My Top 10 Favourite Chess Game Sacrifices in the World

Nothing is more satisfying than winning a chess game with a brilliant sacrifice. Let me show you my Top 10 favourite chess game sacrifices of all time.

1) THE EVERGREEN GAME

Start off with something strong. Nothing is more complete than sacrificing your knight (17. Nf6+), rook (20. Rxe7+), and most importantly, the queen! (21. Qxd7+) to win a game in this style. Classic.

2) THE OPERA GAME

A list of best sacrifices wouldn't be complete without GM Paul Morphy. It all started to collapse for the duke after 10. Nxb5 initiating the first piece sacrifice. Later 13. Rxd7 was thrown into the mix to deliver the very critical 16.Qxb8!! Which put the game away with a mate in one.

3) THE GAME OF THE CENTURY

Another name that would make this list invalid. When I first saw this game, I was shocked that winning without a queen was possible. Well, it was definitely possible with Fischer! 17...Be6!! was stunning as it allows for Black to give up his queen and introduce pretty much every minor piece into the attack. The game ended shortly with Fischer on top, and the game of the century finally confirmed.

4) IMMORTAL ZUGZWANG

Wow is all I recall when I saw this. The initial Rook move on c3 (22...Rxc3) thus allowing the Black Queen sac on h4 which did happen (gxh) and then ANOTHER Rook comes in as the second lamb to the slaughter (23...Rd2!!) just to deflect the white Queen from protecting the light bishop on E4. What happens in the next few moves is simply wonderful chess.

5) THE GOLD COIN GAME

Another game where the sacrifices get better to the point where the game ends immediately. 23...Qg3!! speaks volumes.

6) FISCHER KING

Another high level sacrifice from Fischer understanding positionally what needed to happen. 49...Kxd7. .

7) FATAL ATTRACTION

Always been a fan of Emmanuel Lasker, but his cousin named Edward Lasker had a casual game which led to a sacrifice that not only secured mate, but made his opponent do a KING WALK...easily a top 10.
After 11. Qxh7!! the enemy king has no choice but to leave his protection behind by 11...Kxh7 and 12...Kh6. Few more forced checks later, it was all she wrote.

8) THE USURPER

Probably the most legendary sacrifice game in the history of chess. For white, all pieces were offered/used in a sacrifice. I can't even type all the different sacrifices that happened this game, there's simply too many! Enjoy!

9) VISHY'S VICTORY

It's not my blog without a GM Vishy Anand game. This one is a bit different than the normal risky sacrifices. GM Vishy specifically letting his light bishop on 24. dxc6 really gave him the counter-attacking opportunity which eventually led to a win. Very fun tactical yet positional game!
And I've saved the best for last.

10) KASPAROV'S IMMORTAL

Highly considered the best chess game to have ever been played. GM Garry Kasparov as the white pieces shows an attacking nature that, as we know now, was not all the best moves in this game! However, we are only human and when you mix some pressure, a whole world watching, and playing one of the best in the world at the time, GM Veselin Topalov didn't find the right moves which led to this amazing, brilliant, and of course sacrifice-type chess that finally ended with Garry taking it come. If you haven't seen this game, now it's time!

Thanks for reading everyone! If you have any ideas of what I should write a Top 10 about chess-blog-wise, please DM me or comment below!

Peace

Vegereness