The Gothenburg sacrifice is lesson 6 of 10 in Brilliant sacrifices 4: Sicilian and French fire, an opening course suited to players rated around 1800 (strong club players). Sicilian Najdorf, Gothenburg Variation, B98. A knight on e6 opens the f-file and the king. It has 3 interactive exercises: 3 find-the-move puzzles. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
This is the Najdorf with Bg5, f4 and Qf3. Black pushed h6 and g5 and won the pawn back with Nfd7. At the Gothenburg Interzonal in 1955, three Soviet players beat three Argentines from this position in the same round. About 15,000 rated games on Lichess have reached this position.
Nxe6! The knight takes the e-pawn. If fxe6, Qh5 check drives the king to f8.
After fxe6 and Qh5 check, Kf8 is forced. Then Bb5 brings one more piece, and castling opens the f-file with check. The black king is stuck. The engines give White a clear advantage.
Recap.
In the Gothenburg line, g5 weakens Black's king side.
Nxe6, fxe6, Qh5 check.
Bb5 and castling bring more pieces.
Three games at Gothenburg 1955 went this way.
What you practise
First play the line. You are White: play the moves of the Najdorf Sicilian, up to the moment of the sacrifice.
Your turn: find the sacrifice. Black won the pawn on g5 back. Strike on e6 with a knight.
Black does not take the knight. The queen comes to b6 instead. Jump into d5 with the other knight.
Worked examples
First play the line. You are White: play the moves of the Najdorf Sicilian, up to the moment of the sacrifice. Good. Black answers Nfd7. Now the position is ready for the sacrifice.
Your turn: find the sacrifice. Black won the pawn on g5 back. Strike on e6 with a knight. That is the Gothenburg sacrifice. The f-file and the light squares around the king are open.
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