A combination is always more pleasing when it involves a few sacrifices in a game of chess. These fireworks thrill amateurs, novices and the masters alike as they liven up the proceedings. A sacrifice is sound if it leads to check-mate, gain in material or improves the position. Therefore it is very important to calculate a few moves ahead before embarking on one as once a piece is sacrificed there is no going back and a miscalculation can result in a loss.
In the game which follows, the middle-game position appears a trifle dull with equality till Black suddenly decides on action on the King side. Black then sacrifices a knight, which is like a killer punch as the ensuing combination is forced. White does not have any choice in the moves and his King is dragged into a check-mating net.
White: Gennadi Sosonko (2530) – Black: Michael Adams (2620)
Ter Apel , 1992
Benko Gambit
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5
The Benko gambit where Black sacrifices a pawn on the queen side for active play
4.Nd2
Not accepting the gambitted pawn
4. ..bxc4
If 4...b4 5.f4 Qc7 6.g3 a5 7.Bg2 Ra6 8.e4 d6 9.Ngf3 e5 10.0–0 Be7 11.a4 0–0 12.b3 Bg4 13.h3 Bc8 14.Bb2 with advantage for White
5.e4. Deciding to concentrate on the center as 5.Nxc4 Bb7 6.d6 Ne4
5...Qa5. Quickly on the offensive in an interesting move. If 5...c3 6.bxc3 g6 7.c4 (7.Bd3 Bg7 8.Nc4 0–0 9.Ne2) 7...d6 8.Bb2 Bg7 9.Qc2 0–0 10.Ngf3 e5 11.dxe6 Bxe6 12.Be2 Nc6 13.0–0 Rb8 14.Bc3 Re8 with more or less an equal position
6.Qc2 e6. Playing a new move here. If 6...Ba6 7.Bxc4 d6 (If 7...Bxc4 8.Qxc4 d6) 8.b3 g6 9.Bb2 Bxc4 10.bxc4 Bg7 11.Ngf3 0–0 12.Bc3 Qa6 13.0–0 Nbd7 14.Rfe1 Nb6 15.a4 Rab8 16.e5 Ne8 17.a5 with advantage for White
7.Bxc4. Finally accepting the pawn
7. ..exd5 8.exd5 d6 9.Ne2
If 9.Ngf3 Be7 10.0–0 0–0
9...Be7 10.0–0 0–0
11.b3 Bb7 12.Nc3 Nbd7 13.Bb2 Rfe8
A good move! If 13...Nb6 14.Rfe1
14.Rfe1 Bf8 15.Nde4
With the idea Bb5
15...a6 16.h3. If 16.Re3 Ng4 17.Rg3 Nge5 18.f4 Nxc4 19.bxc4 Qb4
16...Nh5. If 16...Qc7 17.Re3 g6 18.Rae1 Bg7 19.Qe2
17.Re3. If 17.Qd1 g6 (17...Nf4? 18.Qg4) 18.g4 Nhf6
17...Ne5. A good position to be in
18.Rae1. Doubling forces
18. ..Bc8
Changing diagonals as this one was blocked. If 18...Nxc4 19.bxc4
19.Qd1 Nf4 20.Ne2 Nfg6
If 20...Nxe2+ 21.R1xe2  white gets an edge
21.N2c3
If 21.f4 Nxc4 22.bxc4 Bd7
21...Bd7
Back to square one! The game would have been equal after 21...Nf4
22.Bf1 Be7
If 22...f5 23.Ng5 
23.g3 f5 24.f4. If 24.Nd2 f4
24...Nf7 25.Nd2 Bf6 26.Rxe8+ Bxe8
Black does not want equality after 26...Rxe8
27.Nc4 Qd8 28.Kg2. A dubious looking move. White could have tried 28.Kh2 Bd4 29.Qd2 leading to an unclear position
28...Nf8 29.Qd2 Bd7 30.Nd1
Maybe worth a look is 30.h4
30...Bxb2 31.Qxb2 g5.
Getting into attacking mode
32.Qd2
If 32.fxg5 Qxg5 (32...Nxg5 33.Nf2) 33.Qd2 Qh5
32...Ng6 33.fxg5 Nxg5 34.Nf2
If 34.Nxd6 f4
34...f4.
Entering enemy territory with aggressive intentions.
35.h4. If 35.gxf4 Nh4+
35...f3+ 36.Kh2 Nf7 37.Bd3
If 37.Bh3 Bxh3 38.Nxh3 Nfe5, Blacks till holds advantage


Diagram 1
37...Nxh4. Sacrificing the knight to get the King into a checkmating net
38.Qf4. If 38.gxh4 Qxh4+ 39.Kg1 Qg3+ with unavoidable checkmate at Qg2 and if 40.Kh1 Kh8  with the idea Rg8
38...Ng2 39.Qe4 Ng5 and this final assault had White resigning.










Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Re8+ Kh7 2.Rh8+ Kxh8
If 2...Nxh8 3.Qxg7 checkmate
3.Qh6+ Kg8 4.Qxg7 checkmate.