Actively sacrificing a Rook depends on you having an open file and something to aim at. So the best-rehearsed exchange sacrifices are …Rc8xNc3 in the Sicilian, …Rf8xNf3 in the French and to some extent the Dutch, Rf1xf6 against the Sicilian… You need some compensation for your Rook: either a good central pawn, or the weakening of the opposing King’s defences, or all three!
White sacrifices for attack on f6 in the Sicilian
Nezhmetdinov R. – Tal M. [B85]
White sacrifices for attack on h5 in the Sicilian
Fischer R. – Larsen B. [B77]
Black sacrifices for attack on c3 in the Sicilian
Movsesian S. – Kasparov G. [B80]
Black sacrifices for initiative on c3 in the Sicilian
Bednarski J. – Lehmann H. [B87]
Black sacrifices for too little on c3 in the Sicilian
Devon_Harry – Somerset [B78]
Black sacrifices for initiative in the King’s Indian
Pachman L. – Bronstein D. [E67]
Encore!
Zita F. – Bronstein D. [E67]
White sacrifices for all sorts of compensation in the Grunfeld
Bronstein D. – Boleslavsky I. [D89]
Another common theme is the ‘passive’ sacrifice of Rook for the opponent’s better Bishop by parking it on the natural outpost on an open file. You get a passed pawn and play against a colour complex.
Black passively sacrifices for initiative (1)
Liublinsky V. – Botvinnik M. [C77]
Black passively sacrifices for initiative (2)
Selesniev – Alekhin
Compensation for the exchange
Lasker – Janowsky
Rooks don’t like defending against passed pawns
Pope S. – Regis D. [B22]
The defensive sacrifice for defensive reasons is particularly associated with Petrosian, and everyone cites this example:
A defensive sacrifice
Reshevsky – Petrosian [E58]
Petrosian is at it again
Petrosian T – Spassky B [E66]
The Karpov sacrifice
Lutz C. – Karpov A. [E12]
A whole Rook
Maroczy G. – Tartakower S. [A85]
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