How Mikhail Tal kept on defeating everyone

tal was in his prime a top 5 player. doesnt mean he won all his games. but at least tal havent played like a loser.

Tal in his prime was the chess champion of the world!

Path to the Throne (1958-1960)
Tal's rise from 1957 to 1960 is arguably the fastest and most dominant in the history of the World Championship qualification process.

USSR Championship (Qualifier for the Interzonal)
1958 USSR Championship (Riga): Tal finished 1st with a score of 12.5/18, ahead of Tigran Petrosian and David Bronstein. Winning the Soviet Championship was a monumental task in itself and secured his spot in the next stage of the world championship cycle.
The Interzonal Tournament
1958 Portorož Interzonal: This was Tal's introduction to the world's elite outside the USSR. He announced his arrival in spectacular fashion, winning the tournament outright with a dominant score of 13.5/20 (+8 -1 =11), a full point ahead of Svetozar Gligorić. A 16-year-old Bobby Fischer finished 6th to also qualify.
The Candidates' Tournament
1959 Candidates' Tournament (Bled, Zagreb, Belgrade): This is one of the most legendary tournaments ever held. The field consisted of the eight strongest challengers in the world. Tal didn't just win; he obliterated the field.

He finished in clear 1st place with 20/28 points, a massive 1.5 points ahead of Paul Keres.
Famous Sub-plot: He famously played Bobby Fischer four times and won all four games. This 4-0 "mini-match" was a key part of his tournament victory.
By winning the Candidates', Tal earned the right to challenge Mikhail Botvinnik for the World Championship.

1960 World Championship Match (Moscow)
Opponent: Mikhail Botvinnik
This was a historic clash of styles. Tal's dazzling, intuitive, and sacrificial chess completely overwhelmed Botvinnik's logical, scientific approach. Botvinnik confessed he was unprepared for Tal's brand of chaos.
Final Score: Tal won +6, -2, =13
Outcome: At age 23, Mikhail Tal became the 8th World Chess Champion, the youngest in history at that time.

I was thirteen in 1960 and the only British newspaper that carried the games in full was The Times, which was displayed on a reading frame in our school. At lunchtimes I used to copy down each game as it appeared. Tal has always been one of my favourite players.