The Exchange Sacrifice
Sort:
A sacrifice can be a joyous and heart-pumping thing to do. But recently I have been having trouble converting a sacrifice where, for example, I have sacrifice a rook for a well placed knight, or a bishop for a pawn holding my opponents position together. Yet despite them being "correct" I end up losing because my opponents constructs a fortress then one loses on time. Is it because I play too slowly and take my time?
Anything anyone can do to help?
Perhaps you are making these sacrifices at the wrong way times? Where perhaps this well placed knight is only worth three+ ONE (theoretical) positional point, and so you are down a point?
Maybe just take a better look before these sacrifices, to see if it is really worth it?
And maybe practice your opening more if your running out of time, so you can have the opening done win ten seconds, without having to think about it.
Maybe just take a better look before these sacrifices, to see if it is really worth it?
And maybe practice your opening more if your running out of time, so you can have the opening done win ten seconds, without having to think about it.
My sacrifices are fine, and I uphold an advantageous position throughout the game. I will attempt to take less time in my openings as you say.
What openings would you recommend?
Pff! No idea! I usually just do E4 (E5 if black) then bring out my knights, and then D3. But I am not the man to ask about openings!
But I okay some people, and it takes them about 30 seconds to do their opening. For me it's instinctive, and takes 5-10 seconds.
But about which opening? Sorry... I don't know.
Perhaps the reason your not winning is because whilst you can give yourself an advantage, you can't exploit it? To get over that things like tactics, strategy games would be good, and keep playing 10 min and above games, which will Help your tactics and strategy more, as you can actually think more about the moves.
But I okay some people, and it takes them about 30 seconds to do their opening. For me it's instinctive, and takes 5-10 seconds.
But about which opening? Sorry... I don't know.
Perhaps the reason your not winning is because whilst you can give yourself an advantage, you can't exploit it? To get over that things like tactics, strategy games would be good, and keep playing 10 min and above games, which will Help your tactics and strategy more, as you can actually think more about the moves.
Thanks, that sure is good advice!
Jun 10, 2017
0
#8
A sacrifice I've had much success with is the Greek Gift. Well worth looking up. London System works wonders with this sacrifice if you can get over the fact that many people think it is a boring e are many lines in it that can make a game explode into life with many interesting lines.
The Greek Gift is one sacrifice I am aware of and have won many games utilising. However, this forum is mainly about the exchange sacrifice. Needless to say, your example of the London system is very helpful.
Jun 10, 2017
0
#10
Bullet6422 wrote:
A sacrifice can be a joyous and heart-pumping thing to do. But recently I have been having trouble converting a sacrifice where, for example, I have sacrifice a rook for a well placed knight, or a bishop for a pawn holding my opponents position together. Yet despite them being "correct" I end up losing because my opponents constructs a fortress then one loses on time. Is it because I play too slowly and take my time?
You are losing on time, not on the sacrifice, so you have to address the time problem. Any sacrifice is made so that you will have a short-term material superiority on part of the board and over control of key squares. "Short-term" means that if you don't have tactics that are going to pay-back that sacrifice with a mate or material gain over the next several moves or a clearly permanent bad position for your opponent, that was a bad sacrifice. For example, you don't sac a R for "well-placed N" just to get the N off the board - you need to get a quick pay-back for the sac.
In my cases, the knight was easily better than the rook, and most times I get a pawn for the exchange, as well as virtually no counterplay for my opponent.
I think I do these sacrifices as a means of preventing a position where I should be ok but my opponent has the initiative and is pounding my position.
[COMMENT DELETED]
[COMMENT DELETED]
This is an example game.
