Well, not really a "true" queen sacrifice, but it is still a nice little combination the one I played against a strong 1st category player today at the "Baracchi Memorial" in Venice, a one-day rapid chess tournament which is held every May in Venice in memory of a young and promising member of our chess club, who died in a car accident.

The position after black's 15th move (15. ...Be6) is the one shown below. I am white.

T.Dorigo - L.Pasqualetto, Memorial Baracchi 20/5/2012



The black knight has just been threatened by the pawn advance 15.e5, and black decided to interpose the developing move 15....Be6?! before playing 16....Nh5. This however allowed me to get in a very promising attacking position:

16.exf6! Bxb3 17.fxg7 Rg8 18.axb3

White has obtained three pieces for the queen, which is normally adequate compensation. What is most important, however, is that he is ready to attack the black king. The game continued:

18....Qe6+ 19.Ne5!

White carefully considered that this self-pin of the knight is very strong. The knight is in danger of being lost after black plays f6, but black will not have time to carry out that threat.

19....c4

Black decides not to go pawn-hunting with the queen: if 19...Qxb3 20.Bxc5 Qxb2 21.0-0 white will have a free hand. If instead 20....Qd5 21.Bd4 Qxg2 22.0-0-0 white is still on top. However, the move played helps white's attack:

20.Be4! 0-0-0 21.bxc4 bxc4 (see diagram below)




And now the black position quickly gets destroyed:

22.Ra4! Rd7 23.Bc6

Rxc4+ would also be good, but Bc6 is quite a demoralizing move to see played if you are black!

23....Rc7?

Some more resistance could have been achieved by 23....Rd5, but the position is hopeless.

24.Rxa6 Kd8? (forced was 24....Rxc6 but black with it would give  back the queen with interests, and the game would of course be over in that case) 25.Ra8+ Rc8 26.Bb6 mate (see diagram).



A nice finish for an attack that seemed to play itself!