London, 1883. In the strongest tournament held to that point, Johannes Zukertort produced what is universally called his Immortal Game against England's 'Black Death', Joseph Blackburne. After a patient positional build-up he unleashed a breathtaking combination — culminating in a queen sacrifice — that combined modern strategy with Romantic fireworks.
Great attacks are earned by quiet preparation. Zukertort spent twenty moves improving his pieces and seizing the centre; only when everything was aimed at the king did he strike with 28.Qb4! and the queen sacrifice. Build first, then combine — patience and calculation together.
The depth and beauty of the combination beginning with 28.Qb4 — including a queen sacrifice and a king hunt — led commentators to rank it among the greatest games ever played, and it became Zukertort's signature masterpiece.
It threatens the f8-rook and sets up the whole combination: after 28...R8c5 comes 29.Rf8+!! and a forced sequence in which White sacrifices to expose and hunt the black king. It only works because every white piece is already aimed at the king.
Yes — take the board as White at move 28 and try to find the queen move and the follow-up, or replay the whole game move by move, no sign-up.
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