Opening lines with a sacrifice
Give up a piece so that a pawn takes it. The pawn leaves its line, and the way to the king opens.
The idea
Give up a piece so that a pawn takes it, and a line to the king opens.
- Ng6+ gives check, and the pawn on h7 takes the knight.
- After hxg6 the h-file is open from h4 all the way to the king.
- Rh4 is mate.
In a game: When a pawn shields the enemy king, ask what opens if that pawn has to take.
How the lesson begins
Pawns in front of a king close the files and diagonals that lead to it. A sacrifice can open one. You put a piece where a pawn can take it, and if the pawn takes, it leaves its own file.
Here White’s rook on e4 would like to use the h-file, but the knight on h4 and the pawn on h7 are in the way. Ng6+ moves the knight out with check, and the pawn takes it: hxg6. Now the h-file is clear up to the king, and Rh4 is mate. The queen on c4 covers g8, so the king has no square.
- 26. Ng6+ hxg6 27. Rh4#
Find the move
The same idea works for Black. White’s king is on h2, and the pawn on h3 shuts the h-file. Black to move. Find the mate in two.
A hint
Give check with the knight on a square the h-pawn can take.
Show the answer
36... Ng4+ 37. hxg4 Qh4#
Ng4+ gives check, and the pawn on h3 takes the knight. That opens the h-file, and the knight has also left your queen’s diagonal. Qh4 is mate. Your rook on a1 covers g1 and h1, so the king cannot get away.