Zhang,Kendrick Botong vs. Birkisson,Bjorn Holm - XTX Markets London Masters 2024 1-0
In the XTX Markets London Masters 2024 tournament on November 30, 2024, player Kendrick Botong played Qxe1+ against player Bjorn Holm with black pieces. This move eliminates the attacking piece, as the queen sacrifices one of its own pieces to gain an advantage. By trading material, it achieves a relatively equal exchange. The king now has no defenders on this square, indicating that the opponent may not be able to safely relocate their king. However, by ignoring a stronger threat chance, Botong is taking a risk and must prepare for a potential counterattack. This move also forces Holm's piece to move, which can help Botong gain an advantage in tempo. Furthermore, this piece now gains a temporal advantage over its opponent.
By defending the attacked king, Botong has protected it from potential harm. Although the queen is now well-defended on e1, this move does not necessarily provide better protection for other underdefended pieces or the unprotected king. Moreover, Botong misses an opportunity to defend the piece more effectively and prevent further complications. Notably, this piece development allows for future active play with Botong's remaining pieces.
In conclusion, the Qxe1+ move is a strategic sacrifice that aims to gain a temporary advantage by eliminating the attacking piece and developing the queen for active play.
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[Date "2024.11.30"]