Legall’s Mate k Q

A PieceTakers Mini-lesson Level: Intermediate

Legall’s Mate is is a famous example of sacrificing the queen for a greater goal .
1) Legall’s Mate starts
off with a variation of7888888889 2) White first takes 7888888889
8
the king’s pawn 4r#
8
%k!n&6 the black pawn 4r# %k!n&6
opening. 7
4$ $ 0p$p6 4$ $ 0p$p6
7

White to move.
6
4 $ $ 0 06 N f3 x e5 ! 4 $ $ 0 06
6
40 0 $ 0 6
5 40 0 ) 0 6
5
which exposes the
STOP! 4 0B0P0b06
4
queen. 4 0B0P0b06
4
40 ) 0N0 6
3 40 ) 0 0 6
3
4P*P* *P*6
See if you can see the 2 White hopes that 4P*P* *P*6
2
sequence where white 1 4, 'Q( 0R6 black takes the bait. 4,
1 'Q( 0R6
sacrifices a queen to 1222222223
a b c d e f g h 1222222223
a b c d e f g h
get to a mate.

4) White starts off

the impending mate 7888888889
3) Black can’t resist 7888888889
8 with
8
4r# %k!n&6
and takes the queen 4r#
7
%k!n&6 7
4$ $ 0B$p6
with 4$ $ 0p$p6 B c4 x f7+! 64 $ $ 0 06
4 $ $ 0 06
6
540 0 ) 0 6
B g4 x d1 ! 40 0 ) 0 6
5 (Note how white did 4
4 0 0P0 06
4 0B0P0 06
4 not go for the
queen-rook fork at 340 ) 0 0 6
40 ) 0 0 6
Now white is ready to 3
Ne5xf7. A nice fork 24P*P* *P*6
complete the mate 4P*P* *P*6
2 but not as good as 14, 'b( 0R6
4, 'b( 0R6
1 a mate.) 1222222223
a b c d e f g h
1222222223
a b c d e f g h

6) White finishes off 7888888889

the game with 8
7888888889 4r# % !n&6
5) Black has no
choice but to get
8
4r# % !n&6 N c3 - d5 ++ 4$ $ "B$p6
7

out of check with 4$ $ "B$p6

7 4 $ $ 0 06
6

4 $ $ 0 06
6 40 0N) 0 6
Legall’s mate doesn’t 5
K e8 - e7 40 0 ) 0 6
5 come up in games 4 0 0P0 06
4
4 0 0P0 06
4 very often. But it 40 0 0 0 6
3
but cannot avoid 40 ) 0 0 6
3 does serve as a 4P*P* *P*6
2
the inevitable. 4P*P* *P*6
2 lesson in sacrifices 4,
1 'b( 0R6
and analyzing all the 1222222223
4, 'b( 0R6
1 possibilities of a
a b c d e f g h
1222222223
a b c d e f g h move.

copyright 1998 c r Beach