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[fen "rn1qk1nr/pp4p1/2p2p2/4P2p/1bp5/2NbPPP1/PP2N1BP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 1 11"]

Komodo 8 and Stockfish agree on Nf4 here for white ( sacrificing the rook for development). It does not however show Bxf1 next for black but instead fxe5 and then Nxd3. Why shouldn't black just take the rook instead of fxe5. I get that after white swaps queens black will not be able to castle but wouldn't this still be worth it materially?

chackerian
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2 Answers2

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Also keep in mind that the rook isn't necessarily being sacrificed free and clear, because taking back on f1 is a possibility (if not playing Ne6+ right away), meaning white is only sacrificing the exchange, while trading queens and leaving the black king exposed and vulnerable and unable to castle, so it's not as costly.

Daniel
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Curtis
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  • I thought that using "sacrifice" could refer to sacrificing the exchange in addition to just plain sacrifices. – chackerian Jun 03 '16 at 16:41
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    @chackerian It could, but "rook sacrifice", as you write in the title, refers to sacrificing the rook. – JiK Jun 03 '16 at 19:20
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i'm No pro but I think that after:

Nf4 Bxf1
Qxd8 Kxd8 [Queen Trade]
Ne6+

wherever the king goes black is in a poor position
Ke7/Ke8 is followed by Nc7

Kd7 is perhaps black's best bet. But even in this case the kin is vulnerable to a discovered check by the white squared bishop.

Kc8 leaves black in a poor position.The black king is blocking his own rook

JustAGuest
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