To Accept a Sacrifice

In fact, Black should decline the sacrifice, though he must still defend against the threat of 2. Bxh6. Any non-forcing move loses immediately to 2. Bxh6 gxh6 3. Qe3!, where the numerous threats against h6 and f6 decide the game. In the game, Black played the correct 1. … b5, and achieved a favourable position after 2. Nxd6 Nxd6. But what would have happened had he greedily taken the rook? After 1. … fxg6 2. hxg6+ Kh8, White wins with the beautiful quiet move 3. Qd2!, exploiting the Black king’s vulnerable situation on the h file (3. Bxh6 followed by 4. Qe3 also works). The threat is 4. Bxh6, leading to an eventual mate; Black can only delay his demise. Let’s look at a few reasonable defences: 3. ... Bf8, 3. ... h5 and 3. ... Nh7. Click below to reveal the refutations to these moves:

If 3. … Bf8, defending h6 and hitting the queen, 4. Nxe5! and there is no reasonable defence against mate on f7.

If 3. … h5, not allowing the sacrifice on h6, 4. Bg5! with the unstoppable threat of 5. Bxf6 and 6. Qh6#.

If 3. … Nh7, the computer’s “best defence,” White still cleans up nicely with 4. Bxh6 gxh6 5.Qxh6, and the threats are too numerous for Black to walk away from.