Learn › Lessons › Middlegame and tactics › Tactics

The Greek gift sacrifice

Bishop takes h7 with check, and the attack on the king begins.

Advanced · Tactics · 7 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine. With games of Edgar Colle, Gukesh D.

Step 1

♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎
The position

The Greek gift is a classic attack on a castled king: the bishop takes the h7 pawn (h2 for Black) with check. After the king takes it, the knight jumps to g5 with check and the queen joins on the h-file. It works when the knight can reach g5 and the queen can reach the h-file quickly.

Step 2

♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎
The position

Edgar Colle vs John O'Hanlon, Nice 1930. Edgar Colle of Belgium gave his name to the Colle System, an opening that often leads to this very attack. Edgar Colle plays White here. Look at the bishop on e4: what can it do?

Step 3

♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 12.Bxh7+

Edgar Colle plays bishop takes h7, check! It captures the pawn on h7. It gives check.

From the game Edgar Colle – John O'Hanlon, Nice 1930.

Step 4

♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Ng5+ Kg6 14.h4 Rh8 15.Rxe6+ Nf6 16.h5+ Kh6 17.Rxd6 Qa5 18.Nxf7+ Kh7 19.Ng5+ Kg8 20.Qb3+

The moves: 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Ng5+ Kg6 14.h4 Rh8 15.Rxe6+ Nf6 16.h5+ Kh6 17.Rxd6 Qa5 18.Nxf7+ Kh7 19.Ng5+ Kg8 20.Qb3+. At the end of the line, Edgar Colle has won the bishop. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

From the game Edgar Colle – John O'Hanlon, Nice 1930.

Step 5

♜︎♞︎♝︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position

Gukesh D vs So Chowdhury, TCh-BAN Premier 2021, Dhaka. Gukesh from Chennai became the youngest undisputed World Champion in 2024, at just 18. Gukesh D plays White here. Look at the bishop on d3: what can it do?

Step 6

♜︎♞︎♝︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 21.Bxh7+

Gukesh D plays bishop takes h7, check! It captures the pawn on h7. It gives check.

From the game Gukesh D – So Chowdhury, TCh-BAN Premier 2021, Dhaka .

Step 7

♜︎♞︎♝︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 22.Qh3+ Kg8 23.Qxe6+ Rf7 24.Qxf7+

The moves: 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 22.Qh3+ Kg8 23.Qxe6+ Rf7 24.Qxf7+. At the end of the line, Gukesh D has won the rook. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

From the game Gukesh D – So Chowdhury, TCh-BAN Premier 2021, Dhaka .

Open the lesson on the board · free, no account needed to read it.

More lessons in Tactics

Next lesson: Winning combinations