Geller's Sacrifice vs Euwe
Zürich Candidates Tournament
Geller sacrifices two pieces in succession against former world champion Euwe, producing a Candidates Tournament brilliancy that earned a beauty prize and influenced opening theory for decades.
Geller vs Euwe, Zürich 1953 — double piece sacrifice against the former world champion at chess's most storied Candidates Tournament.
📖 The Story
At the legendary 1953 Zürich Candidates Tournament — regarded by many as the greatest chess tournament ever held — Geller played the former world champion Max Euwe and produced a double piece sacrifice. The combination involved sacrificing a knight and then a bishop to open lines to Euwe's king. The attack was both aesthetically spectacular and objectively winning. The tournament was immortalized in David Bronstein's book 'Zürich International Chess Tournament 1953', which analyzed every game in depth.
⚡ Key Moment — Move 24
A knight sacrifice followed by a bishop sacrifice tears open lines to Euwe's king. The two-piece sacrifice was completely sound and won the game's beauty prize.
🎯 Tactical Themes
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 1953 Zürich Candidates Tournament famous?
The 1953 Zürich Candidates was arguably the greatest chess tournament ever held, featuring 15 of the world's best players and producing a remarkable density of brilliant games. It was immortalized in David Bronstein's annotated book.
Who was Max Euwe?
Max Euwe (1901–1981) was the 5th World Chess Champion, defeating Alekhine in 1935 before losing the rematch in 1937. He was also FIDE President from 1970–1978.
Who was Yefim Geller?
Yefim Geller (1925–1998) was a Soviet grandmaster and Candidates finalist six times. He is notable for having a positive score against both Bobby Fischer and Anatoly Karpov.
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