Compensation (chess)

In chess, compensation is the typically short-term positional advantages a player has in exchange for typically disadvantage. Short term advantages involve initiative and .
Forms.
Compensation can include:
Examples.
Polugaevsky versus Evans.
A rook on the seventh rank (the opponent's second rank) is usually very powerful, as it threatens the opponent's unadvanced pawns and hems in the enemy king. A rook on the seventh rank is sufficient compensation for a pawn . In this position from a game between Lev Polugaevsky and Larry Evans, the rook on the seventh rank enables White to draw, despite being a pawn down .
Spassky versus Fischer.
A famous 1960 game between future world champions Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer began with a King's Gambit opening. White sacrifices a pawn on his second move:
reaching the position shown (first diagram). Fischer examines an alternate fifth move for Black:
reaching the position shown (second diagram), where Fischer explains "White has more than enough compensation for the pawn." 
The bishop pair.
Possession of the often yields long-term compensation for sacrificed material.
Berthelot versus Flear.
An unbalanced position has arisen straight out of the opening, in which, with an open center, Black has a pawn and the for the exchange.
Balashov versus Quinteros.
A relatively interesting middlegame has been reached. White is up the exchange, while Black is compensated by two active bishops forming a crisscross pattern. 
Bishops of opposite colors.
 sometimes give the defender drawing chances in the long run, even if the opponent has a material advantage of one or two pawns or even the exchange.
References.
Bibliography