The Sacrifice of Istanbul
May 2024 - Solved 249đŸ§© Times
In this month’s historical puzzle, journey with us back to the Women's European Chess Championship of 2003. Deep blue inviting pools, cool polished marble floors and sandy mediterranean beaches served as the backdrop to the remarkable sequence that was about to be played. Elena Sedina, a stalwart of the chess world, was preparing to face off against her Georgian counterpart, Sopio Tkeshelashvili.
It was here, in the Marin Princess Hotel, Istanbul, where this immortal game unraveled.
Welcome to The Sacrifice of Istanbul.
Elena Sedina.
Born in Ukraine, Elena Sedina learned to play chess at the age of seven. At the age of eleven, she was crowned women's champion of Kyiv, displaying incredible talent. The Ukrainian-Italian has represented both Ukraine and Italy on the international stage and defeated many notable opponents, including Magnus Carlsen.
This game contains an inspired queen sacrifice, followed by a fantastical series of moves that punishes the opponent in style.
Can you find the winning combination, as Elena did in 2003?
a
8
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
1
SOLVED
a
8
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
1
SOLVED
Analysis