The Chess Greats of the World

MIKHAIL TAL
 English text, diagram titles and layout:
Zoltan Molnar
Consultant: IM Tamas Erdelyi
Cover photo by courtesy of
New in Chess

Copyright © by Daniel Lovas

and Zoltan Molnar

ISBN: 978 963 87928 4 6

Publisher: CAI S SA KFT
H-6000 Kecskemet,
Gyenes ter 18.
TellFax : 0036-76-481-685
E-mail : postmaster@caissa.t-online.hu
Home page: caissachessbooks. com

Kecskemet 2 0 10

Printed and bound i n Hektogrcif Nyomda,

Piisp6kladany
THE CHESS GREATS OF THE
WORLD

MIKHAIL TAL

Edited by
Daniel Lovas

CAISSA CHESS BOOKS

 Dear reader, this is an interactive book. It
contains 50 chess diagrams, each showing a
critical position in which a very strong move
follows. You can also take part in the exciting
chess fights by trying to find the moves in
question. T he game itself is always shown on
the page after the diagram. Have fun!

* * *

Tal was the greatest master of

intuitive sacrifices.
* * *

Kedves Olvas6! Ez egy interaktiv konyv:

50 sakkabnit tartalmaz, mindegyiken egy
kritikus allassal, melyben egy nagyon eros
h�pes kovetkezik. On is reszese lehet az izgal­
mas sakkcsataknak azzal, hogy megpr6balja
megtalalni a kerdeses lepest. Magat a, jatsz­
mat mindig a diagramot kovetO oldalon
ismertetjiik. J6 sz6rakozast!
 Publisher's Note

Our aim in compiling this serial is double.

Firstly, we wish to raise a monument to the
memory of the one-time greats of chess and
to introduce some notabilities of our days,
too. Secondly, by showing the finest and
most typical games of these genial players,
we'd like to delight the populous camp of
chess fans, assisting, at the same time, the
development of the young chess generation.
We wish that yo will make good use of these
volumes and, forgetting the day's troubles,
you will recreate yourselves by taking a trip
to the "Oasis of Beauty", as Bobby Fischer
called chess.

Dr. Tamas Erdelyi

5
 A kiad6 eloszava

E sorozat szerkeszteseben kiad6nkat kettos

eel vezerli. Egyreszt emleket kivanunk alli­
tani a sakkozas egykori nagyj ainak es bemu­
tatni napj aink nehany kival6sagat. Masreszt,
e zsenialis sakkoz6k legszebb, legjellegzete­
sebb j atszmainak ismertetesevel, gyonyor­
kodtetni szeretnenk a sakkj atek raj ong6inak
nepes taborat, egyilttal elosegitve az ifju
sakknemzedek tudasbeli gyarapodasat is.
Kivanjuk, hogy sorozatunk koteteit forgas­
sak haszonnal, s feledve a mindennapok
megannyi gondj at-baj at, nyerjenek feliidii­
lest a " szepseg oazisa" -ban, ahogy Bobby
Fiseher nevezte a sakkj atekot.

Dr. Erdelyi Tamas

6
 Mikhail Tal's career

The eighth World Chess Champion was

born on November 9, 1936, in Riga, in the
capital of the then yet independent Latvia,
concealing in the western borderland of the
Stalinian Empire. As a child, it was here that
he lived through the years of World War 11
full of tribulations. He grew up in an intel­
lectual family, his father was a physician. He
learned the moves at the age of eight while
watching his father play with friends.
By the time he entered organized chess
life as a primary school pupil and took part
in his first junior tournaments, his country
was one of the subjugated provinces of the
Soviet Empire, the winner of World War I.
In the multinational Soviet Union, ethnic
origin was not considered peculiar, but in

7
the post-war years the inhabitants of the
newly annexed west end were looked upon
with suspicion by the maj ority Russians.
The young chess talent was no exception
either, he had to use even his name in two
different forms: originally, in Latvian, he
was called Mihails Tal, whilst his official,
Russian name was Mikhail N ekhemievich
Tal.
In those days chess was extremely popu­
lar in the Soviet Empire. Chess study circles
were working in almost all schools, and a
well-organized championship system of­
fered opportunities to compete for all age
groups. Chess player's career was one of the
possible ways of breakout for young people
being disadvantaged owing to their origin or
family conditions.
After the first school successes, the 1 3-
year-old Tal, luckily for the chess world, got
an excellent tutor. In 1 949, International
Master Alexander Koblenc, four times Lat­
vian champion, also from Riga, became his
trainer,' ensuring proper professional back­
ground for his soaring career in the next
decade. The course his pupil ran in the
1 95 0s was amazing: he became a Chess
Master at 1 6, International Grandmaster at
2 1 , and World Champion at 24! Many com­
pare this phenomenally quick career to that
of Morphy, just like his brilliant combina­
tive style of play.
Tal was yet a secondary school student
when in 1 953, at the age of 1 7, he won the
Latvian Championship, organized for the
first time, becoming the first chess champi­
on 9f Latvia, then already belonging to the
Soviet Empire. In the next year he was
awarded the title of Soviet Chess Master. In
1 95 7 he graduated in history and philology

9
from Riga University, an in the same year, at
2 1 , he won the Soviet Championship final,
too. The Soviet Final, one of the strongest
tournaments in the world at the time, was at
the same time counted as World Champion­
ship Zonal Tournament. Thus, as a special
grace of Fate, a direct path opened for the
youngest Soviet champion ever to the World
Championship final.
In 1 95 8 he could take part in the leg­
endary Interzonal final held in Portoroz,
Yugoslavia, where an extremely strong field
assembled. In addition to the best Soviet
players - Petrosian, Bronstein - such expe­
rienced grandmasters fought to qualify as
Gligoric, Olafsson, Panno and Benko. And
the young Fischer and Larsen also appeared
in the field. The 22 years old Latvian chess
genius self-confidently won the toul1).ament,
and in 1 959 he also finished in I st place in

10
the World Championship Candidates tourna­
ment, earning the right to play for the world
title. In the meantime, as it were incidental­
ly, in ,} 9 5 8 he was Soviet champion again,
and also triumphed in the super-strong tour­
nament at Zurich in 1 959.
The 1 959 Candidates' Final, also held in
Yugoslavia, was played in several venues, in
the form of mini matches. Tal practically
trampled down his opponents, only Keres
and Smyslov could win a game against him.
For example, he defeated Fischer, who was
even younger than him, 4: 0.
With' his astounding results he became
world-famous in an instant: in the interna­
tional press he was referred to as "The
Magician from Riga". Among his defeated
fellow-competitors fantastic stories were
being circulated of him. Many of them
claimed that he hypnotized his opponents,

11
so that even some noted grandmasters sat
down to play with him wearing dark sun­
glasses. His uncompromising attacking play,
his unexpected sacrifices and dazzling com­
binations maoe him popular all over the
world among the chess fans. This is how
Paul Keres described his play: "Tal enj oys
excitement and hair-raising complications,
and in that kind of game he can find his way
around better than anyone else. " GM David
Bronstein, a bit sarcastically, summed up the
course of a typical Tal game like this: "Tal
develops all his pieces in the center and then
sacrifices them somewhere. "
In the 1 960 World Championship Final in
Moscow, where his master Koblents sup­
ported him as his trainer and adviser, Tal
inflicted on Botvinnik his worst-ever defeat
(+6 - 2 = 1 3). The difference of strength
between them at that time was characterized

12
by the fact that the challenger started the
match with four wins in a row. By the time
he was 24, Tal raced up to the top, becoming
the youngest ever World Chess Champion.
What made his victory especially signifi­
cant was that after two world champions of
sedate, positional style (Botvinnik, Smyslov)
he rehabilitated the spectacular manner of
play full of combinative and tactical ele­
ments. His games were often wild and
messy, hard to analyze, full of barely calcu­
lable intuitive sacrificial combinations.
Then all this had had a fertilizing effect on
the development of chess, and even the next
chess star, Fischer had drawn much on Tal 's
style. With the two of them, youth and ambi­
tious boldness regained its rights in compet­
itive chess up to the present day, in contrast
to 'old gentlemen 's' concept of play, charac­
terized by the slogan Safety First.

13
 He was the best scorer in the whole field
of the 1 960 Leipzig Chess Olympiad, of
which he was a celebrated, central figure. It
was as if the heroic, romantic era of chess
had risen from the dead in his person and
games. But this was already a different age
from the 1 9th century, with scientifically
founded analyses and a strong international
field. Tal was known to have led a life of
self-destructive rate, spending the night
playing blitz even after difficult tournament
games. All over the world expert teams were
analyzing his style, searching for the weak
points of his play and personality.
His opponents watched for the opportuni­
ty to be able to defeat the young world
champion. Fischer, at the Leipzig Olympiad,
had already succeeded in achieving a draw
against him, playing in the bold attacking
style learned from him, and ' Botvinnik

14
enjoying the support of the Soviet spheres of
power was also busy preparing against him.
At that time, the ex-World Champion was
entitled to' a rematch after a year. Botvinnik
availed himself of the opportunity, and Tal
promptly accepted the challenge. But he was
then in poor health and lost the rematch in
1 96 1 (+5 - 1 0 =6) Typically of him, he was
world champion for the shortest time of all
the title holders: for one year and six days.
At the Bled super-tournament in 1 96 1 the
rising American genius Fischer managed to
win against him, for the first time in his life.
Though the spell of his invincibility melt
away, he preserved his incredible popularity
among the chess players, and his mood for
playing also remained unchanged. In the
next decades, true, already as a ripe com­
petitor, Tal's form has been erratic. Periods
when he was outstandingly successful alter-

15
nated by times when his chronic kidney ill­
ness severely handicapped him. In the 1 962
Candidates ' tournament he was forced to
withdraw after three rounds and enter hos­
pital.
Tal adored chess, for him it was his life.
He spent nearly all of his life at the board,
travelling from tournament to tournament,
and was playing blitz games even on the
mornings of big international tournaments.
In spite of this - or just because of this - he
piled success upon success even after losing
his world title. His playing strength was
appreciated even by the official native sports
management: he was eight times a member
of the Olympic Champion Soviet team. And
on the international scene he won a large
number of super-tournaments, producing a
multitude of fascinating games.
It was a decade after the world champi-

16
onship finals, in 1 972, that he reached the
next, but by no means last, peak of his com­
petitive career. Then, at age 36, he seemed
invincible again: he won five strong tourna­
ments, playing 60 games without a loss.
Once again he made an attempt at quali­
fying for the World Championship final, but
then he failed. In the 1 973 Biel Interzonal he
came only eighth, falling behind against the
systematically prepared, younger oppo­
nents. But next year, between the October of
1 973 and 1 974, he proved to be unbeatable
again. He won among others the Boogovens
Super-Tournament, and produced the -until
then longest undefeated streak in chess his­
tory, not losing a single one out of 93 tour­
nament games !
According to Max Euwe, 'In powers of
combination Tal perhaps outdid even Alek­
hine. Sacrifice was second nature to him.'

17
While other players only make sacrifices
that they are convinced are sound, Tal will
sacrifice if he cannot prove it is unsound. He
admitted making dubious moves in his first
match with Botvinnik to put him under pres­
sure. This pressure was increased by the fact
that Tal was one of the fastest players in the
world, so that his opponents often found
themselves in time trouble. In such situa­
tions the refutation of an unsound sacrifice
may be discovered only after the game, giv­
ing the impression that Tal was born under a
lucky star. He himself has j oked about this
by saying that there are two kinds of sacri­
fices: correct ones and his. For him, in a
sharpened tournament situation, the sound­
ness of a move was relatively unimportant;
often, like Lasker, even against the strongest
grandmasters, he chose the moves that
caused the most problems for his opponents.

18
 For the last time it was in 1 976 that he
had a real chance to get to the World Cham­
pionship final. In the Biel Interzonal he tied
for second place, but did not qualify because
he lost to Portisch and Petrosian in the play­
off. So the question of what would have hap­
pened had he played another title match
remained unanswered for ever.
But Fate was merciful to him after all.
Ripe and rich in experience, Tal won yet
another world title, in a genre which perhaps
most befitted his personality, Blitz chess. It
had been long general opinion in the world
of chess that he was the uncrowned king of
fast chess. And in 1 98 8, when he won the
first World Blitz Chess Championship, com­
ing ahead, among others, of Karpov and the
young Kasparov, the crown was put on his
head officially, too.
On the basis of his style he was first of all

19
considered a great tactician, but his game
was much deeper than spectacular tactic
tricks. His universal chess knowledge is
proved by his sensational achievements in
classical competitive chess. He won the SU
Championsip six times ( 1 957, 1 95 8 , 1 967,
1 972, 1 974, 1 978), setting thereby Botvin­
nik's record. In 1 979, in a tie with the then
World Champion Karpov belonging to the
new generation, he finished first at the
Montreal Super-tournament. Thus he ad­
vanced right behind him, to the second
place, in the world ranking. He achieved his
peak rating, 2705, in 1 980, at age 44.
Till the end of his rather short life he
competed actively, and as for his strength he
was among the five or six strongest active
players of the world. However, the content
of his games is of even greater significance
than his outstanding tournament, results.

20
With them he made an enormous effect on
the chess world. He is considered by many
the most ingenious chess player that ever
lived: th e twentieth century reincarnation of
,
Paul Morphy. It just shows how significant
he was that The Mammoth Book of the
World s Greatest Chess Games (Burgess,
Nunn & Emms 2004) contains more games
of him than of any other chess greats.
V ladimir Kramnik's opinion about Tal's
games deserves attention: "Analyzing his
chess games is tantamount to discussing
what God looks like. "
Tal was also active and successful for
decades as a chess journalist and a writer of
chess literature. He published his recollec­
tions in book form, too, containing one hun­
dred games with his own analysis, under the
title The Life & Games of Mikhail Tal.
Encircled by the love of home and inter-

21
national chess world, he lived to see that in
1 99 1 his native land, Latvia, became inde­
pendent again. He died in 1 992, at the age of
5 5, finally defeated by his chronic kidney
disease which hounded him through his
whole life. In an interview, he compared
himself to the American writer 0'Henry,
whose short stories abound in surprising and
sometimes tragic turns.
Finally, here are some quotes:
"They compare me with Lasker, which is
an exaggerated honor. Lasker made mis­
takes in every game and I only in every sec­
ond one!" (Mikhail Tal)
Mikhail Tal on who his chess hero was:
"The man who has proved that you can
reach the top and remain human. "
"Mother, I have just become Ex- World
Champion. " (Mikhail Tal on returning home
after losing the '6 1 rematch to Botvinnik)

22
 Mihai Tal palyafuhisa

A sakkozas nyolcadik vilagbajnoka 1 936.

november 9-en szii l etett Rigaban, a sztalini
birodalom nyugati peremvideken meghuz6-
d6, akkoriban meg fuggetlen Lettorszag fO­
varosaban. Itt elte at kisgyermekkent a ma­
sodik vilaghaboru megpr6baltatasokkal teli
eveit. Ertelmisegi csaladban nevelkedett,
edesapj a orvos volt. Tole leste el, nyolceve­
sen, a sakklepeseket.
Mire kisiskolaskent belepett a szervezett
sakkeletbe s elindult az elso ifjusagi verse­
nyeken, orszaga mar a vilaghaboruban gyoz­
tes szovj et birodalom egyik leigazott tarto­
manya volt. A soknemzetisegii Szovj etuni6-
ban nem szamitott kiilonlegesnek a nemze­
tisegi szarmazas, am a frissen annektalt nyu­
gati vegek lak6ira a tobbsegi oroszok a ha-

23
borM koveto evekben gyanakvassal tekintet­
tek. Nem volt kivetel az ifju sakktehetseg
sem, akinek mar a nevet is ketfelekeppen
kellett hasznalnia: eredetileg, lettiil Mihails
..

Talnak hivtak, mig hivatalos, orosz neve Mi-

hail Nyehemj evics Tal volt.
A sakkozas ebb en az idoben rendkiviil
nepszerii volt a szovj et birodalomban. Szin­
te mindegyik iskolaban sakkszakkorok mii­
kodtek, es minden korosztaly szamara j61
szervezett bajnoki rendszer kinalt verseny­
zesi lehetOseget. A sakkoz6i karrier a kitores
egyik lehetseges utj at j elentette a szarmaza­
suk vagy csaladi korii lmenyeik miatt hatra­
nyos helyzetii fiatalok szamara.
Az elso iskolai sikerek nyoman a 1 3 eves
Tal, a sakkvilag szerencsej ere, kiva16 edzo
keze ala keriilt. 1 949-ben a szinten rigai,
negyszeres lett bajnok, Alexander Koblenc
nemzetkozi mester lett az edzoj e, aki a ko-

24
vetkezo evtizedben biztositotta a megfelelo
szakmai hatteret magasra ivelo karrierj ehez.
Tanitvanya az 1 950-es evekben bamulatos
palyat futott be: 1 6 evesen lett sakkmester,
2 1 evesen nemzetk6zi nagymester es 24
evesen vilagbajnok! E tiin emenyesen gyors
paIyafutast sokan Morphyehoz hasonlitj ak,
akarcsak Tal ragyog6, kombinativ j atekstilu­
sat.
Tal meg k6zepiskolas volt, amikor 1 95 3 -
ban, 1 7 eves en megnyerte az elso alkalom­
mal megrendezett lett sakkbajnoksagot, es
ezzel - az ekkor mar a szovj et birodalomhoz
tartoz6 - Lettorszag elso bajnoka lett. A k6-
vetkezo evben megkapta a szovj et sakkmes­
teri cimet. 1 957-ben vegzett t6rtenelem es
filol6gia szakon a rigai egyetemen, s meg
ebben az evben, 2 1 evesen megnyerte a
szovj et bajnoki d6ntot is. A vilag egyik leg­
erosebb versenyenek szamit6 szovj et baj no-

25
ki d6nto ekkor egylittal vihigbajnoki zona­
versenynek is szamitott. A sors kii16n6s ke­
gyekent igy minden idok legfiatalabb szov­
j et bajnoka elott k6zvetlen ut nyilt a vilag­
bajnoki d6ntoig.
1 95 8-ban reszt vehetett a Portorozsban ren­
dezett legendas zonak6zi d6nton, ahol rend­
kivii l eros mezony gyiilt 6ssze. A legjobb
szovj et sakkozok - Petroszj an, Bronstein -
mellett olyan tapasztalt nagymesterek indul­
tak harcba a tovabbjutasert, mint Gligorics,
Olafsson, Panno, Benko. Es feltiint a me­
zonyben az ifju Fischer es Larsen is. A 22
eves lett sakkzseni magabiztosan megnyerte
a tornat, maj d 1 959-ben elso helyen vegzett
a vilagbajnokj el6ltek versenyen is, j ogot
szerezve a vilagbajnoki cimert valo meg­
merkozesre. K6zben, mintegy mellekesen,
1 95 8 -ban ismet szovj et bajnok lett es meg­
nyerte az 1 959-es ziirichi vilagversenyt is.

26
 Az 1 959-es, szinten jugoszhiviai vihig­
bajnokjelolti dontot tobb helyszinen, mini
paros merkozesek formaj aban rendeztek
meg. TaL val6saggal legazolta ellenfeleit,
csupan Keresz es Szmiszlov tudott egy-egy
jatszmat nyerni ellene. A meg naIa is fiata­
labb Fischert peldaul, akivel kesobb j 6 bara­
tok lettek, 4: 0-ra gyozte le.
Bamulatos eredmenyeivel pillanatok alatt
vilaghirnevre tett szert, a nemzetkozi saj t6-
ban "rigai varazsl6" -kent emlegettek. A le­
gyozott versenyzotarsak kozott fantasztikus
tortenetek keringtek r6la. Tobbek szerint
hipnotizalta ellenfeleit, ezert meg egyes j 6
new nagymesterek i s sotet napszemiiveg­
ben iiltek ellene a tablahoz. Kompromisz­
szumok nelkiili tamad6 j ateka, varatlan al­
dozatai, kaprazatos kombinaci6i vilagszerte
nepszeriive tettek a sakkrajong6k koreben.
Paul Keresz igy j ellemezte j atekat: " Tal el-

27
vezi az izgalmat es a hajmereszto bonyodal­
makat, es ebb en a jatekm6dban mindenki
masnal j obban kiismeri magat. " David Bron­
stein nagymester pedig, kisse szarkasztiku­
san, igy foglalta ossze egy tipikus Tal-jatsz­
ma lefolyasat: "Tal minden tisztjet a cen­
trumba fejleszti, aztan valahol bealdozza
oket. "
Az 1 960-as moszkvai vilagbajnoki don­
ton, ahol edzokent es tanacsad6kent meste­
re, Koblenc allt mogotte, palyafutasanak
legsillyosabb vereseget merte Botvinnikra
(+6 - 2 = 1 3). A kettojiik kozti pillanatnyi
erokiilonbsegre jellemzo, hogy a kihiv6
negy egymast koveto gyozelemmel kezdte a
paros merkozest. Tal 24 eve"s korara fel­
szaguldott a csilcsig, s minden idok legfiata­
labb sakkvilagbajnoka lett.
Vilagbajnoki gyozelmenek kiilonleges je­
lentoseget adott, hogy ket nyugodt; pozici6s

28
stilusu vilagbajnok (Botvinnik es Szmisz­
lov) utan visszahelyezte jogaiba a latvanyos,
kombinativ, taktikai elemekkel teli jatekot.
J aszmai gyakran vadak, zurzavarosak nehe­
zen elemezhetoek voltak, tele szinte kisza­
mithatatlan, intuitiv aldozati kombinaci6k­
kal. Mindez akkoriban megtermekenyitoen
hatott a sakkozas fejlodesere, s Fischer, a
kovetkezo sakkcsillag is sokat meritett Tal
stilusab6l. Kettojiikkel a fiatalsag es a nagy­
ratoro mereszseg nyerte vissza j ogait maig
hat6 ervennyel a versenysakkban, szemben
az oreguras, minden aron biztonsagra torek­
vo jatekfelfogassal.
Az egesz mezonyben a legjobb ered­
menyt erte el az 1 960-as lipcsei sakkolim­
pian is, melynek iinnepelt, kozponti alakja
volt. Mintha a sakkozas hosi, romantikus
korszaka tamadt volna fel szemelyeben es
jatszmaiban. Am ez mar egy mas kor volt,

29
mint a 1 9. szazad, tudomanyosan megalapo­
zott elemzesekkel, eros nemzetk6zi mezony­
nyel. Talrol k6ztudott volt, hogy 6npusztito
tempoban elt, nehez versenyjeitszmak utan is
kepes volt villamjeitszmakkal t6lteni az ej­
szakat. Vilagszerte szakmai stabok elemez­
tek stiluseit, kerestek jatekanak es szemelyi­
segenek gyenge pontjait.
Ellenfelei lestek a pillanatot, amikor le­
gyozhetik az ifju vilagbajnokot. Fischemek
a lipcsei olimpian mar sikeriilt - a tole elle­
sett meresz, tamado stilusban jeitszva - d6n­
tetlen elemi ellene, es nem tetlenkedett a
szovj et hatalmi k6r6k tamogataseit elvezo
Botvinnik sem. Az exvilagbajnoknak akko­
riban j oga volt egy ev multan visszavagot
kemi. Botvinnik elt is a lehetoseggel, es Tal
habozas nelkiil elfogadta a kihivast. Az
1 96 1 -es visszavagot a betegeskedo Tal el­
vesztette (+5 - 1 0 =6); ra jellemzo modon, a

30
cimviselok k6zUl a legr6videbb ideig 1 ev 6
napig volt vihigbajnok.
Az � 96 1 -es bledi szupertoman a felt6rek­
vo amerikai geniusznak, Fischemek, vegre,
eleteben elosz6r, sikeriilt gyoznie ellene.
Verhetetlensegenek varazsa ugyan szerte­
foszlott, de hihetetlen nepszeruseget mego­
rizte a sakkoz6k k6reben, es jatekkedve is
valtozatlan maradt. A k6vetkezo evtizedek­
ben, j 611ehet immar erett versenyzokent,
hullamz6 format mutatott. Kiemelkedoen
sikeres idoszakok vaItakoztak olyan peri6-
dusokkal, amikor kr6nikus vesebantalmai
sulyosan hatraltattak a sikeres versenyzes­
ben. A vilagbajnokjel6ltek 1 962-es verse­
nyerol peldaul nehany fordu16 utan vissza­
lepett, mert kenytelen volt k6rhazba vonul­
m.

Tal imadott sakkozni, mondhatni: elete

volt a sakkjatek. Szinte minden idejet a tabla

31
mellett toltotte, versenyrol versenyre uta­
zott, es meg a nagy nemzetkozi tomak ver­
senynapj ainak delelottj en is villamj atszma­
kat valtott. Ennek ellenere - vagy talan ep­
pen ezert -, sikert sikerre halmozott vilag­
bajnoki cimenek elvesztese utan is. Jatek­
erej et a hivatalos hazai sportvezetes is elis­
merte, nyolcszor volt tagja olimpiai bajnok
szovj et csapatnak. A nemzetkozi porondon
pedig szuperversenyek egesz sorat nyerte
meg, egyre uj abb varazslatos j atszmakat
produkalva.
Egy evtizeddel a vilagbajnoki dontok
utan, 1 972-ben erte el versenyzoi paIyafuta­
sa kovetkezo, de meg korantsem az utols6
csucspontj at. Ekkor, 36 evesen, ismet le­
gyozhetetlennek runt: ot eros versenyt nyert,
es 60 partit j atszott vereseg nelktil.
Ujb61 megkiserelte a vilagbajnol}i don­
tobe jutast is, de pr6balkozasa ekkor mar

32
nem vezetett sikerre. Az 1 973 -as, bteli zo­
nakozi dont6n csak nyolcadik lett, lemaradt
a sziszt�matikusan felkeszitett, fiatalabb el­
lenfelekkel szemben. Am a kovetkez6 ev­
ben, 1 973 es 1 974 okt6bere kozott ismet
verhetetlennek bizonyult. Megnyerte tobbek
kozott a hoogoveni szupertomat, es a sakk­
tortenet addigi leghosszabb veretlensegi
sorozatat produkalva, 93 versenyj atszmab61
egyszer sem kapott ki.
Max Euwe szerint "kombinativ keszseg­
ben Tal talan meg Aljechinen is mItett. Neki
az aldozat masodik termeszete volt." Mig
mas jatekosok csak akkor aIdoznak, ha meg
vannak gy6z6dve annak korrektseger61, Tal
olyankor is aldozott, ha nem latta bizonyi­
tottnak annak inkorrektseget. Botvinnik
elleni els6 meccsen bevallottan abb61 a cel­
b61 tett ketes ertekii lepeseket, hogy lelek­
tani nyomast fej tsen ki ellenfelere. Es e

33
nyomast meg az a teny is fokozta, hogy Tal
a vilag egyik leggyorsabb j atekosa volt, s
ellenfelei gyakran keriiltek sulyos idozavar­
ba. Marpedig effele helyzetben egy aldozat
inkorrekt volta csupan a jatszma utan mu­
tathato ki, s ez azt a benyomast keltette el­
lenfeleiben, hogy Tal a szerencse fia. 6
maga trefasan ugy jellemezte a dolgot, hogy
ketfele aldozat letezik: korrekt aldozat es
Tal-fele aldozat. Szamara a tabla melletti ki­
elezett versenyhelyzetben viszonylag lenyeg­
telen tenyezo volt, hogy egy lepes ,jo" le­
gyen; sok esetben - akarcsak Lasker -, meg
a legerosebb nagymesterek ellen is azt a le­
pest valasztotta a kinalkozo lehetosegek k6-
ziil, amellyel a legt6bb problemat okozta el­
lenfelenek.
Utolj ara I 976-ban nyilt realis eselye a vi­
lagbajnoki d6ntoig valo eljutasra. Abieli zo­
naversenyen ho ltversenyes masodikkent

34
vegzett, azonban nem jutott tovabb, mert a
raj atszasban kikapott Portischtol es Petrosz­
jantol. igy 6r6kre megvalaszolatlan maradt a
kerdes, hogy mi t6rtent volna, ha ismet vi­
lagbajnoki d6ntot jatszhat.
A sors azonban megis kegyes volt hozza.
A beerett, tapasztalatokban gazdag Tal igy is
uj abb vilagbajnoki cimhez jutott, meghozza
a szemelyisegehez talan legk6zelebb allo
miifajban, a villamsakkban. Altalanos vele­
meny volt a sakk vilagaban, hogy 0 a gyors­
jatek koronazatlan kiraIya. 1 98 8-ban azutan
hivatalosan is felkeriilt a fej ere a korona,
amikor megnyerte az elso villamsakk-vilag­
bajnoksagot, megelozve t6bbek k6z6tt Kar­
povot es az ifju Kaszparovot is.
Stilusa alapj an elsosorban nagy taktikus­
nak tekintettek, de j ateka melyebb volt a
latvanyos taktikai triikk6knel. Univerzalis
sakktudasat bizonyitj ak a klasszikus

35
versenysakkban elert csucstelj esitmenyei.
Hatszor nyert szovjet bajnoksagot ( 1 957,
1 9 5 8, 1 967, 1 972, 1 974, 1 978), beallitva ez­
zel Botvinnik rekordj at. 1 979-ben az akkori
vilagbajnokkal, az ujitbb nemzedekhez tar­
toz6 Karpovval holtversenyben, az elso he­
lyen vegzett a montreali szupertoman. fgy
kozvetlenUl moge, a masodik helyre lepett
elore a vilagranglistan. A legmagasabb :810-
pontszamat - 2705-ot - 1 980-ban, 44 eves
koraban erte el.
Rovidre szabott elete vegeig aktivan
versenyzett, erej et tekintve ott volt a vilag 5 -
6 legerosebb aktiv j atekosa kozott. A kie­
melkedo versenyeredmenyeknel is j elen­
tosebb azonban j atszmainak tartalma, me­
lyekkel felmerhetetlen hatast gyakorolt a
sakkvilagra. Sokan a valaha elt legeredetibb
sakkoz6nak tekintik, Morphy huszadik sza­
zadi reinkamaci6j anak. J6l mutatja j elento-

36
seget, hogy a Vilag nagy sakkj atszmainak
mamutk6nyve (The Mammoth Book of the
World s Greatest Chess Games, Burgess,
Nunn & Emms 2004) t6bb j atszmat tartal­
maz Talt61, mint barmely mas sakknagy­
sagt61. Figyelmet erdemel Vladimir Kram­
nyik velemenye Tal jeitszmair61: "A j atszma­
it elemezni annyi, mint azon meditalni, hogy
nezhet ki Isten."
Tal sakkujsagir6kent es szakir6kent is ev­
tizedekig sikeresen tevekenykedett. Vissza­
emlekezeseit - szaz sajeit elemzesii jatszma­
val - k6nyvben is megjelentette, Mihail Tal
elete es jatszmai cimmel.
A hazai es nemzetk6zi sakkvilag szere­
tetetol 6vezve meg megerte, hogy sziilofOld­
je, Lettorszag 1 99 1 -ben ismet fii g getlen al­
lam lett. 1 992-ben, 5 5 evesen hunyt el, mi­
utan vegleg legyozte egesz eletet vegigki­
sero, kr6nikus vesebetegsege. Egyik inter-

37
juj aban O 'Henry amerikai irohoz hasonlitot­
ta magat, akinek novellai b6velkednek meg­
lep6 es nemegyszer tragikus fordulatokban.
V egUl nehany idezet:
" A jatszmaiban Tal oda kivant eljutni,
ahol meg soha nem jart sakkoza, s a kozep­
jatekot valasztotta annak szintereiil, hogy
megcsillogtassa alkota !antaziajat. " (Larry
Parr)
" Laskerrel hasonlitanak ossze, ami tul­
zott megtiszteltetes. Lasker ugyanis minden
jatszmaban hibazott, en viszont csak minden
masodikban!" (Tal)
" Anya, epp most lettem exvilagbajnok! "
- mondta a Botvinnik elleni 196 1 -es, elvesz­
tett visszavagorol hazaterve.
Arra a kerdesre, hogy kit tart a legna­
gyobb sakkh6senek, Tal igy felelt: Azt az
"
embert, aki bebizonyitja, hogy a csucsra er­
ve is lehet emberszabasunak maradni. "

38
 Game 1
Bishops at Their Best
Fut6k fOszerepben

M. Tal - B. Larsen
Montreal 1 979

White to play: 15?

39
 Game 1
M. Tal - B. Larsen
Montreal 1 979
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 flf3 flc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 'tJxd4 flf6 5

flc3 d6 6 �g5 e6 7 'Wd2 �e7 8 0-0-0 a6 9 f4
'Wc7 1 0 �e2 flxd4 1 1 'Wxd4 b5 1 2 e5 dxe5 1 3
fxe5 fld5 1 4 �xe7 flxc3 15 �f3 ! 'tJxd l 1 6
�d6 'Wc4 1 7 'Wb6 'tJf2 1 8 �c6t �d7 1 9 �xd7t
wxd7 20 'Wb7t wd8 2 1 'Wxa8t 'Wc8 22 'Wa7

1 -0

40
 Game 2
Misha Is Merciless
Misa konyortelen

M. Tal V. Korchnoi
-

MontpeIlier 1 985

White to play: 19?

41
 Game 2
M. Tal V. Korchnoi
-

Montpellier 1 985
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 �f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 �xd4 �f6 5 �c3

�c6 6 �g5 e6 7 tWd2 �e7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 �b3
a5 1 0 a4 d5 1 1 �b5 dxe4 1 2 tWxd8 �xd8 1 3
Erhe l �a7 1 4 �c4 h6 1 5 �xf6 gxf6 1 6 tf.'lxe4
f5 1 7 �d6 �c7 1 8 g3 b6 19 tf.'lxf5! exf5 20
�d5 �e6 2 1 �xa8 Erxa8 22 tf.'ld4 �d5 23 Ere7
Erc8 24 �b5

1-0

42
 Game 3
Black Is in for Three Surp rises
Sotetet harom meglepetes eri

M. Tal - Sviridov
Stuttgart 1 969
White to play: 16?

43
 Game 3
M. Tal Sviridov
-

Stuttgart 1 969
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 �f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 flxd4 �f6 5 �c3

g6 6 �e3 �g7 7 f3 �c6 8 Wd2 �d7 9 0-0-0
Wa5 1 0 i>b l �c8 1 1 g4 h6 1 2 h4 a6 1 3 �e2
�e5 1 4 g5 hxg5 1 5 hxg5 �xh l 16 gxf6 !
�xd l t 1 7 �xd l Wxd2 1 8 fxg7

1-0

44
 Game 4
A Rod of Iron
Vasszigor

M. Tal - I. Bilek
Amsterdam 1 964

White to play: 15?

45
 Game 4
M. Tal - I. Bilek
Amsterdam 1 964
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 f)f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 flxd4 flf6 5 flc3

a6 6 �g5 f)bd7 7 �c4 h6 8 �xf6 flxf6 9 !'we2
e6 1 0 0-0-0 !'wc7 1 1 f4 e5 1 2 fld5 f)xd5 1 3
exd5 �e7 1 4 fxe5 dxe5 1 5 fle6 ! !,Wd6 1 6
f)xg7t wf8 1 7 f)e6t we8 1 8 frhfl �g5 t 1 9
wb 1 b5 20 Wlh5 �f4 2 1 �b3 a5 22 flc7t !'wxc7
23 d6

1-0

46
 Game 5
Neat Mate Motifs
Csinos mattkepek

M. Tal - P. Benko
Bled 1 959

White to play: 23 ?

47
 Game 5
M. Tal P. Benko
-

Bled 1 959
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 flf3 g6 3 d4 fig7 4 d5 d6 5 flc3 flf6

6 fib5 t flbd7 7 a4 0-0 8 0-0 a6 9 fie2 frb8
1 0 frel fle8 1 1 fif4 fJc7 1 2 fifl b5 1 3 Wd2
fre8 1 4 h3 flf6 1 5 frad 1 fid7 1 6 e5 b4 1 7 fle4
flxe4 1 8 frxe4 fixa4 1 9 fih6 fih8 20 frde 1 f6
2 1 e6 f5 22 frh4 fixb2 23 fif8! frxfS 24 Wh6
frt7 25 ext7t wxt7 26 Wxh7t fig7 27 frh6
Wg8 2 8 Wxg6t wfS 29 flg5 Wxd5 30 frh8t

1-0

48
 Game 6
Staggering Blow
Agyrengeto pofon

M. Tal - A. Suetin
Tbilisi (Olympiad) 1 969

White to play: 20?

49
 Game 6
M. Tal - A. Suetin
Tbilisi (Olympiad) 1 969
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 e5 2 flf3 e6 3 d4 exd4 4 flxd4 a6 5 �d3

fle7 6 fle3 flbe6 7 flb3 flg6 8 0-0 b5 9 �e3
d6 10 f4 �e7 11 !Wh5 �f6 1 2 �ad l �xe3 13
bxe3 !We7 1 4 �d2 flee7 1 5 fld4 �d7 16 f5
exf5 1 7 exf5 fle5 1 8 tfJe6 �xe6 1 9 fxe6 g6
20 !W xe5 ! dxe5 2 1 exf7t

1 -0

50
 Game 7
Ascension Day
Aldozocsiit6rt6k

M. Tal - N eibult
Soviet Union 1 99 1

White to play: 20?

51
 Game 7
M. Tal - Neibult
Soviet Union 1 99 1
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 d4 cxd4 3 c3 dxc3 4 flxc3 flc6 5

flf3 d6 6 �c4 e6 7 0-0 'fJf6 8 We2 a6 9 frd 1
Wc7 1 0 �f4 fle5 1 1 �b3 �e7 1 2 frac l Wb8 1 3
fld4 0-0 1 4 �g3 fled7 1 5 f4 e5 1 6 'fJf5 fre8
1 7 Wc4 d5 1 8 'fJxd5 �c5t 1 9 wh l fre6 20
Wxc5! flxd5 2 1 frxd5 exf4 22 'fJe7t wf8 23
frxd7 �xd7 24 �xe6

1 -0

52
 Game 8
Black is not Bored
S6tet nem unatkozik

M. Tal A. Vooremaa
-

Tallin 1 97 1

White to play: J 9?

53
 Game 8
M. Tal - A. Vooremaa
Tallin 1 97 1
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 'f)f3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 'f)xd4 'f)c6 5 'f)c3

'Wc7 6 �e3 a6 7 �d3 'f)f6 8 0-0 �d6 9 wh l h5
1 0 f4 'f)g4 1 1 'Wf3 flxe3 1 2 'Wxe3 'Wb6 1 3 'f)ce2
e5 1 4 'Wg3 exd4 1 5 'Wxg7 �f8 16 e5 �e7 1 7
f5 f6 1 8 flf4 �f7 19 exf6! 'f)e5 20 �c4 'f)xc4
2 1 'Wg8t �f8 22 'f)xh5 'f)d6 23 �ae 1 t wd8 24
�e7 'Wb5 25 �fe 1 'Wd5 26 'f)f4 'Wxa2 27 'f)e6t
'Wxe6 28 fxe6 �xf6 29 �f7

1-0

54
 Game 9
Mark can Play Chopin 's Dead March
Mark jatszhatj a Chopin gyaszindu16j at

M. Tal - M. Taimanov
Erevan 1 962

White to play: 39?

55
 Game 9
M. Tal M. Taimanov
-

Erevan 1 962
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 �f3 �c6 3 d4 cxd4 4 �xd4 e6 5 'f)c3

a6 6 �e3 Wic7 7 �e2 �f6 8 a3 �xd4 9 Wixd4
�d6 10 Wid2 �e5 1 1 �d4 �xd4 1 2 Wixd4 e5 1 3
Wib4 b6 14 0-0-0 �b7 15 Erd6 �c6 1 6 Erhd l
0-0 1 7 g4 Erfc8 1 8 g5 �e8 1 9 Er6d2 b5 20
�g4 a5 2 1 Wie7 b4 22 Erxd7 �xd7 23 �xd7
Wic4 24 b3 Win t 25 �d l 'f)d6 26 Wixd6 Wig2 27
Wid5 wh8 28 Wixf7 Erg8 29 Wih5 Wixe4 3 0 �f3
Wif4t 31 �e3 Era6 32 �d5 Erb8 3 3 Erf7 Wid4 34
Wif3 Wia l t 35 wd2 Wic3 t 36 we2 Wic5 3 7 a4
Era7 38 g6 Era6 39 Erxg7! Erxg6 40 Erxg6 hxg6
4 1 Wif6t wh7 42 �f7

1 -0

56
 Game 1 0
A Flip to .
Fricska az edzonek

M. Tal A. Koblents
-

? 1 965

White to play: 19?

57
 Game 1 0
M. Tal - A. Koblents
? 1 965
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 �O e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 �xd4 �f6 5 �c3

d6 6 �e3 �c6 7 f4 �e7 8 wo 0-0 9 �e2 �d7
1 0 0-0-0 �xd4 1 1 �xd4 �c6 1 2 g4 Wa5 1 3
g 5 �d7 1 4 �hg l b5 1 5 Wh5 b4 1 6 �d3 bxc3
1 7 �xc3 Wxa2 1 8 �h3 �xe4 19 g6! �xg6 20
Wxh7t �xh7 2 1 �xg7t wh8 22 �hxh7#

1 -0

58
 Game 1 1
A King in Distress
KiniIy a pacban

M. Tal - B. Gulko
Exhibition game, 1 969

White to play: 22?

59
 Game 1 1
M. Tal - B. Gulko
Exhibition game, 1 969
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 �f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 �xd4 �f6 5 �c3

e6 6 f4 �c6 7 �e3 �e7 8 Wf3 a6 9 0-0-0 Wc7
1 0 g4 �xd4 1 1 �xd4 e5 1 2 fxe5 dxe5 1 3 Wg3
�xg4 1 4 �e2 Wa5 1 5 �xg4 exd4 16 �d5
Wxa2 1 7 We5 Wa l t 1 8 wd2 Wa5 t 1 9 b4 Wd8
20 frhg l f6 2 1 �h5 t wf8 22 frxg7! fxe5 23
frf7t we8 24 frxe7t wf8 25 frn t wg8 26 frff7

1 -0

60
 Game 1 2
His Majesty Takes a Long Journey
Ofelsege vandorutra kel

M. Tal - F. Stean
Hastings 1 973

White to play: 16?

61
 Game 1 2
M. Tal F. SteaD
-

Hastings 1 973
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 e5 2 �f3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 flxd4 flf6 5 fle3

a6 6 �g5 e6 7 f4 flbd7 8 Wf3 We7 9 0-0-0 b5
lO �xb5 axb5 1 1 'fldxb5 Wb8 1 2 e5 �b7 1 3
We2 dxe5 1 4 We4 �e5 1 5 �xf6 gxf6 16
f!xd7! �e3 t 1 7 wb l wxd7 1 8 f!d l t �d4 1 9
fxe5 fxe5 20 �xd4 exd4 2 1 Wxd4 t we7 22
We5 t wf6 23 f!fl t wg6 24 We7 f5 25 Wxe6t
wg7 26 We7t wg6 27 h4 f!a5 28 h5 t wxh5 29
Wf7t wh4 3 0 Wf6t wg3 3 1 Wg5 t wh2 32
IWh4t wxg2 3 3 f!f2t wg l 34 fle2#

1-0

62
 Game 13
Mate in Seven Moves
Matt het lepesben

M. Tal - Yrjo A. Rantanen

Tallinn 1979

White to play: 24?

63
 Game 1 3
M. Tal Yrjo A. Rantanen
-

Tallinn 1 979
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 flf3 flc6 3 �b5 e6 4 0-0 flge7 5

flc3 a6 6 �xc6 flxc6 7 d4 cxd4 8 flxd4 d6 9
E!:e 1 �d7 1 0 flxc6 bxc6 1 1 'Wg4 e5 1 2 'Wg3 f6
1 3 �e3 wfl 1 4 E!:ad l �e7 1 5 fla4 E!:b8 1 6 b3
E!:e8 1 7 c4 c5 1 8 flc3 �f8 1 9 f4 wg8 20 E!:f1
'Wc8 21 fxe5 fxe5 22 fld5 wh8 23 E!:fl �g4 24
flf6! gxf6 25 'Wh4 �g7 26 �h6 �xd l 27
�xg7t wg8 2 8 �h8 wxfl 29 'Wxf6t wg8 3 0
'Wg7#

1 -0

64
 Game 1 4
Boris' Dark Day
Borisz fekete napj a

M. Tal - B. Spassky
Tilburg 1 9 80

White to play: 36?

65
 Game 1 4
M. Tal B . Spassky
-

Tilburg 1 980
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 flf3 flc6 3 �b5 a6 4 �a4 flf6 5 0-0

�e7 6 �e l b5 7 �b3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 flb8 1 0
d4 flbd7 1 1 flbd2 �b7 1 2 �c2 �e8 1 3 flfl
�f8 1 4 flg3 g6 1 5 a4 c5 1 6 d5 c4 1 7 �g5 h6
1 8 �e3 �8 1 9 tMid2 h5 20 flg5 flh7 2 1 flxh7
wxh7 22 �fl wg8 23 wh l �g7 24 axb5 axb5
2 5 f4 exf4 26 �xf4 tMie7 27 �g5 tMie5 28 �f3
�a8 29 �af1 �f8 3 0 flxh5 gxh5 3 1 �f5 tMie8
32 e5 dxe5 33 �h6 �a6 34 �xg7 wxg7 35 d6
f6 36 �g5t ! wf7 3 7 �g6t we6 3 8 �f5 t wf7
39 tMid l �h8 40 �g6t we6 4 1 �xe8 �xe8 42
tMixh5 �d8 43 �g7 wxd6 44 tMif7

1 -0

66
 Garne 1 S
Brilliancy o n the Chessboard
Szepseg a sakktabhin

M. Tal - L. Portisch
Biel 1 976

White to play: 37?

67
 Game 1 5
M. Tal L. Portisch
-

Biel 1 976
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 �f3 �e6 3 �b5 a6 4 �a4 fJf6 5 0-0

�e7 6 !:reI b5 7 �b3 d6 8 e3 0-0 9 d4 �g4 1 0
�e3 exd4 1 1 exd4 fJa5 1 2 �e2 fJe4 1 3 �e 1 e5
14 b3 �b6 1 5 �bd2 fJfd7 1 6 h3 �h5 1 7 g4
�g6 1 8 �f1 d5 1 9 e5 fre8 20 �f5 e4 2 1 fJg3
fre6 22 wg2 fre8 23 frh 1 f6 24 h4 fxe5 25
dxe5 �e5 26 fre l �b4 27 fre3 d4 28 Wxd4
�e5 29 We4 �xf5 30 fJxf5 �xe3 3 1 Wxe6
�xe l 32 e6 fJb8 33 Wb7 �b2 34 Wf7t wh8 3 5
frd l We8 3 6 �g5 �f6 37 fJh6! [37.Jiixg5
(37... Wxe6 38 Wxe6 fue6 39 fJgf7#) 38 Wg8+
fug8 39 fJj7#}

1-0

68
 Game 1 6
The End Is Close at Hand
K6zel a veg

M. Tal - P. Keres
Tallinn 1 973

White to play: 38?

69
 Game 1 6
M. Tal P. Keres
-

Tallinn 1 973
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 fJf3 fJc6 3 �b5 a6 4 �a4 d6 5 0-0

�d7 6 c3 fJge7 7 d4 fJg6 8 �e l �e7 9 fJbd2
h6 1 0 fJf1 �g5 1 1 �e3 �xe3 1 2 fJxe3 0-0 1 3
�c2 �e8 1 4!.Wd2 �c8 1 5 g3 !.Wf6 1 6 fld5 !'wxf3
1 7 �d l �4 1 8 gxh4 !.Wh3 1 9 fJf6t wh8 20
flxe8 �xe8 2 1 h5 �g4 22 !.We3 !'wxh5 23 wh 1
�xd 1 24 �axd 1 !.Wh4 25 !.Wf3 wg8 26 �e3 �f8
27 !.Wg3 !.We7 28 f4 exf4 29 !'wxf4 �e8 3 0 �g l
wh7 3 1 �g4 fld8 32 e5 d5 3 3 �h3!.Wf8 34 �f3
wh8 3 5 !.Wf5 !.We7 3 6 b4 �f8 3 7 !.Wh5 fJe6 38
�f6! wh7 3 9 !.Wf5t wh8 40 �h4 wg8 4 1 !.Wg4
fJg5 42 �hxh6 fle4 43 !.Wh5 gxh6 44 �xh6

1 -0

70
 Game 1 7
In Tactical Vein
Taktikus szellemben

M. Tal A. Matanovic
-

Moscow 1 963

White to play: 24?

71
 Game 1 7
M. Tal - A. Matanovic
Moscow 1 963
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 �f3 �c6 3 �b5 a6 4 �a4 flf6 5 0-0

�e7 6 �e l b5 7 �b3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 fla5 1 0
�c2 c 5 1 1 d4 !Wc7 1 2 �bd2 �d7 1 3 flfl �fe8
1 4 b3 g6 1 5 �g5 flh5 1 6 �xe7 �xe7 1 7 fle3
flf6 1 8 �g5 cxd4 1 9 cxd4 �c8 20 �c 1 h6 2 1
dxe5 dxe5 22 fld5 flxd5 23 exd5 flb7 24
flxfi! �xf7 25 �xg6 !Wd6 26 �xf7t wxf7 27
�xc8 �xc8 2 8 !Wc2 �d7 29 !Wh7t wf8 3 0 �e3

1 -0

72
 Game 1 8
Knight Mate Is a Pretty Thing
Csinos dolog a huszannatt

M. Tal - J. Hjartarson
Reykj avik 1 987

White to play: 36?

73
 Garne 1 8
M. Tal - J. Hjartarson
Reykj avik 1 987
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 �f3 fJc6 3 �b5 a6 4 �a4 �f6 5 0-0

�e7 6 Ere 1 b5 7 �b3 0-0 8 c3 d6 9 h3 fJa5 1 0
�c2 c 5 1 1 d4 Wc7 1 2 fJbd2 �d7 1 3 �fl cxd4
1 4 cxd4 Erac8 1 5 fJe3 �c6 1 6 d5 fJb4 1 7 �b 1
a5 1 8 a3 �a6 1 9 b4 g6 20 �d2 axb4 2 1 axb4
Wb7 22 �d3 �c7 23 fJc2 �h5 24 �e3 Era8 25
Wd2 Erxa l 26 �xa l f5 27 �h6 fJg7 28 fJb3 f4
29 �a5 Wb6 3 0 Erc 1 Era8 3 1 Wc2 fJce8 32 Wb3
�f6 3 3 �c6 �h5 34 Wb2 �g7 35 �xg7 wxg7
36 Erc5! Wa6 3 7 Erxb5 fJc7 3 8 Erb8 Wxd3 39
fJcxe5 Wd l t 40 wh2 Era l 41 fJg4t wf7 42
fJh6t we7 43 fJg8t

1 -0

74
 Game 1 9
Misha Mates Again
Misa megint mattol

M. Tal - D. Bronstein
Tbilisi 1 982

White to play: 26?

75
 Game 1 9
M. Tal D . Bronstein
-

Tbilisi 1 982
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 �f3 �c6 3 �b5 f5 4 �c3 fxe4 5

�xe4 �f6 6 We2 We7 7 f)xf6t gxf6 8 0-0 a6
9 �a4 b5 1 0 �b3 �a5 1 1 d4 �xb3 1 2 axb3
�g7 1 3 dxe5 fxe5 1 4 �g5 We6 1 5 f)xe5 0-0
1 6 frae l �b7 1 7 f4 frae8 1 8 Wd2 d6 1 9 �c6
Wfl 20 fre7 frxe7 2 1 �xe7t wh8 22 f5 �f6 23
�xf6t Wxf6 24 fre 1 frfl 25 fre6 Wxb2 26
�g6t! ! wg7 27 f)h4 wf8 28 Wg5 Wd4t 29 wfl
�c8 3 0 �g6t hxg6 3 1 Wd8t

1 -0

76
 Game 20
Viktor Finishes Second
Viktor masodik lesz

M. Tal V. Korchnoi
-

Herceg Novi 1 970

White to play: 23?

77
 Game 20
M. Tal V. Korchnoi
-

Herceg Novi 1 970

French Defence

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 fJd2 c5 4 �gf3 a6 5 exd5

exd5 6 �e2 c4 7 0-0 �d6 8 �e 1 �e7 9 b3 b5
1 0 a4 c3 1 1 �f1 b4 1 2 �e5 0-0 1 3 �f4 f6 1 4
�d3 �xf4 1 5 �xf4 tWd6 1 6 � f3 fJbc6 1 7 �e3
tWxf4 1 8 �xd5 �xd5 1 9 �xd5 t wh8 20 �xc6
�a7 2 1 tWe2 tWxd4 22 �ad l tWc5 23 tWe8 ! �af7
24 �d5 tWb6 25 tWxf7

1 -0

78
 Game 2 1
Surprise Attack
Huszarcsiny

M. Tal - N. Short
Brussels 1987

White to play: 26?

79
 Game 2 1
M. Tal - N. Short
Brussels 1 987
French Defence

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 fld2 c5 4 flgf3 flc6 5 exd5

exd5 6 �b5 �d6 7 dxc5 �xc5 8 flb3 �d6 9
0-0 flge7 1 0 h3 0-0 1 1 c3 a6 1 2 �d3 �c7 1 3
�c2 flf5 1 4 Wd3 Wd6 1 5 g4 g6 1 6 gxf5 �xf5
1 7 W d2 �xh3 1 8 Wh6 Wd7 1 9 Wh4 �xfl 20
wxfl fle5 2 1 flfd4 Erfe8 22 �f4 flc4 23 'f:lc5
Wc8 24 fld3 �xf4 25 'f:lxf4 'f:lxb2 26 flh5!
Wc4t 27 wg2 Ere6 28 flf6t Erxf6 29 Wxf6
Wxc3 3 0 Erh 1 Errs 3 1 Erh3 Wd2 32 flf5

1 -0

80
 Game 22
A Worthy Closing Chord
Melt6 zar6akkord

M. Tal - I. Zaitsev
Moscow 1 969

White to play: 23?

81
 Game 22
M. Tal - I. Zaitsev
Moscow 1 969
French Defence

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 fJd2 c5 4 fJgf3 fJc6 5 exd5

exd5 6 �b5 !We7t 7 �e2 !Wc7 8 0-0 cxd4 9
fJb3 �d6 1 0 fJbxd4 a6 1 1 c4 fJf6 1 2 �g5 fJe4
1 3 cxd5 fJxd4 1 4 !Wxd4 fJxg5 1 5 !Wxg7 fJxf3 t
1 6 �xf3 frfS 1 7 frac l �xh2t 1 8 wh l !Wd6 1 9
g3 �xg3 20 fxg3 �f5 2 1 frfe 1 t wd7 22 !Wg5
�g6 23 fr e7t!

1 -0

82
 Game 23
In the Genuine Tal Manner
Igazi Tal-stilusban

M. Tal - W. Uhlmann
Moscow 1 97 1

White to play: 12?

83
 Game 23
M. Tal W. Uhlmann
-

Moscow 1 97 1
French Defence

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 fld2 c5 4 f)gf3 f)c6 5 �b5

dxe4 6 f)xe4 �d7 7 �g5 Wa5 t 8 f)c3 cxd4 9
f)xd4 �b4 1 0 0-0 �xc3 1 1 bxc3 Wxc3 12
f)f5! exf5 13 �e l t �e6 1 4 Wd6 a6 1 5 �d2
Wxc2 1 6 �b4 axb5 1 7 Wf8t wd7 1 8 �ed l t
wc7 1 9 Wxa8

1 -0

84
 Game 24
In Morphy's Footsteps
Morphy nyomdokain

M. Tal - V. Smyslov
Yugoslavia 1 959

White to play: 19?

85
 Game 24
M. Tal V. Smyslov
-

Yugoslavia 1 959
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 d3 d5 3 fld2 e5 4 flgf3 fld7 5 d4

dxe4 6 flxe4 exd4 7 lWxd4 flgf6 8 �g5 �e7 9
0-0-0 0-0 1 0 fld6 lWa5 1 1 �c4 b5 1 2 �d2
lWa6 1 3 flf5 �d8 1 4 lWh4 bxc4 1 5 lWg5 flh5 1 6
flh6t wh8 1 7 lWxh5 lWxa2 1 8 �c3 flf6 19
lWxf7! lWa l t 20 wd2 �xf7 2 1 flxf7t wg8 22
�xa l wxf7 23 fle5 t we6 24 flxc6 fle4t 25
we3 �b6t 26 �d4

1 -0

86
 Game 25
Tony Is Stymied
Tonyval kibabnilnak

M. Tal - A. Miles
Gennany 1982

White to play: 20?

87
 Game 25
M. Tal A. Miles
-

Germany 1 982
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 flc3 dxe4 4 �xe4 fld7 5 flfJ

flgf6 6 flg3 e6 7 �d3 �e7 8 We2 0-0 9 0-0
b6 1 0 c4 �b7 1 1 �f4 �e8 1 2 �ad l c5 1 3
dxc5 bxc5 1 4 �e5 Wb6 1 5 �xh7t flxh7 1 6
�xd7 g6 1 7 b4 �c8 1 8 bxc5 Wxc5 1 9 fle4
Wb6 20 Wf3 ! Wb2 2 1 �xf7 Wg7 22 �h6t wh8
23 �c7 �f8 24 �xe7 [24...Wxe7 (24...fuf4 25
fug7 fuj3 26 �g8#) 25 �e5t+-J

1 -0

88
 Game 2 6
Giving Mate Is Delicious
A mattadas gyonyorkodtet

M. Tal A. Karpov
-

Bmssels 1 987

Wizite to play: 24?

89
 Game 26
M. Tal A. Karpov
-

Brussels 1 987
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 c4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 cxd5 oflf6 5

flc3 flxd5 6 flf3 flxc3 7 bxc3 g6 8 d4 rJig7 9
rJid3 0-0 1 0 0:-0 flc6 1 1 �e 1 �e8 1 2 rJig5 rJie6
1 3 �xe6 fxe6 14 rJic4 IWd6 1 5 IWe2 ofld8 1 6
�e 1 �c8 1 7 fld2 wh8 1 8 ofle4 \1!,Jc7 1 9 rJib3 e5
20 h4 exd4 2 1 h5 gxh5 22 \1!,Jxh5 �f8 23 rJic2
\1!,Je5 24 flg3 ! \1!,Jxe l t 25 wh2 h6 26 �xh6 wg8
27 �xg7 �xf2 28 \1!,Jh7t wf7 29 \1!,Jg6t wg8 30
�h6t

1 -0

90
 Game 27
Misha does not Spare His Namesake
Misa nem kimeli a druszajat

M. Tal - M. Botvinnik
Moscow 1960

White to play: 40?

91
 Game 27
M. Tal M. Botvinnik
-

Moscow 1 960
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 fJc3 dxe4 4 f)xe4 �f5 5 f)g3

�g6 6 �c4 e6 7 fJ 1 e2 fJf6 8 f)f4 �d6 9 fJxg6
hxg6 1 0 �g5 fJbd7 1 1 0-0 lWa5 1 2 f4 0-0-0
1 3 a3 lWc7 1 4 b4 fJb6 1 5 �e2 �e7 1 6 lWd3
f)fd5 1 7 �xe7 lWxe7 1 8 c4 fJf6 1 9 frab 1 lWd7
20 frbd 1 wb8 2 1 lWb3 lWc7 22 a4 frh4 23 a5
fJc8 24 lWe3 fJe7 25 lWe5 frhh8 26 b5 cxb5 27
lWxb5 a6 28 lWb2 frd7 29 c5 was 30 �f3 f)c6
3 1 �xc6 lWxc6 32 frf3 lWa4 33 frfd3 frc8 34
frb l lWxa5 3 5 frb3 lWc7 36 lWa3 wa7 3 7 frb6
lWxf4 3 8 f)e2 lWe4 3 9 lWb3 lWd5 40 frxa6t! wb8
4 1 lWa4

1-0

92
 Game 28
Another KO to the Great Rival
Uj abb K.O. a nagy rivalisnak
,

M. - M. Botvinnik
Moscow 1 96 1

White to play: 29?

93
 Game 2 8
M. - M. Botvinnik
Moscow 1 96 1
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 dxc5 e6 5 w"!g4 flc6

6 flf3 w"!c7 7 �b5 �d7 8 �xc6 w"!xc6 9 �e3
flh6 1 0 �xh6 gxh6 1 1 flbd2 w"!xc5 1 2 c4
0-0-0 1 3 0-0 wb8 1 4 frfd 1 W,.!b6 1 5 W,.!h4 a5
1 6 frac 1 frg8 1 7 fjb3 a4 1 8 c5 w"!c7 1 9 flbd4
frc8 20 b4 axb3 2 1 axb3 W,.!d8 22 w"!xd8 frxd8
23 b4 frg4 24 b5 frc8 25 c6 �e8 26 frc2 �g7
27 fra l �xe5 2 8 flxe5 frxd4 29 fjd7t !

1 -0

94
 Game 29
Tal Is in His Element
Tal elemeben van

M. Tal - L. Portisch
Bled 1965

White to play: 16?

95
 Game 29
M. Tal L. Portis.c h
-

Bled 1 965
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 �c3 d5 3 �f3 dxe4 4 �xe4 �g4 5

h3 �xf3 6 Wlxf3 �d7 7 d4 flgf6 8 �d3 �xe4 9
Wlxe4 e6 1 0 0-0 �e7 11 c3 flf6 1 2 Wlh4 �d5
1 3 Wlg4 �f6 1 4 fre 1 Wlb6 1 5 c4 flb4 16 frxe6t!
fxe6 1 7 Wlxe6t wf8 1 8 �f4 frd8 1 9 c5 flxd3
20 cxb6 �xf4 2 1 Wlg4 �d5 22 bxa7 we7 23 b4
fra8 24 fre l t wd6 25 b5 frxa7 26 fre6t wc7
27 frxf6

1-0

96
 Game 30
A King Gets Going
Egy kinUy neki16dul

M. Tal - H. Golombek
Munich 195 8

White to play: 32?

97
 Game 30
M. Tal - H. Golombek
Munich 1 95 8
Caro-Kann Defence

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 �f5 4 c4 e6 5 flc3 dxc4

6 �xc4 fJe7 7 flge2 fld7 8 0-0 fJb6 9 �b3
Wd7 1 0 a4 a5 1 1 fJg3 �g6 1 2 �c2 �xc2 1 3
Wxc2 fJed5 1 4 fJce4 fJb4 1 5 We2 fJ6d5 1 6 f4
g6 1 7 fra3 �e7 1 8 �d2 flc2 1 9 frd3 fJdb4 20
�xb4 fJxb4 2 1 frdd 1 frd8 22 wh 1 h5 23 fJf6t
�xf6 24 exf6 wf8 25 fle4 h4 26 flc5 Wc8 27
f5 gxf5 2 8 We3 b6 29 Wg5 frh7 30 frf4 bxc5
3 1 frxh4 frxh4 32 Wg7t ! we8 33 Wg8t wd7
34 Wxf7t wd6 35 We7t

1 -0

98
 Game 31
Mate Puts an End to Torments
A � att veget vet a szenvedesnek

M. Tal - L. Szabo
Sochi 1973

White to play: 22?

99
 Game 3 1
M. Tal L. Szabo
-

Sochi 1 973
Modern Defence

1 e4 g6 2 d4 fig7 3 fJc3 d6 4 f4 a6 5 fjf3 b5

6 fid3 fib7 7 We2 c5 8 dxc5 dxc5 9 e5 fJc6 1 0
fie3 fJd4 1 1 fjxd4 cxd4 1 2 0-0-0 b4 1 3 fJe4
fJh6 1 4 fixd4 0-0 1 5 fic5 Wa5 1 6 fixe7 �fe8
1 7 fid6 Wxa2 1 8 fixb4 fixe4 1 9 Wxe4 fJg4 20
fic4 Wa l t 2 1 wd2 Wxb2 22 fixfit ! wxf7 23
Wd5 t �e6 24 Wb7t �e7 25 Wxe7t wg8 26
We6t wh8 27 Wc4 fjxe5 28 fxe5 Wxe5 29 c3
a5 3 0 Wc6 �b8 3 1 �he l fih6t 3 2 wc2 Wf5 t
3 3 We4 Wc8 34 �d7 axb4 3 5 We5 t wg8 3 6
We6t

1 -0

1 00
 Game 32
Overrun
Lerohanas

M. Tal - T. Petrosian
Moscow 1974

White to play: 19?

1 01
 Game 32
M. Tal - T. Petrosian
Moscow 1 974
Pirc Defence

1 fjf3 g6 2 e4 rJig7 3 d4 d6 4 fjc3 fjf6 5 rJie2

0-0 6 0-0 fjc6 7 d5 fjb8 8 i:!e 1 e5 9 dxe6
rJixe6 1 0 rJif4 h6 1 1 fjd4 rJid7 1 2 'Wd2 wh7 1 3
e5 dxe5 1 4 rJixe5 fje4 1 5 fJxe4 rJixe5 1 6 fJf3
rJig7 1 7 i:!ad l 'Wc8 1 8 rJic4 rJie8 19 fj eg 5t !
hxg5 20 fJxg5t wg8 2 1 'Wf4 fjd7 22 i:!xd7
�xd7 23 rJixt7t

1 -0

102
 Game 33
Bobby Meets His Match
Bobby emberere akad

M. Tal - R. J. Fischer
Yugoslavia 1959

White to play: 40?

1 03
 Game 3 3
M. Tal - R . J . Fischer
Yugoslavia 1 959
King 's Indian Defence

1 d4 f:lf6 2 c4 g6 3 oflc3 rtig7 4 e4 d6 5 rtie2

0-0 6 f:lf3 e5 7 d5 f:lbd7 8 rtig5 h6 9 rtih4 a6
1 0 f:ld2 i.We8 1 1 0-0 oflh 7 1 2 b4 f:lg5 1 3 f3 f5
1 4 rtif2 i.We7 1 5 Ere 1 oflf6 1 6 c5 rtid7 1 7 i.Wc2
f:lh5 1 8 b5 fxe4 1 9 f:ldxe4 f:lxe4 20 fxe4 oflf4
2 1 c6 i.Wg5 22 rtif3 bxc6 23 dxc6 rtig4 24 rtixg4
i.Wxg4 2 5 rtie3 axb5 26 rtixf4 exf4 27 oflxb5
Ert7 2 8 i.Wc4 Erc8 29 Erf3 rtie5 30 Ercfl wg7 3 1
a4 Era8 3 2 wh l i.Wg5 3 3 g3 ErafS 34 gxf4 rtixf4
3 5 f:ld4 i.Wh4 3 6 Erxf4 Erxf4 3 7 ofle6t wh8 3 8
i.Wd4t Er8f6 3 9 f:lxf4 wh7 4 0 e5 ! dxe5 4 1
i.Wd7t

1 -0

1 04
 Game 34
The Magician from Riga Gets Tough
A rigai vanizs16 bekemenyit

M. Tal A. Tolush
-

Riga 195 8

White to play: 25 ?

105
 Game 34
M. Tal A. Tolush
-

Riga 1 95 8
Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 d4 f)f6 2 c4 e6 3 f)c3 �b4 4 e3 c5 5 f)f3 d5

6 �d3 0-0 7 0-0 �bd7 8 a3 cxd4 9 f)xd5
exd5 1 0 axb4 dxc4 1 1 �xc4 �b6 1 2 �b3
dxe3 1 3 �xe3 �bd5 1 4 �c5 �e8 1 5 �e l
�xe l t 1 6 Wixe l b6 1 7 �d4 �b7 1 8 �d l Wie8
1 9 �e5 Wib5 20 �xf6 gxf6 2 1 Wie4 Wixb4 22
f)d4 f5 23 Wie5 �e7 24 Wif6 �d5 25 �c6 ! Wixb3
26 f)xe7t wf8 27 �e 1 �e6 28 f)xf5

1 -0

1 06
 Game 3 5
A Model Deflectio'o
Mintaszerii eltereles

M. Tal - D. Velimirovic
URS-YUG 1 979
White to play: 29?

107
 Game 3 5
M . Tal - D. Velimirovic
URS-YUG 1 979
English Opening

1 c4 c5 2 b3 tfJc6 3 �b2 e5 4 g3 d6 5 �g2 �e6

6 tfJc3 Wtd7 7 tfJf3 �h3 8 �xh3 Wtxh3 9 tfJd5
Wtd 7 1 0 e3 tfJce 7 1 1 tfJc3 tfJf6 1 2 0-0 e4 1 3
tfJg5 d5 1 4 cxd5 Wtf5 1 5 tfJxf7 wxf7 1 6 f3
tfJexd5 1 7 fxe4 tfJxc3 1 8 �xc3 Wtxe4 1 9 Wth5 t
we6 20 Wth3 t wd6 2 1 b4 wc7 22 fi:ac 1 fi:c8 23
fi:f5 Wtg4 24 �e5 t wd7 25 Wtfl Wte4 26 fi:c4
Wtc6 27 Wth3 Wte6 28 �xf6 gxf6 29 fi: e4 ! Wtxa2
3 0 fi:xc 5 t

1 -0

1 08
 Game 36
The King Is Naked !
A kinlly meztelen !

R. J. Fischer - M. Tal
Yugoslavia 1959

Black to play: 29 ? . . .

1 09
 Game 3 6
R . J . Fischer M . Tal
-

Yugoslavia 1 959
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 e5 2 flf3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 flxd4 flf6 5 fle3

a6 6 fie4 e6 7 fib3 fie7 8 f4 0-0 9 'Wf3 'We7
1 0 0-0 b5 1 1 f5 b4 1 2 fla4 e5 1 3 fle2 fib7 1 4
flg3 flbd7 1 5 fie3 fie6 1 6 fif2 'Wb7 1 7 �fe 1
d5 1 8 exd5 flxd5 1 9 fle4 flf4 20 e4 g6 2 1
fxg6 f5 22 g7 wxg7 23 'Wg3 t wh8 24 flee5
flxe5 2 5 fixe5 fixc5t 26 flxc5 'Wc7 27 'We3
�ae8 28 �e2 flxe2t 29 'Wxe2 fixg2 ! 30 flxa6
'Wa7t 3 1 wxg2 �g8t 32 wh3 'Wg7 3 3 fid l �e6

0- 1

110
 Game 37
Deadly Chase
HalaIos haj sza

L. Evans - M. Tal
Amsterdam 1 964

Black to play: 38 ? . . .

111
 Game 3 7
L. Evans M . Tal
-

Amsterdam 1 964
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 e5 2 flD e6 3 fle3 a6 4 �e2 b5 5 d4 exd4

6 flxd4 �b7 7 a3 "We7 8 0-0 flf6 9 "Wd3 d6 1 0
�g5 flbd7 1 1 "We3 �e7 1 2 frad l 0-0 1 3 f4
frae8 i 4 g4 flb6 1 5 �xf6 �xf6 1 6 g5 �xd4 1 7
frxd4 e5 1 8 frd2 exf4 1 9 frxf4 frfe8 20 "Wf2
"We7 2 1 h4 fle4 22 �xe4 frxe4 23 frd4 free8
24 frxe4 frxe4 25 "Wa7 "Wd7 26 wf2 d5 27
flxd5 frxe2t 2 8 wg3 fre8 29 frf6 fra8 30 "We5
frd8 3 1 frb6 �xd5 32 exd5 "Wf5 33 "Wd6 "Wd3 t
34 wg2 "We2t 3 5 wg3 "Wb3 t 3 6 wf4 fre8 3 7
frb8 ,"W e3 t 3 8 wg4 f5t ! 3 9 gxf6 h 5 t 4 0 wxh5
"WD t 4 1 wg5 "Wxf6t 42 "Wxf6 gxf6t 43 wxf6
frxb8 44 d6 wfS 45 h5 frb7 46 we6 frh7 47
wd5 we8 48 we6 wd8
0- 1

112
 Game 3 8
With a Firm Hand
Erelyes kezzel

K. Honft - M. Tal
Suhumi 1972

Black to play: 27 ? . . .

1 13
 Game 3 8
K. Honfi M . Tal
-

Suhumi 1 972
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 e5 2 'fJf3 'fJe6 3 d4 exd4 4 'fJxd4 e6 5 'fle3

a6 6 �e2 We7 7 f4 d6 8 �e3 �e7 9 Wd2 'flf6
1 0 0-0-0 'fJxd4 1 1 �xd4 e5 1 2 �e3 b5 1 3
fxe5 dxe5 1 4 'fJd5 'fJxd5 1 5 exd5 �d6 1 6 g4
�b7 1 7 wb 1 0-0 1 8 �f3 a5 1 9 �e4 b4 20 Wg2
a4 2 1 Wh3 g6 22 �e 1 �a6 23 �he 1 �e4 24
�e3 �fe8 25 Wg2 b3 26 exb3 axb3 27 axb3
�e2 ! 2 8 Wxe2 Wa5 29 �e3 Wa2t 3 0 we2
�xe 3 t 3 1 wxe3 �b4t 32 wxb4 Wa5 t 33 we4
Wa6t

0- 1

1 14
 Game 3 9
Cutthroat Fight
Adciz csihi-puhi

G. Botterill - M. Tal
Bath 1 973

Black to play: 42 ?
. . .

1 15
 Game 3 9
G. Botterill M. Tal
-

Bath 1 973
Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 flf3 e6 3 flc3 a6 4 d4 cxd4 5 flxd4

\Wc7 6 �d3 flf6 7 0-0 fJc6 8 flb3 b5 9 �g5
�e7 1 0 \We2 �b7 1 1 �ae l d6 1 2 a3 b4 1 3
axb4 flxb4 1 4 �a 1 0-0 1 5 fJa5 �c8 1 6 �c4
�b8 1 7 f4 d5 1 8 e5 �c5 t 1 9 wh l fJd7 20 �d3
flxd3 2 1 \Wxd3 �xb2 22 fJb3 �b4 23 fla2 fJc5
24 \Wd4 �a3 25 \Wc3 \Wb6 26 fJd2 �xa2 27
�xa2 �b4 28 \Wb2 d4 29 fJc4 \Wb5 3 0 \Wxd4
�b7 3 1 c3 flb3 32 \Wd3 �c5 33 �d l h6 34
�h4 �a8 35 h3 a5 3 6 Wh2 a4 3 7 \We2 �c6 3 8
fld6 \Wa5 3 9 f5 \Wxc3 40 �e7 fJc l 4 1 �xc 1
\Wxc l 42 �xf8 �e3 ! 43 Wg3 �g5 44 \Wc4 \We3 t
45 Wg4 �h4 46 �e7 �xe7 47 flxfl h5t 48
Wxh5 �e8 49 Wg4 exf5 t 50 Wxf5 g6t 5 1 Wg4
�d7t '
0- 1

116
 Game 40
Sudden Death
Hirtelen halal

B. Spassky - M. Tal
Montreal 1979

Black to play: 20 ? . . .

1 17
 Game 40
B. Spassky M. Tal
-

Montreal 1 979
Queen 's Indian Defence

1 d4 'fJf6 2 c4 e6 3 'fJf3 b6 4 e3 �b7 5 �d3 d5

6 b3 �d6 7 0-0 0-0 8 �b2 'fJbd7 9 flbd2 We7
1 0 �c 1 �ad8 1 1 Wc2 c5 1 2 cxd5 exd5 1 3
dxc5 bxc5 1 4 Wc3 �fe8 1 5 �fd 1 d4 1 6 exd4
cxd4 1 7 Wa5 'fJe5 1 8 'fJxe5 �xe5 1 9 'fJc4 �d5
20 Wd2 �xh2 t ! 2 1 wxh2 �h5 t 22 wg l 'fJg4
0- 1

118
 Game 4 1
The Ballad of the Idle Queen
A tetlen vezer balladaj a

N . Spiridonov - M . Tal
Tbilisi 1 969

Black to play: 28 ? . . .

1 19
 Game 4 1
N . Spiridonov M. Tal-

Tbilisi 1 969
King 's Indian Defence

1 'f)f3 g6 2 d4 (}ig7 3 c4 d6 4 'fJc3 'f)f6 5 e4

0-0 6 (}ie2 e5 7 0-0 'f)bd7 8 d5 'f)c5 9 tMic2 a5
1 0 'f)d2 (}ih6 1 1 'fJb3 (}ixc 1 1 2 'f)xc5 (}ih6 1 3
'fJd3 'f)d7 1 4 (}ig4 f5 1 5 (}ih3 tMih4 1 6 ffae 1 'fJf6
1 7 f3 fff7 1 8 tMif2 tMih5 1 9 c5 fxe4 20 (}ixc8 e3
2 1 tMic2 ffxc8 22 tMia4 ffcf8 23 cxd6 cxd6 24
'f)c 1 e2 25 ffxe2 'f)g4 26 h3 'f)e3 27 fffe l b5
28 tMixb5 ffxf3 ! 29 gxf3 tMixf3 30 'f)d3 tMig3 t
3 1 wh l tMixh3 t 32 wg l e4 3 3 'f)xe4 fffl t 34
ffxfl tMixfl t 3 5 wh2 tMixe2t 3 6 'f)ef2 (}if4t

0- 1

120
 Game 42
Sacrificial Fireworks
Aldozati tUzij atek

J. Szukszta - M. Tal
Uppsala 1 95 6

Black to play: 14 ? . . .

121
 Game 42
J. Szukszta M. Tal
-

Uppsala 1 956
King 's Indian Defence

1 d4 flf6 2 c4 g6 3 flc3 {}ig7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-0

6 {}ie3 e5 7 flge2 c6 8 lWb3 exd4 9 flxd4 d5
1 0 cxd5 cxd5 1 1 exd5 flc6 1 2 dxc6 :ge8 1 3
wf2 :gxe3 1 4 :gd 1 flg4 t ! 1 5 fxg4 {}ixd4 1 6
:gxd4 lWxd4 1 7 lWd5 :ge2t 1 8 wxe2 {}ixg4t 1 9
we l :ge8 t 2 0 {}ie2 :gxe2t

0- 1

122
 Game 43
Large Diagonal
NagyM16

B. Spassky - M. Tal
Tallinn 1 973

Black to play: 29 ? . . .

1 23
 Game 43
B. Spassky M. Tal
-

Tallinn 1 973
Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 d4 flf6 2 c4 e6 3 flc3 �b4 4 �g5 h6 5 �h4

c5 6 d5 b5 7 dxe6 fxe6 8 cxb5 d5 9 e3 0-0
1 0 flf3 lWa5 1 1 �xf6 �xf6 1 2 lWd2 a6 1 3 bxa6
cflc6 1 4 �e2 d4 1 5 exd4 �xf3 1 6 �xf3 cxd4
1 7 0-0 dxc3 1 8 bxc3 �xc3 1 9 lWd6 �xa6 20
�xc6 �b4 2 1 lWb8 �xc6 22 �ac 1 �c5 23 �c2
lWa4 24 lWb3 lWf4 25 lWg3 lWf5 26 �fc l �b7 27
lWf3 lWg5 2 8 lWb3 �c7 29 g3 �xf2 t ! 3 0 wxf2
lWf6t 3 1 we l lWe5 t 32 wfl �a6t 33 wg l lWd4t
3 4 wg2 lWe4t 3 5 wg l �b7 3 6 h4 lWh l t 3 7 wf2
�f7t 3 8 we2 lWe4t

0- 1

1 24
 Game 44
Let Us Be Sacrificers
Ne hentesek, de aldoz6k legytink

L. Barczay - M. Tal
Misko1c 1 963

Black to play: 25 ? . . .

125
 Game 44
L. Barczay M. Tal
-

Misko1c 1 963
Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 d4 'fJf6 2 e4 e6 3 'fle3 �b4 4 IWb3 e5 5 dxe5

'fJe6 6 'fJf3 'fJe4 7 �d2 'flxd2 8 'fJxd2 �xe5 9 e3
0-0 1 0 �e2 b6 1 1 0-0 �b7 1 2 'fJde4 Efb8 1 3
Efad 1 f5 1 4 'fJxe5 bxe5 1 5 lWa3 lWe7 1 6 'fJb5 f4
1 7 'fJd6 �a8 1 8 �f3 fxe3 1 9 fxe3 'fJe5 20
�xa8 Efxfl t 2 1 wxfl Efxa8 22 wg 1 EffS 23
IWxe5 IWg5 24 'fle4 IWg4 25 'flf2 Efxf2 ! 26 wxf2
IWf5 t 27 we2 IWh5 t 28 g4 IWxh2t 29 wfl lWh l t
3 0 wf2 'fJxg4t 3 1 wg3 IWxd l 32 lWe8t wf7

0- 1

1 26
 Game 45
It's Only Natural
Mi sem tenneszetesebb

J. Timman - M. Tal
Tallinn 1973

Black to play: 27 ?. . .

127
 Game 45
J. Timman M. Tal
-

Tallinn 1 973
Benoni Defence

1 d4 'flf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 g6 4 'flc3 {}2g7 5 e4 d6

6 'flO 0-0 7 {}2e2 e5 8 0-0 fle8 9 fle 1 'fld7 1 0
'fld3 f5 1 1 f4 We7 1 2 exf5 gxf5 1 3 c;!;>h l e4 1 4
'fl f2 {}2xc3 1 5 bxc3 'fldf6 1 6 {}2e3 c;!;>h8 1 7 h3
ffg8 1 8 Wd2 'flg7 1 9 'fld 1 flgh5 20 {}2xh5 'flxh5
2 1 {}2f2 {}2d7 22 {}2e 1 ffafS 23 'fle3 Wf6 24 c;!;>h2
Wh6 25 g3 fff6 26 ffg l fffg6 27 ffg2 'flxf4 ! 2 8
gxf4 Wxf4t 29 c;!;>g l wo 3 0 W f2 Wxh3 3 1 ffb l
f4 3 2 ffb2 0

0- 1

128
 Game 46
If You Live by the Sword ...
Aki kardot fog, kard altal vesz el

S. Reshevsky - M. Tal
Herceg Novi 1 970

Black to play: 21 ? . . .

129
 Game 46
S. Reshevsky M. Tal
-

Herceg Novi 1 970

Benoni Defence

1 d4 rfJf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 rfJc3 exd5 5 cxd5

d6 6 e4 g6 7 �b5 t flbd7 8 f4 �g7 9 flf3 0-0
1 0 0-0 a6 1 1 �d3 �e8 1 2 a4 c4 1 3 �c2 flc5
1 4 e5 rfJg4 1 5 h3 rfJh6 1 6 �e3 rfJd7 1 7 g4 dxe5
1 8 fxe5 rfJxe5 1 9 flxe5 �xe5 20 �d4 �g5 2 1
�xg7 rfJxg4 ! 22 hxg4 �xg4 23 Wd4 �h3 t 24
wf2 �g2t 25 wf3 Wg5 26 Wf4 Wh5t 27 we3
�e8 t 28 wd4 �g4 29 �f6 �xf1 30 �xf1
�xf4t 3 1 �xf4 Wh2 32 �e4 Wf2t 3 3 wxc4
�c8 t 34 wb3 Wxf6

0- 1

130 .
 Game 47
By Sheer Force
Nyers erovel

B. Gurgenidze - M. Tal
Moscow 1 95 7

Black to play: 17 ? . . .

131
 Game 47
B. Gurgenidze M. Tal
-

Moscow 1 95 7
Benoni Defence

1 d4 flf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 flc3 exd5 5 cxd5

d6 6 flf3 g6 7 e4 0.g7 8 0.e2 0-0 9 0-0 l1e8
1 0 fld2 fla6 1 1 l1e 1 flc7 1 2 a4 b6 1 3 'Wc2 flg4
1 4 h3 flxf2 1 5 wxf2 'Wh4 t 1 6 wfl 0.d4 1 7 fld 1
'Wxh3 ! 1 8 0.f3 'Wh2 1 9 fle3 f5 20 fldc4 fxe4
2 1 0.xe4 0.a6 22 0.f3 l1e5 23 l1a3 l1ae8 24
0.d2 flxd5 25 0.xd5 t l1xd5 26 we2 0.xe3 27
l1xe3 0.xc4 t

0- 1

132
 Game 48
Misha Waves His Magic Wand
Misa megsuhintja varazsvesszejet

S. Gligoric - M. Tal
Bled 1 959

Black to play: 45 ?
. . .

133
 Game 48
S. Gligoric M. Tal
-

Bled 1 959
Benoni Defence

1 d4 fJf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 fJc3 exd5 5 cxd5

d6 6 e4 g6 7 fJf3 (}ig7 8 (}ie2 0-0 9 0-0 �e8
1 0 fJd2 fJa6 1 1 �b l (}id7 1 2 �e l �8 1 3 b3
b5 1 4 (}ib2 fJc7 1 5 \Wc2 \We7 1 6 fJd 1 (}ih6 1 7 f3
fJh5 1 8 fJf1 fJxd5 1 9 exd5 (}if5 20 \Wc3 (}ig7
2 1 \Wc 1 (}ixb 1 22 (}ixg7 wxg7 23 \Wxb 1 fJf4 24
fJde3 \We5 25 (}ixb5 �xb5 26 ofJf5 t gxf5 27
�xe5 �xe5 2 8 g3 ofJe2t 29 wf2 wg8 3 0 fJe3
fJd4 3 1 f4 �e4 32 g4 �xf4t 33 wg2 fxg4 34
fJc4 fJf3 35 \Wc l �f6 3 6 \We3 wfS 3 7 \We4 �b8
3 8 \Wxh7 �e8 3 9 \Wh8t we7 40 \Wg7 fJh4t 4 1
wg l fJf3 t 42 wg2 �g6 43 \Wc3 ofJd4 44 b4 wfS
45 fJe3 g3 ! 46 h3 �f6
0- 1

134
 Game 49
The Case of the Unhappy Rooks
A boldogtalan bastyak esete

G. Barcza - M. Tal
Tallinn 1 97 1

Black to play: 21. . ?

.

135
 Game 49
G. Barcza - M. Tal
Tallinn 1 97 1
Zukertort Opening

1 fJf3 g6 2 g3 {}ig7 3 {}ig2 d6 4 d3 e5 5 e4 fJc6

6 fJc3 fJge7 7 {}ie3 0-0 8 \Wd2 fld4 9 fJe2 {}ih3
1 0 fJfxd4 {}ixg2 1 1 �g 1 exd4 1 2 flxd4 c5 1 3
fJb5 {}if3 1 4 g4 d5 1 5 {}ixc5 �c8 1 6 {}ia3 dxe4
1 7 dxe4 \Wb6 1 8 {}ixe7 \Wxb5 1 9 {}ixf8 \Wxb2 20
{}ixg7 wxg7 2 1 �c 1 �d8 ! 22 \We3 \Wxc2 23 wfl
�d l t [24 'fixdl \Wxdl t 25 \Wel \Wd3t 26 \We2
\Wxe2#}

0- 1

136
 Game 50
Counter-blow
Ellencsapas

V. Saigin - M. Tal
Riga 1954

Black to play: 25 ?
. . .

137
 Game 50
v. Saigin M. Tal
-

Riga 1 954
English Opening

1 d4 flf6 2 c4 c5 3 flU e6 4 g3 cxd4 5 flxd4

d5 6 �g2 e5 7 flU d4 8 0-0 flc6 9 e3 �e7 1 0
exd4 exd4 1 1 flbd2 �e6 1 2 �e 1 0-0 1 3 b3
".Wd7 1 4 �b2 �ad8 1 5 a3 a5 1 6 fJe5 flxe5 1 7
�xe5 b6 1 8 flU �c5 1 9 ".Wd2 flg4 20 �ee 1 d3
2 1 �f1 ".Wd6 22 ".Wc3 f6 23 �ad 1 �fe8 24 �d2
�f5 25 flg5 fJe3 ! 26 fxe3 �xe3 t 27 wh l
�xd2 2 8 ".Wxd2 �e2 29 ".Wc3 �xg2

0 - 1

138
 Game 51
Mental Acrobatics
Szellemi akrobatika

L. Polugaevsky - M. Tal
Riga 1 979

Black to play: 20 ? . . .

139
 Game 5 1 .
L. Polugaevsky M. Tal
-

Riga 1 979
English Opening

1 fJf3 c5 2 c4 fJf6 3 fJc3 d5 4 cxd5 fJxd5 5 e4

fJb4 6 �c4 �e6 7 �xe6 fJd3 t 8 wfl fxe6 9
fJg5 'Wb6 1 0 'We2 c4 1 1 b3 h6 1 2 fJf3 fJc6 1 3
bxc4 0-0-0 1 4 g3 g5 1 5 wg2 'Wc5 1 6 �b l
�g7 1 7 fJb5 'Wxc4 1 8 'We3 �hfS 1 9 �fl g4 20
fJh4 fJxf2 ! 2 1 �g6 �d3 22 �a3 'Wa4 23 'We 1
�df3 24 fJxfS fJd3 25 'Wd l 'Wxe4 26 �xf3
gxf3 t 27 wfl 'Wf5 28 wg l �d4t

0- 1

140
 Game 52
Finishing Touch
Az utols6 simitas

B. Larsen - M. Tal
Bugojno 1 984

Black to play: 28 ?. . .

141
 Game 52
B. Larsen - M. Tal
Bugojno 1 984
English Opening

1 c4 c5 2 g3 g6 3 �g2 �g7 4 e3 flf6 5 �c3 e6

6 flge2 0-0 7 0-0 flc6 8 flf4 b6 9 b3 �a6 1 0
�b2 d5 1 1 fre 1 frc8 1 2 d3 d4 1 3 exd4 �xd4
1 4, a4 'Wd7 1 5 flb5 frfd8 1 6 �xd4 cxd4 1 7 b4
�b7 1 8 �c l fre8 1 9 flh3 e5 20 �xb7 'Wxb7 2 1
f3 fld7 22 g4 f5 23 gxf5 gxf5 24 fra2 e4 25
fxe4 fxe4 26 frg2 e3 27 �b2 fle5 28 �xd4
e2 !

0- 1

142
Tal's major matches

Candidates 1 959 - 'minimatches '

vs. Keres +1 -3 =0
vs. Petrosian +0 -0 =4
vs. Smyslov +2 -1 =1
vs. Fischer +4 -0 =0
vs. Gligoric +3 -0 =1
vS. Olafsson +3 -0 =1
vs. Benko +3 -0 =1

Matches for the world title

vs. B otvinnik, 1960 +6 -2 =13
rematch vs. Botvinnik, 1961 +5 -10 =6

Curacao 1 962 - 'minimatches '

vs. Petrosian +0 -2 =1
vs. Keres +0 -2 =1
vs. Geller +0 -2 =1
vs. Fischer +0 -1 =2
vs. Korchnoi +1 -1 =1
vs. Benko +1 -1 =1
vs. Filip +1 -1 =1

· 1 43
 Candidates ' matches

vs. Portisch (114, Bled 1965 ) +4 -1 =3

vs. Larsen (112, Bled 1965) +3 -2 =5
vs. Spassky (Final, Tbilisi 1965) +1 -4 =6
vs. Bronstein (Tr. , Moscow 1966) +1 -0 =3
vs. Gligoric (114, Belgrade 1968) +3 -1 =5
vs. Korchnoi (112 Moscow 1968) +1 -2 =7
vs. Larsen (3rd, Eersel 1969) +1 -4 =3
vs. Polugaevsky (1/4, Belgr. 1980) +0 -3 =5
vs. Ulf Andersson (Malmoe 1983) +1 -1 =4
vs. Timman (Montpellier 1985 ) +1 -1 =4

144
 Index of Opponents

Numbers refer to games . A bold number indicates that

Tal was White.

Barcza 49 Matanovic 17 Tolusch 34

Barczay 44 Miles 25 Uhlmann 23
Benko 5 Neibult 7 Velimirovic 35
Bilek 4 Petrosian 32 Vooremaa 8
Botteril 3 9 Polugaevsky 5 1 Zaitsev 22
Botvinnik 27, 28 Portisch1 5, 29
Bronstein 19 Rantanen 13
Evans 37 Reshevsky 46
Fischer 33, 36 Saigin 50
Gligoric 48 Short 21
Golombek 30 Smyslov 24
Gulko 11 Spassky 14, 40, 43
Gurgenidze 47 Spiridonov 4 1
Hj artarson 18 Stean 12
Honfi 3 8 Suetin 6
Karpov 26 Sviridov 3
Keres 16 Szabo 31
Koblents 1 0 Szukszta 42
Korchnoi 2, 20 Taimanov 9
Larsen 1, 5 2 Timman 4 5

145
 Index of Openings

Numbers refer to games . A bold number indi­

cates that Tal was White . .

Benoni Defence 45-48

Caro-Kann Defence 24-30
English Opening 35, 5 0-52
French Defence 20-23
King 's Indian Defence 33, 4 1 -42
Modem Defence 3 1
Nirnzo-Indian Defence 34, 43 -44
Pirc Defence 32
Queen 's Indian Defence 40
Ruy Lopez 14-19
Sicilian Defence 1-13, 36-3 9
Zukertort Opening 49

146
 Symbols used

t Check
tt Double check
# Checkmate
Good move
!! Excellent move
+- Winning advantage for White
1-0 White wins
0- 1 Black wins

147
 Already available volumes of The Chess
Greats of the World:

Judit Polgar
Bobby Fischer
Paul Morphy
Capablanca
Veselin Topalov
Kasparov
Korchnoi
Kramnik
Peter Leko
Anand
Carlsen
Alekhine
Mikhail Tal

148
Brand.. new titles in CA ISSA
CHESS BOOKS :

Daniel Lovas:
Anand - Topalov, Sofia 20 1 0

J6zsej Pinter:
The Semi-Tarrasch Defence 1-11

Gyula Meszaros:
The Secrets of the Opposite­
Coloured Bishop Endings

149
Other titles in CAISSA
CHESS BOOKS:

Attila Schneider:
Open Games
Semi-Open Games
The Art of Giving Mate
Chess Cafe
Queen's Pawn Opening - Pseudo­
Benoni (in co-authorship with T Erdeiyi)
The Complete D ragon - Yugoslav
Attack
The Complete Sicilian 1-11
Andnis Meszaros:
Traps in the Opening
J6zsej Paik6vi:
Two Knights' Defence
Sandor Videki:
The Pirc Defence

150
The HUNGARIAN CHESS ENCYCLOPAEDIA
by Daniel Lovas and Zoltan Molnar

The first Hungarian chess encyclopaedia provides

overall knowledge about the rules, history and the
greatest HungariaQ and international characters of
chess. The more than one thousand entries embrace
1 2 large topics, among them fundamentals, chess
slang, openings, biographies, chess and culture,
chess and computers.
*

Megj elent a
M A GY A R SAKKLEXI KON

Az elso magyar sakklexikon litfog6 ismereteket

ny(lj t a sakkj atek szabalyair61, torteneterol, leg­
nagyobb hazai es nemzetkozi alakj air6I. A tobb
mint ezer sz6cikk 1 2 nagy temakort olel feI .
A 320 oldalas, tobb mint 2 0 0 diagramot es kepet
tartalmaz6 kotet fObb temai : alapfogalmak,
sakkoyelv, megnyitasok, sakkoz6i eletraj zok,
nemzetkozi es magyar sakkelet, sakk es kulrura,
sakk es szamit6gep .

For more information see the homepage of

Publisher decoArt: decoart. hu

151
 ANAND - TOPALOV
Sofia 20 1 0
by Daniel Lovas
The Story of the Great Match For
the FIDE World Champion Title
The 12 Games with
Detailed Annotations
The World Chess Championship final organized in
2 0 1 0 in Sofia generated outstanding interest. On
the pages of this book, the author makes an attempt
at recalling the story of the match as attractively as
possible. To assist the better understanding of the
memorable 1 2 games, detailed annotations are
enclosed, which, in addition to the analysis of the
variations, also touch on the role tournament tacti­
cal and moral factors played in the fonning of the
result.
*

Kiemelkedo erdeklodes 6vezte a 20 l 0-ben,

Sz6fiaban rendezett sakkvilagbajnoki d6ntot.
E k6nyv lapj ain a szerzo megkiserli minel elmeny­
szeriib ben felidezni a merkozes t6rtenetet. A 1 2 em­
lekezetes j atszma megerteset reszletes kommenta­
rok segitik, melyek a valtozatok elemzese mellett
kiternek a versenytaktikai es lelki tenyezok
szerepere is az eredmeny alakulasaban.

1 52