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25th February 2008, 05:12pm
#1
by Tiger_Kid
Los Angeles, CA United States
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 122

This is something I'm sure plenty of you have seen before, and I'm sure there's a name for it by now.

This game begins with a very standard opening; white is aggressive, black is more passive-aggressive. With black's king's knight undeveloped, this mate comes pretty easily as most people can't help but take the bait.

 I came across this gambit a little while ago and occasionally the opportunity comes up to take the shot; one player actually took the knight instead of the queen and then said "oh no I can't believe I missed your  queen" haha, so it didnt work out but I was able to recover quite well, anyway.


25th February 2008, 05:18pm
#2
by Fresh
Beantown United States
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 98

Congrats, you discovered Legall's mate.  It's an old one that has been talked about a lot.  In fact, it was on the front page last week.

 

It's not exactly a gambit seeing as it results in mate.  A gambit is when you give a pawn or piece with positonal composition or something as the reason.  This is much more of a sacrifice style thing than gambit.


25th February 2008, 05:23pm
#3
by Tiger_Kid
Los Angeles, CA United States
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 122
Fresh wrote:

Congrats, you discovered Legall's mate.  It's an old one that has been talked about a lot.  In fact, it was on the front page last week.

 

It's not exactly a gambit seeing as it results in mate.  A gambit is when you give a pawn or piece with positonal composition or something as the reason.  This is much more of a sacrifice style thing than gambit.


 

Yes, well said. I wasn't sure how to describe it, but yeah it's more of a passive sacrafice than a gambit.

 I didn't realize there'd been an article so recently.Well, there ya go. It does work sometimes :)


25th February 2008, 06:23pm
#4
by TalFan
Perth Australia
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 683
Just curious what happened when he took your knight instead . Is that the best possible response in the position ?
25th February 2008, 07:06pm
#5
by fzweb
Australia
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 268
Cool, I would never think of sacrificing my queen like that.
25th February 2008, 07:40pm
#6
by Unbeliever
United States
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 1117
It is called Legall's Mate.  It is a wonderful proof that the power of the pin is only as strong as your opponent's ability to sustain it.
25th February 2008, 09:30pm
#7
by VitoSLO
LJUBLJANA Slovenia
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 4

Who would have advantage if black answer with Nxe5 ?

I am not so sure this Legall˙s mate is clever one to play against equal oponent.


26th February 2008, 02:00am
#8
by Tiger_Kid
Los Angeles, CA United States
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 122

Here is how a game went against a player who took the knight, having forgotton that my queen was now available. He even commented "oh no I can't believe I missed your queen!" ...If only he had taken it. Not saying I played this game very well, but I was still able to win.


 

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