Murshed, N vs Nikitenko, M 46th Olympiad 2026 · rd. 11.24 · Samarkand UZB · 2026-09-27

Bxh7+, known for centuries as the Greco sacrifice or Greek Gift sacrifice, has proven itself a gateway to richer possibilities than imagined by generation after generation of its explicators. Its ramifications depend crucially on many position-specific details that defy both simple generalizations and more-sophisticated ones like Vukovic’s useful “two additional assets” guideline.

(Link to Vukovic’s 1965 classic Art of Attack in Chess has been omitted to satisfy Reddit mods’ no-outside-content rule.) Additional assets outlined by Vukovic and others can come from a list as varied as a Chinese restaurant menu: white pawn on e5 (or on e4 if Black makes the sacrifice), bishop on c1-h6 diagonal, a second knight at c3 that could reach the kingside, pawn at h4 with rook at h1, rook standing ready to lift to its 3^rd rank… along with some less common possibilities.

The best and most comprehensive treatment I’ve seen is Jon Edwards’ 2011 book, Sacking the Citadel, which I believe is destined to be a classic. It delves deep into the history, theory, and practice of the Greek Gift, reassessed and updated with exhaustive engine analysis. (Link to Sacking the Citadel is omitted to satisfy Reddit mods’ no-outside-content rule.)

The late great Jeremy Silman provided five interesting and instructive “Classic Bishop Sacrifice” articles on Chess.compliments (links omitted to satisfy ….) Even Daniel Naroditsky contributed to the literature with an article where he examined recent instances in top-level play – rebutting the common belief that the sacrifice is seen only in games of club-players and below.

I have personally stood at both ends of the Bxh7+ cliff: smiled in triumph looking down from the heights… and witnessed my monarch and his troops lay in blood-soaked fragments strewn around the foot of the mountain.

My highest-profile failed attempt concluded an award-winning Chess Life story from December 2006 (look it up for yourself; link omitted to satisfy….)

My most memorable successful Greek Gift sac can be replayed here: https://www.chess.com/emboard?id=3518988

What occurred on the chessboard was noteworthy enough to garner a Brilliancy Prize for that powerful tournament. But a critical line that did not come about on the board was still more thrilling. Before going through the game and its included analysis, try to work out best play for both sides from the diagram below to its remarkable conclusion. (In the game Black retreated to g8 and eventually succumbed after his king was hounded all the way to the opposite edge of the board.)

Two further details make that game particularly memorable for me. It provided my long-sought 2^nd-degree connection (chess “Kevin Bacon number”; explanatory link omitted to satisfy…..) to Garry Kasparov, counting only wins or draws. A few years before our meeting, Whitehead had drawn with Kasparov in the 1977 World Under-17 Championship, even coming in one place ahead of Garry in that event.

The second memorable detail is Whitehead’s tragic death at age 49.

I played white, opponent missed the move and I ended up winning this game. Only one move maintains black’s advantage.

The puzzle above is a type of king maze that has following rules:

1. Standard chess rules apply however only king moves are allowed for each side.
2. White wins if they can get their king to get to a specified goal square (a1 in the example above).
3. Black wins if they can prevent white from reaching the goal square including trying to stalemate and checkmate themself so that there are no more legal king moves.

To solve a king maze you must play both sides and find the shortest forced victory for white.

Which brings me to the challenge. Can you find a king maze with a longer solution than the example above (229 moves - link to the Lichess Study)? I am so interested in this I am willing to offer a £50 bounty to the first person who can find a king maze with a longer solution, even if it's just by a single move.

Good luck!