Tal Chess Famous Queen Sacrifices

 The conventional wisdom says that a queen is worth three minor pieces, or nine pawns. The problem with conventional wisdom is, it doesn't go very well with chess. That is because each position is different and you cannot apply general wisdom to each and every position. You must calculate each position individually, applying general principles only as a caution. Another way to look at it might be, the general principles still apply, it's just that some other chess principle takes precedence in a given position. Let's look at the following position from a famous game in which former World Champion Mikhail Tal sacrifices his queen for two minor pieces, and an unclear attack. Perhaps we can glean from this position an overarching principle that applies, that could justify his queen sacrifice. We already know that Tal won the game.

First look at the position and make sure you understand as best you can what is going on. White is basically threatening to win a pawn here. Can you see why? Make sure you understand why before reading any further: take a few minutes to look at the position. Did you notice that after ...Qxd2, White doesn't have to recapture right away? He can take the pawn on e7 for free because it is with check. Black to exchange queens here probably isn't best. True, after the White does recapture the queen, the b-pawn can capture the c-pawn. However, it will be difficult for him to hang onto, although it does open a file. Can you see all that? If not, take a moment to try visualizing it using the above diagram. What are Black's other options, we ask.

Option # 1. Qxd2

Option # 2. ...Qd8

Queen retreats to d8, losing a tempo and giving White the initiative. Take a moment to see what White might do with that initiative, keeping in mind that at this level the tiniest advantage can have devastating consequences.

Option # 3. Lose the queen.

That is exactly the option he chose!! He lost it by playing ... Nxd5!!!

You get the feeling Tal was not a man that like to be bossed around.

At this point these are the advantages that seem to appear for Black, and if Tal sacrificed his queen for these alone, that says quite a bit about his courage as a chess player, and his confidence in these opportunities. I use the word opportunity deliberately because they are temporary and must be recognized immediately or they will be lost, and White's queen will be dominant. And of course, being Tal, he seemed to know how to follow through. It was once assumed about a game of his that he saw the entire progression of moves all the way through. "No," he said. He was thinking not about the position but about how to pull a hippopatomus out of a swamp when he made the move. "Let the damn thing drown," he said to himself, and made the bold sacrifice and won the game!

To see how Tal went on to win the game, watch the video at the end. Pay attention to how he presses his advantages to the end, never allowing them to slip for a moment. It is difficult to know when a sacrifice like this is warranted, but keep in mind that it must be due to some other advantages that justify the loss of material. And to be able to play it would require skill you might not have. Tal had to play with perfect precision to win this, which he did, which is why he was World Champion. That's not to say don't go for it when you think you see a good reason to sac a piece, you might learn a lot just trying to make it work. Do you think you could have won this position having traded the queen for two pieces? Watch the video and see how Tal did it.