The Art of the Exchange Sacrifice
Tigran Petrosian, the ninth world chess champion, was one of the deepest
thinkers the chess world has ever seen. His handling of complex
positions was legendary.
With his rare strategic feeling and exceptional vision, Petrosian
gradually became one of the top exponents of the art of the exchange
sacrifice, and perhaps the leading protagonist for the positional
exchange sacrifice.
Acclaimed author Vassilios Kotronias has assembled a splendid collection
of Petrosian's games, exemplifying the artist at work. The Greek
grandmaster presents 36 games - all deeply annotated - in which he puts
the Tiger's signature sacrifice under the analytical microscope. And
each game has an exceptional introduction putting it into historical
perspective.
As noted by American grandmaster Alex Fishbein in the Foreword:
You will find your share of positional exchange sacrifices here. But you
will also see exchanges sacrificed in the midst of a crushing attack.
You will see sacrifices born of desperation, to save a bad ending. You
will see correct and incorrect sacrifices. In fact, Tigran Petrosian
will lose some games here. This is real life; there are mistakes, and
the author explains it all to you.
Vassilios Kotronias has brought you the material in a way that will
enhance your appreciation of chess as an art form. He has also offered
you practical lessons you can use in your own chess endeavors.
You are already familiar with the exchange sacrifice as an art form. Now
enjoy the brilliant games of its greatest artist, Tigran Petrosian.
