Answers.Body: <p>Well, he has to because there is no other option. The black Knight threatens to capture the white Queen, but also a 'sacrifice' on f3 which will eventually win the white Knight on c3.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[Title "White to move"]
  [FEN "1r3rk1/1p4bp/p2p1q2/2pPn1p1/B1PnRp2/PPN2P1P/2QB2P1/3R2K1 w - - 5 27"]
  
  1. Qb2? Ndxf3+ 2. gxf3 Nexf3+ 3. Kg2 Nxd2 4. Qxd2 Qxc3
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This might not even be the best variation for Black. In any case, even after the sacrifice, White is still lost.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-06-01T21:28:09.203Z
Answers.Text: Maybe ...b5 is strong after 1.Qb2 in the variation above. I'm not sure it's better than the given line, though.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Scounged
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-06-02T04:15:45.013Z
Answers.Text: Stockfish says Black is up by 3 points after `27.Rxd4 cxd4 28.Ne4 Qg6 29.b4 d3 30.Qb1 b5 31.cxb5 axb5 32.Bb3 h5 33.Kh1 g4 34.Rg1 Ra8 35.Qc1 Rf7 36.Ba2 Rfa7`
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-06-02T04:32:07.140Z
Answers.Text: After 27. Qb2, Stockfish says, `27.... b5 28.cxb5 axb5 29.Bxb5 Nexf3+ 30.gxf3 Rxb5 31.Rf1 Rxb3 32.Qc1 Qh6 33.Kg2 Nf5 34.Kh2 Qh5 35.Qc2 Ng3 36.Ree1 Rfb8 37.Rf2 Bd4 ` with a 6.5 point advantage to Black.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-06-01T20:45:43.297Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-06-01T20:45:43.297Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Glorfindel
Answers.Body: <p>I think it's an clearance sacrifice. Because the position is so jammed up,he would have sacrificed it to make it a bit open.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-10-21T13:53:25.517Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2023-10-21T13:53:25.517Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: RandomTuber
Body: <pre><code>[Title "White to move"]
  [FEN "1r3rk1/1p4bp/p2p1q2/2pPn1p1/B1PnRp2/PPN2P1P/2QB2P1/3R2K1 w - - 5 27"]
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This is a diagram from the game between Del Rey, Diego and Efimenko, Zahar on the Zalakaros Chess Festival after 26...Nd4. White answered with 27.Rxd4. I don't understand why white needed to sacrifice his rook for the knight in this position.</p>
  
Tags: <knights><rooks><sacrifice><exchange>
Title: Why sacrifice the rook?
ThreadText: # Why sacrifice the rook?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-01)
  
  ```
  [Title "White to move"]
  [FEN "1r3rk1/1p4bp/p2p1q2/2pPn1p1/B1PnRp2/PPN2P1P/2QB2P1/3R2K1 w - - 5 27"]
  
  ```
  
  This is a diagram from the game between Del Rey, Diego and Efimenko, Zahar on the Zalakaros Chess Festival after 26...Nd4. White answered with 27.Rxd4. I don't understand why white needed to sacrifice his rook for the knight in this position.
  
  **Tags:** knights, rooks, sacrifice, exchange
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-06-01. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  Well, he has to because there is no other option. The black Knight threatens to capture the white Queen, but also a 'sacrifice' on f3 which will eventually win the white Knight on c3.
  
  ```
  [Title "White to move"]
  [FEN "1r3rk1/1p4bp/p2p1q2/2pPn1p1/B1PnRp2/PPN2P1P/2QB2P1/3R2K1 w - - 5 27"]
  
  1. Qb2? Ndxf3+ 2. gxf3 Nexf3+ 3. Kg2 Nxd2 4. Qxd2 Qxc3
  
  ```
  
  This might not even be the best variation for Black. In any case, even after the sacrifice, White is still lost.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Maybe ...b5 is strong after 1.Qb2 in the variation above. I'm not sure it's better than the given line, though.  
  > **username_3**: Stockfish says Black is up by 3 points after `27.Rxd4 cxd4 28.Ne4 Qg6 29.b4 d3 30.Qb1 b5 31.cxb5 axb5 32.Bb3 h5 33.Kh1 g4 34.Rg1 Ra8 35.Qc1 Rf7 36.Ba2 Rfa7`  
  > **username_3**: After 27. Qb2, Stockfish says, `27.... b5 28.cxb5 axb5 29.Bxb5 Nexf3+ 30.gxf3 Rxb5 31.Rf1 Rxb3 32.Qc1 Qh6 33.Kg2 Nf5 34.Kh2 Qh5 35.Qc2 Ng3 36.Ree1 Rfb8 37.Rf2 Bd4 ` with a 6.5 point advantage to Black.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2023-10-21. Score: -1
  
  I think it's an clearance sacrifice. Because the position is so jammed up,he would have sacrificed it to make it a bit open.
  
  
  ---
  
  