attack · recognise → explain → apply

Sacrifice to open a bishop pair

Two bishops point toward the king but your centre obstructs them.

Explanation styleChoose any style. Age is not playing strength; no birth date is needed.

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Garry Kasparov – Lajos Portisch

Niksic · 1983.08.28 · 1-0

16... Na5 · White to move

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What to notice at 16... Na5

Kasparov’s 17.d5 began the central clearance; after the exchanges, 19.Bxh7+ and 21.Bxg7 removed the shelter around Black’s king.

A legally replayed historical example, not a claim that every move is best. A game’s result does not prove every defensive position was lost or drawn.

Game source ↗

Your thinking first

Name the signal, choose a plan, and test the opponent’s most challenging response.

What do you notice?What is your plan, and why?How could the opponent resist?

Recall and explain

1. Two bishops point toward the king but your centre obstructs them. How would you apply “sacrifice to open a bishop pair”, and which defensive reply must you check?

Explain it in your own words before revealing.

Make it memorable

A pawn can unlock two lasers.

Teach this to a friend in one minute. Then return to a different example and look for the same signal without being told its name.

Reflect and revisit

This is your self-assessment, not an engine grade or a promise of mastery.

Connect the ideas

Sources and further reading

Original LumaChess teaching and game analysis. Topic references are credited below; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.

Game-score provenance and further study ↗