Chess PatternsBxh6 sacrifice
When Black has played ...h6, that pawn can become a target. The bishop takes it, the g-pawn takes back, and the queen lands on h6 next to a king with no pawn cover left.
How it works (spoiler)
Qxh6 threatens mate on h7 at once, so Black has no time to regroup. ...f5 is the only real try, and after exf6 Nxf6 the queen and knight keep the king boxed in. The bishop then uses discovered checks to step closer, and White wins back the piece with a crushing attack.
The set-up: bishop in front of the queen
The bishop has to be in front of the queen on the c1–h6 diagonal, so that the queen can recapture on h6 straight away. Then check three things. 1. The queen really reaches h6 in one move. 2. A bishop on the b1–h7 diagonal makes Qh7 a mate threat. 3. A pawn on e5 or a similar grip keeps Black’s knight away from f6.
Black does not have to take. Declining usually leaves White a clean pawn up with the bishop still aimed at the king, so the sacrifice is often good on that basis alone.
When Black defends badly
Most natural replies lose on the spot, because the queen and bishop are already aimed at h7.
2...Re8 makes room, but the queen mates in the corner
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3...Rxf6 4.Qh7+: the knight joins with mate on g5
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When it fails: the queen arrives too late
Here the queen is on e2, so it needs two moves to reach h6, and the knight on f6 already guards h7. Black takes the bishop and has time to win a central pawn as well.
The queen is a move short, and Black is a piece up
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