Tal-Larsen Candidates 1965: Deciding Game

Submitted by NM GreenLaser on Sat, 10/10/2009 at 6:13pm.

Mikhail Tal, the former world champion, and Bent Larsen, the Great Dane, met in a semifinal candidates match in 1965. Larsen was ahead after winning game one. Tal won game two. Games three and four were draws. Larsen won game five and Tal came back to win game six. After draws in the next three games, the match was still even. In game ten, Tal had white. On move sixteen, Tal offered a gift of a wooden horse. Just as the Iliad is read to this day, the sacrifice made by Tal and accepted by Larsen has been analyzed ever since. I have made some remarks and used the contributions of Tal, Larsen, Shamkovich, Kasparov, Boleslavsky, Nikitin, Burgess, Polugaevsky, Levy, and Soltis. Due to the size of this article, some readers may prefer to play through the moves of the game before delving into the analysis.

 

» posted in Amazing Games
 

Comments:

by vsarun - 28 days ago
manama India
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 481

true magician

by leonelcm - 31 days ago
Mexico City Mexico
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 343

Thanx for sharing, Tal is one of the best chess players ever. I enjoyed this game trying to follow Tal logic, but I'm far away from his geniality... Very good game.

by Abhilash_007 - 40 days ago
Bangalore India
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 36

There are no words to describe this "GAME"

by Abhilash_007 - 40 days ago
Bangalore India
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 36

Brilliant!

by Anothernewjack - 40 days ago
Minnesota United States
Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 145

Tal, the sacraficing king of all chess !!!

by kitifolen - 40 days ago
madrid Spain
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 54

Tal was the most stunning chess player, a pitty his early health problems..

by tas58 - 40 days ago
Midwest United States
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 420

Great Game!!Smile

This game is so far above my level and yet I find it very entertaining. Thanks for posting this game. And the amount of analysis is very much appreciated. Good stuff.

by abohay - 41 days ago
Asyut Egypt
Member Since: Aug 2009
Member Points: 56

fantastic game by tal my idol in chess

by Hammerschlag - 41 days ago
Queens, New York United States
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 153

My favorite player, Mikhail Tal with one of his best games against one of the great masters...the attack was amazing and the end was even more so.

Qf7! amazing; I wish I could play like that.

by NM GreenLaser - 41 days ago
Chester, NY United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 1421

MikyZ, Tal knew that after 24...Rf3? he would win without much resistance.

by MikyZ - 41 days ago
Frankfurt (oder) Germany
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 25

Great game. Awesome tactic to finish his oponent off. I would like to know, when Tal knew that it will all work out so perfectly !?

by 1wa - 41 days ago
Inglewood, CA United States
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 57

The Maestro at work.

by bigfundu - 42 days ago
Chennai India
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 381

Brilliant is the only way I can describe this game. To think of such things over the board is awesome!

by rugin_29 - 42 days ago
manila Philippines
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 101

BRILLIANT...!!!extraordinary kind of sacrifice showing till the end of the game.Genius... 

by Artemi - 42 days ago
Imus, Cavite Philippines
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 132

Typical Tal!

by HAWKEYEMASTER - 42 days ago
NORTH CAROLINA United States
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 3

Mr. Mikhail vision to sacrifice the knight and rook and command the victory at the end was awesome moves that just amazed me and entice me to have a vision and see the big picture when playing chess

by irontigran - 42 days ago
west coast United States
Member Since: Aug 2009
Member Points: 20

what a great game, Tal at his best!

 

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