Positional sacrifise (1)

There was a saying:"When Tal sacs, take and look. When Fischer sacs, take and resign. When Petrosian sacs, just resign".

What about Botvinnik? This strategy God made many positional sacrifices, but usualy with no escape for his opponents.

We`ll take a look at N sac for two pawns. Pawns alone are not enough of compensation for a piece. So player has to seek for positional elements in his favour, but elements which have "permanent" (long-term) character. Some of those positional elements are: supported outpost, strong pawn center, open file, opponents strong pieces elimination etc.

White: Botvinnik
Black: Pachman
Oberhausen 1961.


1. Nf5!

Sacrifising knight for two pawns and one tempo (time unit in chess, one tempo=one move). 1. ef5 gives nothing because of 1...Nd4 and 2...Bf5.

1...gf5 2. ef5 Ng7 3. g4!

Only 3 moves after the diagram, position has dramaticly changed. White has pawn wall on the king side, but its not an attacking formation. First purpose of this wall is to keep Black pieces on passive squares. Ng7, Bf8 and Bd7 have no good moves. Only active piece is Nc5, but soon White will start to press all over the board.

3...Re5 4. Bd4 Re1

4...Bf5 attempt fails to 5. gf5 Rf5 6. Bg7

5. Re1 Re8

This is slight mistake, but it`s not easy to give good advice to Black. Now light bishop has no e8 square. Better was Be8-Bf7.

6. Rd1!

Avoiding the trade, pressing over the d-file and keeping e8 square blocked for light bishop.

6...Bc8 7. b4 ab4 8. ab4 Na6

Last Black active piece is bounced back and White owns e4 square now.

9. Ne4 Re4

Black is forced to give material back as Nf6 was deadly threat.

10. Be4 Nb4 11. Qd2 d5 12. cd5 cd5 13. Bf3

Game was adjourned here, and Black resigned the same evening.