Remembering Mikhail Tal

by Nagesh Havanur
11/9/2017 – November 9th is the birthday of Mikhail Tal, one of the most fascinating and adored World Champions. Tal loved to play chess, whether it was blitz, simultaneous events or games with classical time-control, and his imagination led to countless wonderful games. On the occasion of the birthday of the "Chess Magician" Prof. Nagesh Havanur shows brilliant games and a haunting elegy to pay a short tribute to Tal. | Photo: Unlikelylads / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Misha on a Magic Carpet

Misha Tal reveled in simultaneous displays. They gave him an opportunity to travel, see places and meet people. The public adored him and he enjoyed their adulation. In such events his play was uninhibited and he moved pieces with gay abandon. For him chess was fun. Take a look at this miniature he played when he was past his prime. A brilliant miniature!

Tal-N.N, Buenos Aires Simuls. 1987
 
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1.e41,185,96054%2421---
1.d4960,10155%2434---
1.Nf3286,72856%2440---
1.c4184,98756%2443---
1.g319,89756%2427---
1.b314,60454%2428---
1.f45,95848%2376---
1.Nc33,91750%2383---
1.b41,79148%2379---
1.a31,25054%2406---
1.e31,08149%2409---
1.d396950%2378---
1.g467046%2361---
1.h446654%2382---
1.c343951%2425---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411860%2461---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39366%2506---
1.Na34762%2476---
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 g6 6.b3 6.Nc3 is standard. 6...d5 Better is 6...Bg7 7.Bb2 Now we have a kind of Reti Opening. 0-0 8.Nc3 Na6 7.cxd5 Bg7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.d4 If 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nc3 Bxc3 11.dxc3 Qxd5= 9...Nxd5 10.Qd2 not 10.e4?! Nb4 10...Nb4? A loss of tempo is particularly dangerous against Tal. He should have completed development first with 10...Na6 11.a3 Tempting the knight to retreat in the wrong direction Otherwise 11.Rd1 is even stronger. 11...N4c6? This is asking for trouble. 11...Nd5 is also bad on account of 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Ne5± Correct is 11...N4a6= 12.d5 Bxb2?? 12...Nd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 cxd4 15.Qxd4± was the lesser evil. 13.dxc6! Tal in his element Qxd2 14.cxb7 Qd5 15.Nh4! The knight has the last word. Curiously his counterpart never moved. 1–0
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Tal,M-N.N.-1–01987A30Buenos Aires simuls.

Williams main teaching method behind this set of two DVDs is to teach you some simple yet effective set ups, without the need to rely on memorising numerous complicated variations.

Mikhail Tal at a simultaneous event | Photo: ChessPro.ru

Often Tal inspired his opponents, who put up a spirited fight before going down in flames. The following game is special and deserves a place in anthologies.

Tal-Miller, L.A. Simuls 1988
 
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1.e41,185,96054%2421---
1.d4960,10155%2434---
1.Nf3286,72856%2440---
1.c4184,98756%2443---
1.g319,89756%2427---
1.b314,60454%2428---
1.f45,95848%2376---
1.Nc33,91750%2383---
1.b41,79148%2379---
1.a31,25054%2406---
1.e31,08149%2409---
1.d396950%2378---
1.g467046%2361---
1.h446654%2382---
1.c343951%2425---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411860%2461---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39366%2506---
1.Na34762%2476---
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 Years ago Tal had run into trouble after 4.Ng5 Bc5!? (Traxler Counterattack) in a famous game with young readers of a Soviet newspaper. That game ended in a fighting draw. Here he avoids the line as he wants to attack himself. 4...d6? This is a beginner's move, losing a pawn. 4...exd4 is standard. 5.dxe5 Nxe4 6.Bxf7+! Kxf7 7.Qd5+ Be6 8.Qxe4± Tal emerges a pawn up in this well-known opening trap. No surprises so far. Be7 9.0-0 9.Nc3 completing development on the queenside is also possible. 9...d5 10.Qd3 Qd7 11.Re1 Raf8 An unusual plan. He intends an all-out offensive against the king. 11...Rhf8 followed by...Kg8 is a safer alternative. 11...Bf5 looks playable. But it's dangerous to allow the possibility of e5-e6. 12.Nc3 Ke8 13.Ng5? This move offers Black counterplay on the f-file. 13.Bg5! would have kept everything under control. 13...Bc5! inaugurating a brilliant counterattack 14.Nxe6 Bxf2+ 15.Kh1 Bxe1 16.Nxf8?! One cannot judge this move strictly. It was a simultaneous display, after all. Otherwise he would have played 16.Nxd5! Ba5 16...Qxe6?? 17.Nxc7++- 17.Nxf8 Rxf8 18.Be3 Nxe5 19.Qb3± 16...Rxf8 17.Bg5? This aggressive could have backfired. 17.Bd2! would have eliminated the road block by the bishop on e1. 17...Nb4 18.Qe2 Nxc2 19.e6! Sheer intimidation! not 19.Rxe1? Nxe1 20.Qxe1 Qf5 21.h4 Qf1+ 22.Qxf1 Rxf1+-+ 19...Qd6?! This move initiating a combination has a fatal flaw. He would have won with 19...Qc6! 20.Rd1 d4 followed by ...Rf2. 20.Nb5 Tal saw 20.Rxe1? Nxe1 21.Qxe1 losing to Qe5!-+ 20...Qe5! Tal's queen, rook and bishop are attacked and the king is threatened with mate in two. 21.h4‼ A breezy move that puts out the fire round him. Qg3 21...Qxe2?? 22.Nxc7# is a lovely finish with Black queen being only a spectator. 22.Rd1! Rf2 Once again Black's attack threatens to turn into a towering inferno. 23.Qxf2‼ Pouring cold shower on all his hopes. Bxf2 24.Rxd5 Qxh4+ Threatened by Rd8 mate, Black is forced to surrender the queen. 25.Bxh4 Bxh4 26.Nxc7+ Kf8 27.Rf5+ Bf6 28.Rd5 a5 29.Rd7 Nb4 30.Rf7+ Kg8 31.Rxf6! Nc6 Never say die! 31...gxf6 allows 32.e7+- 32.Rf7 g6 33.e7 A bright finish! 1–0
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Tal,M-Miller-1–0 C55L.A.Simutaneous Display

On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations.

Finally, here are two glimpses of Tal:

Tal facing a young Gary Kasparov

Tal-Kasparov, Moscow Blitz 1992
 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Misha plays the Rossolimo that was seen as an offbeat line at the time. He avoids the Scheveningen 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 in which Garry is an acknowledged expert. 3...Nd7 Currently 3...Bd7 is in vogue. 4.d4 Ngf6 After 4...cxd4 White can play for advantage in space with 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Be2!? However, Black can counter vigorously with...Nf6,...e5 and ...Nc5. This line is still in a state of flux. 5.0-0 5.Nc3 is more usual. 5...a6 If 5...Nxe4?! 6.Re1 with lead in development and results have always favoured White. 6.Bxd7+ Nxd7 7.Nc3 e6 8.Bg5 Qc7 9.Re1 cxd4 10.Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Ne5 11.Rad1 Bd7 was seen in Ljubojevic-Kasparov, Amsterdam 1991 with a level position, though Ljubo was later outplayed (0-1, 40 moves). 10...Ne5 11.f4 h6 12.Bh4 g5 13.fxe5 gxh4 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Nd5?! Tal is Tal! He must have played this sacrifice in in any number of positions in his life. Here it's slightly premature. He could have set more problems for Garry with 15.e5!? Bxe5 16.Nd5 Qd6 After 16...exd5? 17.Qh5 followed by 18.Rxe5 White has the upper hand. 17.Nf3 though Black has only a slight advantage after Bg7 17...exd5? 18.Rxe5+ Be6 19.Qd4 0-0-0 20.Qxh4 was seen in Pedzich-Ziegler, Gothenburg 1994 (1-0, 63 moves). 17...Bxb2 would be too greedy on account of 18.Rb1 with a lead in development. 15...exd5 16.exd5+ Kf8 17.Qf3 Over the years there has been considerable speculation over the rest of the moves. Bxh2+ 18.Kh1 Qf4 19.Qc3 threatening Ne6+ being one of them. 1–0
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Tal,M-Kasparov,G-1–0 B51Moscow Blitz

The Rossolimo Variation 3.Bb5 is considered to be one of the strongest replies to 2…Nc6 in the Sicilian Defence. The fact that the move has been played by practically all the top players proves its popularity and strength. But the most interesting aspect of playing 3.Bb5 is that we force sharp, attacking players who love to have the initiative to forget about the Open Sicilian and to adjust themselves to a new world, one full of positional ideas, manoeuvres and nuances.

The second is a haunting elegy:

The maestro is gone, but the magic lingers.

Prof. Nagesh Havanur (otherwise known as "chessbibliophile") is a senior academic and research scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for three decades and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His interests include chess history, biography and opening theory. He has been writing on the Royal Game for more than three decades. His articles and reviews have appeared on several web sites and magazines.

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