Sacrifice: a practical example
A bishop sacrifice near the enemy king might open files and remove pawn cover. It is justified only if the resulting attack or other benefit compensates for the material. A dramatic move can be visually attractive and still be unsound.
How to use the idea in your games
Separate forced outcomes from hopeful pressure. Calculate the opponent's best defensive options and describe the compensation in specific terms rather than relying on intuition alone.
A useful study question
Can you explain sacrifice in your own words, identify it in a position, and describe when the idea does not apply? Test the explanation on a legal board before relying on it.
Connect the ideas
Compensation, Initiative, Combination are useful next concepts. Follow the links to compare definitions and examples, then return to the complete chess glossary whenever an unfamiliar term appears.
Sources & further reading
References checked September 5, 2026. Linked services are independent of ChessRankings.com™.