Let me start by saying that you have to be very careful when sacrificing your Queen. Many players will sacrifice their Queen too early for 1 or 2 checks when they don't have the time or the resources to get a third check. In fact I dedicated an entire article showing how to refute unsound Queen sacrifices here. For today's article I have compiled a list of correct Queen sacrifices that occur frequently in 3 Check.
A Queen Sacrifice to Lure a King to an Open File
This sacrifice is not unique to a Queen but I decided to include it anyway because of how often this idea shows up (and is missed!) in practice. The idea is to lure the enemy King to a square (usually an open file) where a Rook can then give the last 2 checks.
Luring a King to a "Closed" File
This is similar to the previous example, except that a Queen is sacrificed to lure a King to a closed file. However, the file can then be opened on the next move with a pawn capture. This is why when a pawn has the potential to initiate a capture around the enemy King and open a file, it's useful to think of the file as ALREADY being open even before the capture.
Here is nice example from a game that I lost:
A Queen Sacrifice on f2
F2 is a common square for Black to sacrifice their Queen. The idea is usually to follow up with a Bishop check on c5. However, it is important to be able to differentiate when this sacrifice is sound and when it isn't. A general rule of thumb is that the sacrifice is insufficient when the King can successfully retreat to the safety of the first rank. If the King has to remain on the 2nd rank (or worse, move up to the third rank), then the sacrifice usually works. Combine this knowledge with some calculation and good judgement and you should be able to work it out yourself if you're unsure.
Here is an example where it works:
Two Knight Tango
I believe this pattern was dubbed the "Two Knight Tango" by FM Mike Klein. It occurs when one player sacrifices their Queen on h7/h2 and can follow up by checking with 2 active Knights.
Two Bishop Tango
The same idea as the previous example, except with two Bishops finishing the game instead of two Knights.
Hammertime!
This is a tactic that occurs very often in the Sicilian defense. Black will sacrifice their Queen on h2 from either h4 or c7 and then follow up with a Knight or Bishop check depending on the situation. Black will usually need to involve their h-pawn and Rook as well. Sometimes even the Queenside Bishop will play a role in the attack. I first learned this pattern by watching GM Jon Ludwig Hammer play against FM Mike Klein on youtube
here. So in honor of Hammer, I have decided to call this one Hammertime.
I will say though that this sacrifice does not always work right away. Sometimes you need to play Nf6 first before Qxh2+. For example if White's pieces are very active then they might be able to start a quick counter attack before Black is able to get their Knight and h-pawn in position. Also, if both g4 and e4 are defended from the start then White will not need to take time out to defend these squares in order to keep Black's Knight out. One loss of a tempo could be a deciding factor. What it comes down to is calculation, intuition and past experience in order to evaluate the sacrifice accurately. For more examples of this sacrifice you can read my blog posts below:
This Queen sacrifice is often possible after the enemy King has been lured to f7 as a result of a Knight sacrifice. The King is then hunted down by the Bishops for the final check.
A Queen Sacrifice on h6/h3
Usually for this pattern to work you need to have gotten one check already. The Queen is then sacrificed on h6/h3 for the 2nd check and lured up the board by a Knight on g5/g4.
Are there any Queen sacrifices that I left out? Have you won a nice game using a Queen sacrifice? Let me know in the comments!
