London · 1912
The Greek Gift
Edward Lasker vs. Sir George Thomas — Bxh7+ is offered — and the black king is marched all the way to g1.
LevelIntermediateElo900–1100ThemeAttack correctlyMoves18
8
7
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5
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3
2
1
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♞
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a
b
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g
h
Moves · tap to jump
0/350/35
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Starting position
Ready
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Main lesson
Sacrifice on h7 only when the follow-up pieces are ready.
What your student should learn
- Line up queen, bishop and knight before sacrificing on h7.
- The king hunt continues only with checks.
- A sacrifice needs a follow-up, not a hope.
- Weakened kingside pawns invite this attack.
Mini tournament checklist
- ✓ Do I have a bishop aiming at h7?
- ✓ Can my knight reach g5 and my queen the h-file?
- ✓ Have I calculated the checks after Kxh7?
- ✓ Is my opponent's kingside missing a defender?
Run through this list before you start an attack in a real game. Mostly yes means look for tactics; otherwise improve one more piece first.
Full move list
Weakening the Kingside
1.
2.
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6.
7.
Aiming Every Piece At h7
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The Greek Gift
11.
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13.
The Longest King Hunt
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18.
Note: Check the attackers before sacrificing on h7: queen, bishop and knight must already be in place.