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The Greek Gift Sacrifice

The Greek Gift Sacrifice (Bxh7+) is a classic tactical pattern where White sacrifices a bishop to expose the Black King. Named after the Trojan Horse, this shock attack often leads to a forced mate or heavy material loss. Learn the specific conditions required to make this sacrifice work in your games.

🎁 Trojan insight: The Bishop sacrifice on h7 is a classic for a reason—it works. But if you miscalculate, you lose a piece. Learn the specific conditions that make the Greek Gift a winning blow.

1. The Setup (When does it work?)

You cannot play Bxh7+ blindly. You need three key ingredients:

  1. No Defender: The Black Knight must be away from f6.
  2. The Jumper: A White Knight ready to jump to g5.
  3. The Queen: A path for the Queen to join the attack on h5.

Fig 1: The Setup. White plays Bxh7+!

2. The Execution (If King Retreats)

After 1...Kxh7 2. Ng5+ Kg8 3. Qh5, White threatens mate on h7. If Black does nothing, it's game over. Usually, Black plays ...Re8 to make space for the King.

3. The King Hunt (Step-by-Step)

If Black tries to run with ...Re8, we chase the King down the board! Here is the forced mating sequence:

Step 1: The Breakthrough

Qxf7+ Kf8
White crashes through. The King is forced to the corner.

Step 2: Qh5+ Kg8

Qh5+ Kg8
(After Qh5 check). We force the King to h8.

Step 2: The Drive

Qh7+ Kf8
(After Qh5 check). We force the King out of his shelter.

Step 3: The Cornering

Qh8+ Ke7
The King has no choice but to run into the center.

Step 4: The Checkmate

Qxg7#
Game Over. The King is surrounded.

⚡ Chess Tactics Guide
This page is part of the Chess Tactics Guide — Learn chess tactics through core patterns and practical training — from forks, pins, and skewers to discovered attacks, deflection, and mating ideas.
📖 Essential Chess Glossary
This page is part of the Essential Chess Glossary — A quick-reference dictionary of chess terms, jargon, and definitions — filter by category and understand commentary from beginner to advanced.