  (i) bN missing from f6 (ii) wN can go to g5 without losing the attack 
(iii) wQ can get to g4/h5 (iv) other pieces can support the attack} 14. Bxh7+
Kxh7 15. Ng5+ Kg6 16. Rh3 Bd7 17. Ne4 (17. Ne4 {1-0} f6 18. Nxd6 f5 19. Qh5+
Kf6 20. Bg5#) 1-0

A Greek gift that only just works

White still wins against 13...Kh8 but it's breathtakingly close

[Event "sacrifice on h7 by B (hard)"]
[Site "sacrifice on h7 by B (hard)"]
[Date "1930.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "colle"]
[Black "o'hanlon (nice)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D05"]
[PlyCount "39"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3 e6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1
(8. Qe2) (8. e4) 8... Re8 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 cxd4 {[#]} (11...
Nf6) 12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 13. Ng5+ {[#]} Kg6 (13... Kg8 {This is the only real
alternative. Analysis by Euwe and Kramer suggests that White's attack is worth
a draw but no more. The variations and ideas are very typical and worth
playing over.} 14. Qh5 {[#]} Nf6 (14... Ne5 15. Rxe5 (15. Qh7+ Kf8 16. Ne4 Ng6
17. Nxd6 Qxd6 18. h4 Ke7 19. h5 Rh8 20. Bg5+ Ke8 (20... Kf8 21. hxg6 Rxh7 22.
gxh7 {wins}) 21. Qxg7 Rxh5 22. Qf6 Qe7 {and Black is better}) 15... Bxe5 16.
Qxf7+ Kh8 17. Qh5+ {(Euwe) and White has nothing better than perpetual check} (
17. b3 $1 {(Ed. Lasker) idea Ba3} Qe7 (17... Bd6 18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20.
Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7#) (17... Bf6 18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Ba3+ Be7 21. Qh8#)
18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Qh8#) (17. Qg6 Kg8 18. b3 $1) 17... Kg8 18. b3 $1
) (14... Qf6 15. Qh7+ (15. Re4) (15. Nh7 Qg6) 15... Kf8 16. Ne4 Qe5 17. cxd4 (
17. Bg5 f6 18. Nxf6 (18. Nxd6) 18... Nxf6) 17... Qd5 {?} (17... Qxd4 $2 18.
Qh8+ Ke7 19. Bg5+ {wins} Nf6 20. Qxg7 Be5 21. Rad1 Qxb2 22. Rd2) (17... Qxh2+
18. Qxh2 Bxh2+ 19. Kxh2 {is about level}) (17... Qa5) 18. Qh8+ Ke7 19. Qxg7 {
with strong attack} Kd8 20. Bg5+ f6 21. Nxf6) 15. Qxf7+ Kh8 16. Re4 Nxe4 (16...
Bxh2+ 17. Kxh2 Nxe4 18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7+ Kd6 22.
Nf7+ {wins the Q}) 17. Qh5+ Kg8 18. Qh7+ Kf8 19. Qh8+ Ke7 20. Qxg7#) (13... Kh8
14. Qh5+ (14. Nxf7+) 14... Kg8 15. Qxf7+ Kh8 16. Qh5+ Kg8 17. Qh7+ Kf8 18. Qh8+
Ke7 19. Qxg7# (19. Rxe6#)) 14. h4 (14. Qg4 f5 (14... Nf6)) 14... Rh8 {[#]} (
14... f5 15. h5+ Kf6 16. Qxd4+ Be5 17. Qh4 g6 18. f4 {+-}) 15. Rxe6+ Nf6 {[#]}
(15... fxe6 16. Qd3+ Kf6 17. Qf3+ Kg6 18. Qf7+ Kh6 19. Nxe6+) 16. h5+ Kh6 (
16... Rxh5 17. Qd3+ Kh6 18. Qh7#) 17. Rxd6 Qa5 18. Nxf7+ Kh7 19. Ng5+ Kg8 20.
Qb3+ 1-0

Sacrifice on f7

[Event "sacrifice on f7 by N"]
[Site "sacrifice on f7 by N"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "BotvinniK, Mikhail"]
[Black "batuyev (leningrad)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D60"]
[PlyCount "49"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 dxc4 8.
Bxc4 c5 9. O-O cxd4 10. exd4 Nb6 11. Bb3 Nbd5 12. Ne5 Nd7 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Qe2
Nf6 15. Rfd1 b6 16. Rac1 Bb7 17. f3 Rc8 {[#]} 18. Nxf7 Rxf7 19. Qxe6 Qf8 20.
Ne4 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Nfd5 22. Nd6 Ba8 23. Re1 g6 24. Nxf7 Qxf7 25. Qxe7 1-0

One everyone must know: a sacrifice on f7 to lure out the uncastled King

[Event "defence: declining sacrifice"]
[Site "defence: declining sacrifice"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Shirov"]
[Black "Sulskis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[ECO "C54"]
[PlyCount "28"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 
( 6. d4 exd4 7.
O-O Be7 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 9. Qf3+ Bf6 10. Bxd5+ Be6 11. Bxe6+ Kxe6 12. Re1+ Kf7 13.
Qb3+ Kf8 14. Qxb7 Ne7 15. Nd2 Kf7 16. Ne4 Re8 17. Bf4 Nd5 18. Nd6+ Kf8 19.
Rxe8+ Qxe8 20. Nxe8 Rd8 21. Nxf6 gxf6 22. Qc6 { 1-0  ( 22 )  Fedeli,L  ( 2080 )
 -Parente,M  ( 2006 )  ICCF email 2010}  ) 
6... Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3 Nb4 9.a3 
( 9. d4 c6 10. O-O Qf6 11. Qe4 Qf5 12. Qe2 Kf7 13. f4 exd4 14. Ne4 b5 15.
Bb3 Be7 16. Ng5+ Kf8 17. h3 d3 18. Qf2 Nxc2 19. g4 Qd7 20. Bxc2 Bd8 21. Qh4
Bb6+ 22. Kh1 dxc2 23. f5 Ne3 24. Bxe3 Bxe3 25. Nxh7+ Kg8 26. f6 Qd5+ 27. Kh2
Be6 { 0-1  ( 27 )  Garcia Gonzalvez,J  ( 2270 ) -Morin,S  ( 2347 )  IECC 2002} 
)
9... Nxc2+ 10. Kd1 Nxa1 11. Nxd5 Kd6 12. d4 Be6 13. Re1 b5 14. Nb4 bxc4 15.
Qc6+ Ke7 16. Bg5+ Kf7 17. Bxd8 Rxd8 18. Qxc7+ Rd7 19. Qxe5 Rd6 20. d5 Bd7 21.
Qf4+ Kg8 22. Qxc4 a5 23. Nd3 a4 24. Nc5 h5 25. Nxd7 Rxd7 26. d6+ Kh7 27. Re6 g6
28. Rxg6 { 1-0 ( 28 )  Shirov,A  ( 2709 ) -Sulskis,S  ( 2544 )  Tromso 2014}  1-0

Sacrifice on g7

[Event "sacrifice on g7 by N (Kiev)"]
[Site "sacrifice on g7 by N (Kiev)"]
[Date "1966.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Shianovsky, VI."]
[Black "Spiridinov, N."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B18"]
[Annotator "Lombardy"]
[PlyCount "53"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Bc4 e6 7. N1e2 Nf6 8.
O-O Bd6 9. f4 Qc7 {[#]} (9... Nh5) 10. f5 exf5 11. Nxf5 Bxh2+ 12. Kh1 O-O (
12... Bxf5) 13. Qe1 Bd6 {[#]} 14. Nxg7 Kxg7 15. Rxf6 Nd7 (15... Kxf6 16. Qh4+
Kg7 17. Bh6+ Kg8 18. Qf6) 16. Qh4 Rfe8 17. Bh6+ Kh8 18. Raf1 Qd8 19. Bg5 Be7
20. Rxg6 {[#]  1-0} fxg6 21. Rf7 Nf8 22. Nf4 {mates in 5 I think, e.g.} h5 (
22... Bxg5 23. Nxg6+ Kg8 24. Rxf8+ Kg7 25. Rf7+ Kxg6 26. Qxh7#) 23. Nxg6+ Kg8
24. Nxe7+ Rxe7 25. Rg7+ Kxg7 26. Bf6+ Kh7 27. Qxh5# 1-0

Sacrifices on h7 and g7

[Event "sacrifice: double B sac"]
[Site "sacrifice: double B sac"]
[Date "1889.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "lasker, em"]
[Black "bauer, i (amsterdam)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A03"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. f4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. b3 e6 4. Bb2 Be7 5. Bd3 b6 6. Nf3 Bb7 7. Nc3 Nbd7 8. O-O
O-O 9. Ne2 c5 10. Ng3 Qc7 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Qc6 13. Qe2 a6 {[#]  Black has
done nothing to interrupt White's clockwork attack} 14. Nh5 Nxh5 15. Bxh7+ Kxh7
16. Qxh5+ Kg8 17. Bxg7 {this was one the first times such a sacrifice was played;
now, we would call this part of technique} Kxg7 18. Qg4+ Kh7 19. Rf3 e5 {[#] 
White will recover his investment with interest} 20. Rh3+ Qh6 21. Rxh6+ Kxh6
22. Qd7 Bf6 23. Qxb7 Kg7 24. Rf1 Rab8 25. Qd7 Rfd8 26. Qg4+ Kf8 27. fxe5 Bg7
28. e6 Rb7 29. Qg6 f6 30. Rxf6+ Bxf6 31. Qxf6+ Ke8 32. Qh8+ Ke7 33. Qg7+ 1-0

Sacrifice on h6

[Event "sacrifice on h6 by B"]
[Site "sacrifice on h6 by B"]
[Date "1891.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Blackburne"]
[Black "Blanchard (london)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C30"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 exf4 {?} 5. d4 Bb4 6. Bxf4 d5 7. e5 Bxc3+
8. bxc3 Be6 9. Bd3 h6 10. O-O Nge7 11. Rb1 {[#]  a rook's first duty is to
sieze the open files (or half-open ones)} b6 (11... Rb8) 12. Qd2 O-O {[#] 
optimistic} 13. Bxh6 {sacrifices like this don't take much thought...} gxh6 14.
Qxh6 Ng6 15. Ng5 (15. Bxg6 fxg6 16. Qxg6+ Kh8 17. Ng5 Bg8 18. Qh6+ Bh7 19.
Qxh7#) 15... Re8 16. Rxf7 (16. Qh7+ {or 16.Bxg6 both win}) 16... Bxf7 17. Qh7+
Kf8 18. Qxf7# 1-0

Sacrifice on g6

[Event "sacrifice on g6 by B (and h7)"]
[Site "sacrifice on g6 by B (and h7)"]
[Date "1900.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "marshall"]
[Black "burn"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D55"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. cxd5
exd5 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. h4 {[#]  the Bxh7 theme looms - Black adopts radical
therapy} g6 11. h5 Re8 12. hxg6 hxg6 13. Qc2 Nd7 {[#]  Marshall must have
thought for SECONDS over this next one...} 14. Bxg6 fxg6 15. Qxg6+ Bg7 16. Ng5
Qf6 17. Rh8+ Kxh8 18. Qh7# 1-0

Sacrifice on f6

[Event "sacrifice on f6 (Wch30-Merano)"]
[Site "sacrifice on f6 (Wch30-Merano"]
[Date "1981.??.??"]
[Round "14"]
[White "Karpov, An"]
[Black "Kortschnoj, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "2700"]
[BlackElo "2695"]
[PlyCount "91"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Bxe6 Nxe6 12. cxd4 Ncxd4 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Be3
Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 O-O 16. Rfd1 Qe8 $2 {[#]  Allowing a stock sacrifice at the
highest level.} 17. Nf6+ Bxf6 (17... gxf6 18. exf6 Bd6 (18... Bxf6 19. Qxf6 Qc6
20. Bh6 Rfd8 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Re1 Qd5 23. h3 {and Re3}) 19. Rd4 Kh8 20. Rh4
Rg8 {(else Qh5)} 21. Rxh7+ Kxh7 22. Qh5#) 18. exf6 Qc8 19. fxg7 {Now taking
the Pawn with the King will always be dangerous. However, allowing the King to
be entombed is also dangerous!} Rd8 (19... Kxg7 20. Bh6+) (19... Nxg7 20. Rd4)
20. h4 c5 21. Rac1 Qc7 22. h5 {last chance} Qe5 $6 23. h6 Qxb2 {[#]} 24. Rd7 $1
Rxd7 25. Qxa8+ Rd8 26. Qxa6 Qe2 27. Rf1 Rd1 28. Qa8+ Rd8 29. Qc6 b4 30. Qa4 Qd3
31. Rc1 Qd5 32. Qb3 Qe4 {time pressure looms for Korchnoi.} 33. Qc2 Qxc2 34.
Rxc2 f5 35. f4 Kf7 36. g4 Rd5 37. gxf5 Rxf5 38. Rd2 Rf6 39. Rd7+ Kg8 40. f5 $1
Rxf5 41. Re7 Nxg7 42. Rxg7+ Kh8 43. Rc7 Kg8 44. Bxc5 Rg5+ 45. Kf2 Rg6 46. Be3
1-0

Sacrifice on e6

A brilliancy from the Chess Olympiad

[Event "sacrifice on e6 by knight in S"]
[Site "sacrifice on e6 by knight in "]
[Date "1974.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "stean, m"]
[Black "browne, w"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B94"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Bc4 e6 8.
O-O h6 9. Bxf6 Nxf6 10. Bb3 b6 11. f4 Bb7 12. Qd3 Be7 {[#]} 13. Nxe6 {a common
theme in these Paulsen/Scheveningen Sicilian positions} fxe6 14. Bxe6 b5 15. e5
Qb6+ 16. Kh1 dxe5 17. Qg6+ Kd8 18. Qf7 Qc5 19. fxe5 Bxg2+ 20. Kxg2 Rf8 21.
Rad1+ Kc7 22. Qxg7 Rg8 23. exf6 Rxg7+ 24. fxg7 Bd6 25. Rf7+ Kc6 26. Bd5+ Kb6
27. Bxa8 Qg5+ 28. Kh1 Be5 29. b4 a5 30. Rb7+ Kc6 31. g8=Q Qxg8 32. Rb8+ {Stean
won the brilliancy prize for this game} 1-0

Sacrifices don't always work!

One I sat next to:

[Event "defence: declining sacrifice"]
[Site "defence: declining sacrifice"]
[Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "varley"]
[Black "hewson, wecu"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[ECO "B18"]
[PlyCount "28"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 { The Classical variation of the
Caro-Kann Defence, favoured by ex-World Champion Anatoly Karpov.}  5. Ng3 Bg6
6. h4 h6 7. Nh3 e6 8. Nf4 Bh7 9. Bc4 Nf6 { Black has a restricted position and
is behind in 'development'  ( =getting his pieces out )  but his pawn structure
is very solid and White may be tempted to rush things...}  10. Qe2 Bd6 { [#]} 
11. Bxe6 { An enterprising sacrifice, designed to catch Black's King in the
centre. But White's King is also in the centre, and Black can just Castle,
threatening a terrible pin by ...Re8 if the White Be6 retreats.}  11... O-O 12.
O-O Bxf4 13. Bxf4 fxe6 14. Qxe6+ Kh8 { ...and Black consolidated and won.}  
0-1

[Event "sacrifice: accept and defend"]
[Site "sacrifice: accept and defend"]
[Date "1960.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tal"]
[Black "BotvinniK, Mikhail"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B18"]
[PlyCount "116"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. N1e2 Nf6 7. h4 h6 8.
Nf4 Bh7 9. Bc4 e6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Bxe6 {[#]  Tal has won with so
many of these speculative sacrifices. Botvinnik is a hard man to convince...}
Qc7 (12... Bxg3 13. fxg3 Bg8 14. Qe1 Qe7 15. Bc8 {tal}) 13. Re1 Nbd7 {[#]  a
confident move: White has a choice of limp discoveries} 14. Bg8+ Kf8 15. Bxh7
Rxh7 16. Nf5 {[#]  Black has yet to consolidate, and offers a pawn in order to
do so} g6 17. Bxh6+ Kg8 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 19. Bg5 Re7 {another attacking piece is
exchanged} 20. Qd3 Kg7 21. Qg3 Rxe1+ 22. Rxe1 Qxg3 23. fxg3 Rf8 {[#]  White's
pawns are numerically impressive but practically ineffective.} 24. c4 Ng4 25.
d5 cxd5 26. cxd5 Ndf6 27. d6 Rf7 28. Rc1 Rd7 29. Rc7 Kf7 30. Bxf6 Nxf6 31. Kf2
Ke6 32. Rxd7 Kxd7 33. Kf3 Kxd6 34. Kf4 Ke6 35. g4 Nd5+ 36. Ke4 Nf6+ 37. Kf4
Nd5+ 38. Ke4 Nb4 39. a3 Nc6 40. h5 g5 41. h6 Kf6 42. Kd5 Kg6 43. Ke6 Na5 44. a4
Nb3 45. Kd6 a5 46. Kd5 Kxh6 47. Kc4 Nc1 48. Kb5 Nd3 49. b3 Nc1 50. Kxa5 Nxb3+
51. Kb4 Nc1 52. Kc3 Kg6 53. Kc2 Ne2 54. Kd3 Nc1+ 55. Kc2 Ne2 56. Kd3 Nf4+ 57.
Kc4 Kf6 58. g3 Ne2 0-1

[Event "sacrifice: declined"]
[Site "sacrifice: declined"]
[Date "1953.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Keres"]
[Black "smyslov (zurich)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A34"]
[PlyCount "56"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 b6 7. d4 cxd4 8. exd4
d5 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. O-O Bb7 11. Rc1 Rc8 12. Re1 Nb4 13. Bf1 Ne4 14. a3 Nxc3 15.
Rxc3 Nc6 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Rxe5 Bf6 18. Rh5 g6 19. Rch3 {[#]  a dramatic offer
at the highest level of tournament competition} dxc4 {declined! analysis shows
Smyslov's intuition to be absolutely correct} (19... gxh5 20. Qxh5 Re8 21. a4 {
this key move was discovered only after the game; Smyslov's refusal was based
more on judgement than analysis} Qd6 22. c5) 20. Rxh7 c3 21. Qc1 Qxd4 22. Qh6
Rfd8 23. Bc1 Bg7 24. Qg5 Qf6 25. Qg4 c2 26. Be2 Rd4 27. f4 Rd1+ 28. Bxd1 Qd4+
0-1

A real sacrifice

Couldn't leave out one from Tal: not even he knew what was going on all the time!

[Event "sacrifice: unclear ('genuine' "]
[Site "sacrifice: unclear ('genuine'"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tal"]
[Black "simagin (23rd USSR ch'p)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B07"]
[PlyCount "89"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f4 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. e5 Nd5 8. O-O
Nxc3 9. bxc3 {[#]} e6 (9... Bxf3 10. Bxf3 dxe5 11. fxe5 Nxe5 12. Ba3) 10. Ng5
Bxe2 11. Qxe2 h6 {[#]} 12. Nxf7 {Easy to see, hard to play! Spielmann calls
this a 'real' sacrifice as opposed to those sacrificial combinations where the
hoped-for gain is clear and short- term.} Kxf7 13. f5 dxe5 14. fxe6+ Kxe6 15.
Rb1 Qxb1 16. Qc4+ Kd6 17. Ba3+ Kc7 18. Rxb1 Bxa3 19. Qb3 Be7 20. Qxb7+ Kd6 21.
dxe5+ Nxe5 22. Rd1+ Ke6 23. Qb3+ Kf5 24. Rf1+ {[#]} Ke4 (24... Kg6 25. Qe6+ Bf6
26. Qf5+ Kf7 27. Qxe5) 25. Re1+ Kf5 26. g4+ Kf6 27. Rf1+ Kg6 28. Qe6+ Kh7 29.
Qxe5 Rhe8 30. Rf7 Bf8 31. Qf5+ Kg8 32. Kf2 Bc5+ 33. Kg3 Re3+ 34. Kh4 Rae8 35.
Rxg7+ Kxg7 36. Qxc5 R8e6 37. Qxa7+ Kg6 38. Qa8 Kf6 39. a4 Ke5 40. a5 Kd5 41.
Qd8+ Ke4 42. a6 Kf3 43. a7 Re2 44. Qd3+ R6e3 45. Qxe3+ 1-0