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Tactics

Sacrifice

Giving up material on purpose for a larger gain — mate, more material, or a winning attack.

A sound sacrifice trades material for something concrete: a forced mate, the recovery of more material a few moves later, or a decisive attack the opponent cannot survive.

A speculative sacrifice trades material for pressure that is hard to calculate to the end — the domain of attacking players and, sometimes, of hope.

Why it matters

The most beautiful and instructive games hinge on sacrifices. Learning which ones are sound teaches you what activity and king safety are really worth.

The mistake everyone makes

Sacrificing on feeling without calculating the follow-up, then finding the attack simply runs out.

Related terms

Gambit
An opening that sacrifices material (usually a pawn) for development, the centre, or attacking chances.
Initiative
The ability to make threats the opponent must answer, keeping them reacting rather than acting.
Tactic
A short, forcing sequence of moves that wins material or delivers mate.
King safety
How exposed your king is to attack — usually the most important factor in the middlegame.

See Sacrifice in your own games

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