Greek Gift Sacrifice

The Greek Gift is a classic bishop sacrifice on h7 (or h2) against a castled king, usually prepared by a knight on g5 and followed by Qh5 to launch a decisive kingside attack.

Category
Tactics
Also in
Strategy
Difficulty
Intermediate
Also known as
Greek Gift, Bishop Sacrifice on h7, h7 Sacrifice, Classic Bishop Sacrifice

The Greek Gift is a classic bishop sacrifice on h7 (or h2) against a castled king. It is usually prepared by a knight on g5 and followed by Qh5 to launch a decisive kingside attack.

The sacrifice strips away the key h-pawn defender and forces the enemy king into the open. Once the king captures on h7, the attacker’s queen delivers check on h5, often supported by the knight on g5. This creates immediate threats against f7 and h7 while opening lines for the remaining pieces.

Typical Conditions

The sacrifice works best when several elements are in place:

  • The defender’s knight has been removed from f6 or is pinned against the queen.
  • The attacker’s light-squared bishop is already on d3 (or the dark-squared bishop on c4 or d3 in some lines).
  • The queen can reach h5 in a single move.
  • The attacker has at least one more piece ready to join the attack, commonly the knight on g5 or a rook on the f-file.

If the knight remains on f6 and is not pinned, the sacrifice is usually unsound because the knight can capture on h5 or defend h7.

The Core Idea

After Bxh7+ Kxh7, the move Qh5+ forces the king to move or be mated. Common follow-ups include Ng5+ (when the knight already stands on g5) or a rook lift that joins the attack along the h-file. The king is often driven toward g8 or g6, where further checks and discovered attacks can finish the game quickly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Greek Gift Sacrifice?
The Greek Gift is a bishop sacrifice on h7 against a castled king, usually prepared by a knight on g5 and followed by Qh5 to open a kingside attack.
How is the Greek Gift Sacrifice prepared?
A knight on g5 and a bishop on d3 allow the queen to reach h5 quickly after the sacrifice. The defender’s f6 knight should be absent or pinned for the idea to succeed.
When does the Greek Gift Sacrifice work?
It works when the defender’s f6 knight is missing or pinned and the attacker has at least one more piece ready to join the attack. Without these conditions the sacrifice is usually unsound.
What happens after Bxh7+ in the Greek Gift?
After Kxh7 the queen checks on h5, forcing the king further into the open and creating threats on f7 and h7.

See also

  • Battery — A battery consists of two or more same-colour pieces aligned on a file, rank or diagonal, with the stronger piece behind, so the front unit can move to unleash the rear piece’s concentrated pressure.
  • Castling — Castling moves the king two squares toward a rook, which then jumps to the square the king crossed, provided both pieces are unmoved, the path is clear, and the king neither starts in check nor passes through or lands on an attacked square.
  • Clearance — Clearance is a tactical motif in which a piece moves aside to vacate a square or open a line for a more powerful piece—usually a rook or queen—often gaining tempo by delivering check or creating a threat.
  • Decoy — A decoy is a tactic that lures an opponent’s piece onto a particular square, often exposing it to capture or diverting it from defending a more important target.
  • Discovered Attack — A discovered attack occurs when one piece moves off a line and uncovers an attack from a second piece standing behind it on the same rank, file or diagonal.
  • Pin — A pin occurs when a long-range piece attacks an enemy unit that shields a more valuable piece or the king on the same line, leaving the attacked unit immobilised.

Referenced by

  • Sacrifice — A sacrifice is the intentional surrender of material, such as a pawn or piece, to obtain a compensating advantage like a stronger attack or lasting positional gain.

Written by Chesswick.

Published
Last updated