Go back
Was my bishop sac sound?

Was my bishop sac sound?

Only Chess

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

I just played a very interesting blitz game (for me, anyway). I sacced a bishop on F7 to create what I thought would be a winning attack. Somehow, it just didn't work out, though I did manage to salvage a draw. I was hoping someone who's a bit better than I am would look at it and maybe suggest where I could have won (or whether the attack was unsound to begin with).

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by sh76
I just played a very interesting blitz game (for me, anyway). I sacced a bishop on F7 to create what I thought would be a winning attack. Somehow, it just didn't work out, though I did manage to salvage a draw. I was hoping someone who's a bit better than I am would look at it and maybe suggest where I could have won (or whether the attack was unsound to begin ...[text shortened]... Rh7-h6 Ke6-e7 32. Rh6-h7 Ke7-e8 33. Rf5-e5 Ke8-f8 34. Re5-f5 Kf8-e8 35. Rf5-e5 1/2-1/2[/pgn]
You bishop sacrifice was sound. Only later you missed the best moves. For example 24.Qh7+ was better than 24.Qxd7.

Exchange sacrifice with 26.dxe5! seems to be better than 26.Rf7

27.Rf5! was better than 27.Raf1? - after 27....Bxh4 black should have win but your opponent let you get away.

Vote Up
Vote Down

You lost serious tempo by moving 17 Bg5. Black is allowed to regroup and hold you off. Perhaps Nf5 instead?

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Badwater
You lost serious tempo by moving 17 Bg5. Black is allowed to regroup and hold you off. Perhaps Nf5 instead?
17.Bg5 with f4 is good plan. After 17.Nf5+ Ke6 (first step to run away from tie-up of knight f6, with intention of Nbd7 and Qe8) it is not so clear how white can continue attack.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Korch
You bishop sacrifice was sound. Only later you missed the best moves. For example 24.Qh7+ was better than 24.Qxd7.

Exchange sacrifice with 26.dxe5! seems to be better than 26.Rf7

27.Rf5! was better than 27.Raf1? - after 27....Bxh4 black should have win but your opponent let you get away.
Thanks! I knew that RaF1 was a bad move right after I did it. I was a little frustrated since when I played 24. Qxd7, I hadn't seen 25...Be7, skewering the rook and the knight. I should have played Rf5 and if I had really thought about it I probably would have.

Backing up for a sec though, after 24. Qh7+...Qg7 or .... Rg7, how do I continue?

Thanks for the help; this is great learning for me.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by sh76
Backing up for a sec though, after 24. Qh7+...Qg7 or .... Rg7, how do I continue?
Nf5+

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

24.Qh7+ Qg7? leads to a fork Nf5+, but 24...Rg7 should be followed by 25.Qxh5!? I think threatening both Rxf6 and Nf5+

edit:wormwood was faster than me🙂 but I think after Rg7 Nf5+ may be a bit less clear due to ...Qxf5

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Rizhanin
24.Qh7+ Qg7? leads to a fork Nf5+, but 24...Rg7 should be followed by 25.Qxh5!? I think threatening both Rxf6 and Nf5+

edit:wormwood was faster than me🙂 but I think after Rg7 Nf5+ may be a bit less clear due to ...Qxf5
I just checked with fritz, and it prefers by far taking the h5-pawn first. I can't see the difference though, seems to me it doesn't matter much whether you take h5 right away or later...

edit: ha! fritz dropped the evaluation to just about the same after a few 'first choice' moves. stupied engines...

edit2: oh, I just noticed you thought about a bit different moves. my first choice was the obvious (to me) Nf5+ Rg7 Nxg7 against fritz's (and your) taking 25.Qxh5 first...

3 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

That bishop sac was so much fun, I just tried another bishop sac in a 5 minute blitz game, this time with better results (I was playing black this time). Yes, he blundered away a rook at the end, but by the time I think it was over anyway.