The queen sacrifice
Give up your strongest piece when every reply is forced and the end is mate or a bigger gain.
The idea
Give up the queen when every reply is forced and mate follows.
- Qxf8+ gives the queen for the rook on f8.
- Black’s only move is Bxf8, and the bishop leaves g7.
- The rook on f1 takes back on f8 with mate.
In a game: When a check with the queen leaves only one reply, follow the line to its end before you count.
How the lesson begins
The queen is worth nine points, more than any other piece. Yet sometimes the strongest move is to let the opponent take her. A queen sacrifice is worth it when the replies are forced and what follows is checkmate, or wins back more than the queen.
This is Wilfried Paulsen against Adolf Anderssen, from a tournament in 1878. White to move. The queen on f2 and the rook on f1 stand on the f-file, aimed at the rook on f8. The knight on e6 attacks f8 and g7.
Find the move
White to move. Mate in two.
A hint
The rook on f8 guards the back rank. Take it with your strongest piece.
Show the answer
29. Qxf8+ Bxf8 30. Rxf8#
Qxf8+ gives the queen for a rook. Black has one legal move, Bxf8, and then Rxf8# is mate on the back rank. The bishop has left g7, and the knight on e6 covers that square.