Windmill (chess)

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
Torre-Repetto vs Lasker, Moscow International Tournament, 1925
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 rd b8 c8 d8 e8 rd f8 nd g8 kd h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 bd c7 d7 e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 pd e6 pd f6 g6 h6 pd
a5 b5 qd c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 bl h5 ql
a4 b4 pl c4 d4 pl e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 nl f3 g3 rl h3
a2 pl b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 rl f1 g1 kl h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
White plays 25. Bf6!, sacrificing his queen in order to set up the windmill, and ends up ahead in material.

In chess, a windmill is a tactic in which a combination of discovered checks and regular checks, usually by a rook and a bishop, can win massive amounts of material. In the game pictured at right,[1] Carlos Torre-Repetto makes use of the windmill tactic against Emanuel Lasker to win two pawns and a bishop and enter into a winning endgame (although the bishop had to be given back). The move 25. Bf6!, hanging the queen, sets up the windmill. Black must accept the sacrifice, as his own queen is unprotected, and any attempt to stop the windmill would simply give White the queen. Then 25. ...Qxh5 26. Rxg7+ Kh8 27. Rxf7+ Discovered check, by the bishop. White simply repeats the regular check/discovered check pattern, taking as many pieces as he can with his rook. 27. ...Kg8 28. Rg7+ Kh8 29. Rxb7+ Kg8 30. Rg7+ Kh8 31. Rg5+ Kh7 32. Rxh5 White concludes the windmill by taking the black queen.

Another example is in Bobby Fischer's Game of the Century.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chessgames.com