The Rook Sacrifice on f7
The rook sacrifice on f7 is one of the most dangerous tactics in chess. It is perilous for the attacking player, as giving up a rook must be calculated precisely to ensure a winning outcome. However, it is equally dangerous for the player under attack, as the entry of a rook on f7 comes with immense threats, such as on f8, g7, and the rest of the seventh rank. Therefore, it is a sacrifice that is also a “tempo move” and typically needs to be accepted by the attacked player.
The strategic and tactical consequences of the sacrifice on f7 are consistent with what we have studied in previous lessons.
We should add that after Black captures the rook on f7, White usually succeeds in preventing the black king from returning to g8 by moves like Qh7 or Bd5+. After that, the other rook is used to attack the king along the f-file. We will study these procedures in the following examples.