Intermediate tactic · 5 of 12
The sacrifice
Give up material on purpose to get something better: checkmate, or more material back.
- Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with CapraStart the lesson
- Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 sacrifice puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solvedGo to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
Three reasons to sacrifice
A sacrifice works when every reply is forced. Here is what the material can buy.
Open up the king
A rook is given up on h7 to drag the king out of his shelter. The queen mates on the h-file.
Remove the last defender
The queen is given up on the back rank. The rook that takes her is taken, and it is mate.
Set up a fork
A rook is given up to pull the king onto f8, where a knight forks king and queen.
Sacrifices in numbers
Counted from the 12,239 sacrifices in our puzzle library, all taken from real games- 1 in 25
of our puzzles has a sacrifice in it.
- 77%
of them end in checkmate.
- 55%
of them come in the middlegame.
Which piece makes the first move
- Queen54%
- Rook29%
- Knight11%
- Bishop4%
- Pawn2%
What it wins
- Checkmate77%
- Queen9%
- Rook4%
- Bishop1%
- Knight1%
Good to know
Sacrifices: common questions
What is a sacrifice in chess?
A sacrifice is giving up material on purpose, a pawn, a piece or even the queen, to get something worth more. That is usually checkmate, or a forced line that wins back more material than you gave.
How do I know if a sacrifice works?
Calculate it to the end. A sound sacrifice leaves your opponent with forced replies, so start with checks and captures and make sure every answer still loses. If you are only hoping, keep the piece.
What is an exchange sacrifice?
Giving up a rook for a bishop or a knight. The rook is worth more, so you are behind on points, but you might remove a key defender, win a strong square or wreck the pawns in front of the king.
What is the difference between a sacrifice and a gambit?
A gambit is a pawn sacrifice in the opening, offered for faster development or control of the centre. Other sacrifices come later in the game and are usually backed by a forced line.