Mikhail Tal (1936 - 1992) International GrandMaster (1957), World Champion, 1960-61
Known as "The Magician from Riga," Tal was the archetype of the attacking player, developing an extremely powerful and imaginative style of play. His approach over the board was very pragmatic—in that respect, he is one of the heirs of ex-World Champion Emanuel Lasker. He often sacrificed material in search for the initiative in chess, which is defined by the ability to make threats to which the opponent must respond. With such intuitive sacrifices, he created vast complications, and many masters found it impossible to solve all the problems he created over the board, though deeper post-game analysis found flaws in some of his conceptions. Although his playing style was scorned by ex-World Champion Vasily Smyslov as nothing more than "tricks," Tal convincingly beat virtually every notable grandmaster with his trademark aggression. Viktor Korchnoi and Paul Keres are two of the very few with a significant plus record against him. He remained to the end of his shortened life an immensely popular figure in the world of chess.
Tal loved the game in itself and considered that "Chess, first of all, is Art." He was capable of playing numerous blitz games against unknown or relatively weak players purely for the joy of playing.
"Some sacrifices are sound; the rest are mine.
To play for a draw, at any rate with White, is to some degree a crime against chess.
If (Black) is going for victory, he is practically forced to allow his opponent to get some kind of well-known positional advantage.
It is also important to remember that he was a real chess gentleman during games. He was always very fair and very correct.
I drink, I smoke, I gamble, I chase girls—but postal chess is one vice I don't have.
They compare me to Lasker, which is an exaggerated honor. He made mistakes in every game and I in only every second one!
(referring to his piece sacrifices)"They can only take them one at a time!"
Some of my favorite Tal games:
*1.* Tal - Simagin; Leningrad, 1956.
Who can forget 15.Rb1!!! (Give-away?) Easily one of Tal's best, this game is definitely the work of genius.
*2.* Tal - Lissitizin; USSR Ch, Leningrad, 1956. This is Game Two in the Chernev book. ("The Most Instructive Games Of Chess Ever Played.") One of the all-time great games of chess. (And an extremely great ending.)
*3.* Tal - Tolush; Moscow, 1957. Tal defeats another great attacking player, in fine style.
*4.* Tal - Fischer; World Championship (Candidates) Tournament. Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade, 1959. One of Tal's finest games against an authentic prodigy and genius. (And another future World Champ.)
*5.* Tal - Geller; 25th USSR Championship. Riga, Latvia; 1958. Another one of Tal's wins ... and against a player who probably figures into the list of: "The 100 Best Players of All Time." (There's that move again, Rb1!!!)
*6.* Tal - Botvinnik; FIDE WCS Match. Moscow, U.S.S.R; 1960. Tal's first meeting with the great one. And Tal spanks him - much as you would a naughty puppy with a rolled-up newspaper.
*7.* Tal - Unzicker; Stockholm, 1961. Another brilliant game by the great one.
*8.* Tal - Hecht; "Walking Tal" ; Varna Olympiad, 1962. A queen sac, followed by Bf5!!!. (This is game # 91 in GM A. Soltis's book, "The 100 Best.")
*9.* Smyslov - Tal; Moscow, 1964. Another beautiful game that really sparkles. A game of great brilliancy. (Tal offers his Queen as Black, Smyslov manages to avoid being mated ... but gets a bad ending. In the end, Tal wins - with real panache.
*10.* Tal - GM Jan Hein Donner; Wijk aan Zee, 1968. A game of real style.
Wow, 15.Rb1 was just sublime. Beautiful and phenominal...What I would give to peek inside the mind of the guy across the table as he realized he had just been doomed by one of the greatest chess moves of all time.
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