Go back
Please define a true sacrifice

Please define a true sacrifice

Only Chess

U

Joined
10 May 09
Moves
13341
Clock
09 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

Especially with queen sacs I see a lot of threads where someone posts one, then others say it's not a true sac because of XYZ.

So is a sac only true if it does NOT result in immediate equal compensation or a mating web?

Can you post examples of common sacs (if there is such a thing) and brilliant, daring ones?

This is a common thing I do, "losing" the exchange with 1 piece for 2 pawns. Is this considered a sac?













h

Joined
25 Apr 06
Moves
5939
Clock
09 Jul 09
1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

-deleted for drifting completely off-topic-

o
Art is hard

Joined
21 Jan 07
Moves
12359
Clock
09 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

a sacrifice is when you loose material for some other compensation (if you have no compensation I guess it would be called a blunder). Saying something is not a true sac is of course not fair.

There are two tipes of sacrifices: posicional and tactical. Tactical sacrifices result in mate or gain of material. Posicional sacrifices result in better positions, achieving initiative or for defensive resons (avoid mate or destroy the attack). Then of course you've got combined sacrifices in which you gain material and a better position (or just regain the material and get a better position)

Some people consider sacrifices with imidiate regain of material or imidiate mate pseudo-sacs (recovery in 1/2 moves) these generally have a positional value as well (or else they aren't worth doing), and should be considered proper sacrifices.

People tend to denegrate some sacrifices as they aren't so spectacular, and say they aren't true sacrifices, this is complete nonsense, and only shows these people are envying you for having the opportunity to round it off just that simply. If you sacrificed material and gained any advantage whatsoever it was a true sacrifice, and was worth it (except if there was a better move).

w
If Theres Hell Below

We're All Gonna Go!

Joined
10 Sep 05
Moves
10228
Clock
09 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Especially with queen sacs I see a lot of threads where someone posts one, then others say it's not a true sac because of XYZ.

So is a sac only true if it does NOT result in immediate equal compensation or a mating web?

Can you post examples of common sacs (if there is such a thing) and brilliant, daring ones?

This is a common thing I do ...[text shortened]... KQ - 0 1[/fen]

[fen]r1bq1rk1/pppp1p2/2n2n2/4p1B1/4P3/2PP4/P1P1BPPP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 1[/fen]
whatever you do, don't ask EveRyDay. 🙂



pseudo sac: you regain material by force

'real' sac: you exchange material for some kind of dynamic compensation (structural weakness, activity, time, safety, etc...)

greenpawn34

e4

Joined
06 May 08
Moves
43363
Clock
09 Jul 09
2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

If you blunder a piece and lose the game. That is a blunder.

If you blunder a piece and win the game. Then it's a sacrifice.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice_(chess)

G

Joined
16 Nov 06
Moves
9787
Clock
09 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by greenpawn34
If you blunder a piece and lose the game. That is a blunder.

If you blunder a piece and win the game. Then it's a sacrifice.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice_(chess)
In that case I am good at sacrificial chess!

I often blunder a piece in blitz, go for an all out attack not thinking about material and often win! Maybe I should start playing my favourite alekhine like this: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 e6 😛

h

Joined
25 Apr 06
Moves
5939
Clock
09 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Garnoth
In that case I am good at sacrificial chess!

I often blunder a piece in blitz, go for an all out attack not thinking about material and often win! Maybe I should start playing my favourite alekhine like this: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 e6 😛
That's not a sac that's a gambit 😵

M

Joined
01 Oct 08
Moves
13897
Clock
09 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

What is a gambit, if not a pawn sacrifice?

S
Caninus Interruptus

2014.05.01

Joined
11 Apr 07
Moves
92274
Clock
09 Jul 09
3 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Especially with queen sacs I see a lot of threads where someone posts one, then others say it's not a true sac because of XYZ.

So is a sac only true if it does NOT result in immediate equal compensation or a mating web?

Can you post examples of common sacs (if there is such a thing) and brilliant, daring ones?

This is a common thing I do KQ - 0 1[/fen]

[fen]r1bq1rk1/pppp1p2/2n2n2/4p1B1/4P3/2PP4/P1P1BPPP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 1[/fen]
A sacrifice is when you deliberately give material away for some other kind of compensation [it does not matter if it's long-term or short-term].

It is still a sacrifice even if the expected compensation does not pan out. That just means the sac was unsound, or not followed up properly.

It is incorrect to say that offering a Queen is not a sacrifice just because, say, checkmate follows one move later. It is still a sacrifice, although perhaps not as hard to see as others.

e

Joined
09 Dec 05
Moves
955
Clock
10 Jul 09
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by SwissGambit
A sacrifice is when you [b]deliberately give material away for some other kind of compensation [it does not matter if it's long-term or short-term].

It is still a sacrifice even if the expected compensation does not pan out. That just means the sac was unsound, or not followed up properly.

It is incorrect to say that offering a Queen is not a s ...[text shortened]... follows one move later. It is still a sacrifice, although perhaps not as hard to see as others.[/b]
I don't think people would say those are not sacrifices. Just that they are not "true" sacrifices".

It really is just semantics and doesn't really matter as long as you know the meaning the person is using(if you don't then ask that specific person in that spefic case what they mean).

Personally I tend to classify them as true sacrifices and pseudo sacrifices. If I give away my bishop only to get a pawn and bishop out of it by force I would consider i a pseudo sacrifice. If however I give away a peice(such as the perenyi piece sack in the sicilian which is unclear who is winning-even at the highest levels it goes both ways) for some compensation (Another example is an exchange sac which doesn't lead to immediate mate or even material loss by force. But, weakens one color complex) then I would consider it a true sacrifice.

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.