Team Tal: Epilogue

by Nagesh Havanur
2/2/2019 – The story of Tal can never be finished and his fans always want more. Only this series has to end for now. In the concluding installment here our columnist offers his final observations on Team Tal, the last testament of Valentin Kirillov. | Photo: chesspro.ru

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.

Moscow, November 14, 1991. The 58th USSR Championship has just finished and there is a glittering prize distribution ceremony. Players and spectators are exchanging bonhomie even as music is played. Amidst all this festivity you see an old man perched on a chair. He sits motionless, lost in a reverie. When had he played like these boys? 35 years ago! He was only 20 and already crossing swords with Averbakh, Boleslavsky and Ragozin, not to mention his own peers, Korchnoi, Spassky and Polugaevsky. Here in this Championship, his performance is nothing to write home about. In a field of 64 players, he has shared 39th to 49th places and the score, 5/11 (+1 -2 =8)! Yet he would not have missed it for anything in the world.

Vaganian and Bilunova observe Tal

“I can still play!” Onlookers are Rafael Vaganian and Ms Rimma Bilunova | Photo Credit: chesspro.ru

He has delighted in the play of the young, commiserated with the old, never complaining about anything.

There is also a touching moment. One day (November 9th) a young man he has known since he was a kid walks over to him and says, “I am glad I played so well on your birthday. I am dedicating my game to you!”

Shirov

Alexei Shirov | Photo: www.chesspro.ru

 
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 The French Defence that Shirov himself was to play with Black in later years 3.Nc3 Nf6 The classical system 4.e5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 6.h4 Bxg5 7.hxg5 Qxg5 8.Nh3 is the Alekhine-Chatard Attack. 8.Nb5!? deserves attention. 6...Qxe7 is the other branch of the Classical system. 4...Nfd7 5.Nce2 The Steinitz Variation. The knight vacates c3 so that the d-pawn would be supported by c2-c3 in the event of...c7-c5. 5.f4 c5 is the other line. 5...c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.f4 b5!? Among other things Black prepares to undermine White's pawn chain with ...b5-b4. He also plans to gain space on queenside with...a7-a5 and activate his bishop bringing him to a6. Here 7...Qb6 is the main line. 7...Be7 preparing...0-0 followed by f7-f6 also deserves attention. 8.a3 This idea of Lanka was a novelty at the time. 8.Nf3 was more usual then. 8...a5 This move could have waited. 8...Rb8 is probably better. 8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.cxd4 b4 11.a4 a5 12.Nf3 Be7 the older line is about level. 9.Nf3 b4? Vaganian, a great expert on the French thought, this move was fundamentally wrong as it freed White's hands in the centre. It's too late for 9...Be7 now as 10.f5 is strong. On exf5 there follows 11.Nf4± On 9...Ba6 10.f5 exf5 11.Nf4 Nb6 12.Nh5 Black is forced to castle on the queenside. This is a bit dangerous as Black has exposed himself with advanced pawns. Vaganian recommended 9...Rb8 Going by tournament practice, Black has done well in this line. 10.f5 Be7 11.Nf4 exf5 12.Nxd5 0-0= 10.axb4 cxb4 11.f5! exf5 If 11...Nb6 12.Nf4 Qc7 13.fxe6 Bxe6 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Ng5 followed by 16.Bb5 with a winning attack. 12.Nf4 Nb6 13.Bb5 Bb7 13...Bd7 loses to 14.e6 fxe6 15.Bxc6 Bxc6 16.Nxe6+- Or 13...Qc7 14.c4!+- 14.e6!? The youthful Latvian cannot wait. After 14.Nh5! followed by 0-0, White has an overwhelming position and attack. 14...Bd6 14...fxe6? 15.Nxe6+- White follows up with 0-0 and Black monarch finds no haven for safety. Or 14...f6? 15.Ne5! fxe5 16.Qh5+ Ke7 17.Qf7+ Kd6 18.Qxb7 Qc7 19.Bxc6 Qxc6 20.dxe5+ Kc5 21.Qf7+- 15.exf7+ Kxf7 16.0-0 Re8 17.Nxd5! "Into the line of fire"! Bxh2+! Resourceful play that deserved a better fate. 18.Kxh2 Qxd5 19.c4‼ Nxc4 20.Ng5+ Kg6! The brave king ventures out as he has no wish to perish in a corner. Three great tactical minds, Tal, Vaganian and Shirov tried to save Black's position with 20...Kg8 Sadly, it doesn't. 21.Rxf5! N4e5!? An imaginative attempt that fails by a whisker. 21...Qxf5?? 22.Bxc4+ Kh8 23.Qh5 h6 24.Nf7++- 22.Qh5 h6 23.dxe5 hxg5 24.b3! Rxe5 25.Bc4 Qxc4 Now Shirov misssed the sober Or 25...Rxf5 26.Bxd5+ Rxd5 27.Bb2 Rd2 28.Rf1! Rxb2?? 29.Qf7+ Kh7 30.Rh1!+- 26.bxc4 Rxf5 27.Bb2! In the long run White should prevail. He had probably taken into account only 27.Bxg5? Ne5! followed by 28...Rc8 giving Black the upper hand. 21.Bxc4 Qxc4 22.Qf3 Shirov had sacrificed the c-pawn to deflect the Black queen from d5. Rf8? This plausible move loses. He still had a draw with 22...Ne7! 23.Qg3! 23.Qxb7 Qxf1 24.Qb6+ Kh5 25.Ne6 Ra6! 26.Nxg7+ Kg4 27.Qc7 Qf2 28.Nxe8 Not 28.Qe5? Rc8! 29.Qxe7 Rxc1 30.Rxc1 Rh6+-+ A beautiful variation-NSH 28...Qh4+= Draw by perpetual check. 23...Qxf1 24.Ne4+ Kf7 25.Bh6! "White is a rook down and all his pieces are hanging,but I still believed his chances were better until Fritz 4 found the truely astonishing Qf4‼ 25...gxh6? 26.Nd6+! Kf8 27.Rxf1+- 26.Bxf4 Bxe4 27.Be5 Rg8 when the position is about equal"-Shirov. There is a still a lot of play left, though. 23.Qg3 Qxf1 24.Ne6+ Kf7 25.d5! Rg8 26.Qc7+ Kg6 27.dxc6 Bc8 28.Nf4+ Kf6 29.Qd6+ Kf7 30.Qd5+ Kf8 31.Be3 and Black resigned. If Qxa1 32.Bc5+ and Black would be mated. Shirov was inspired by Tal and Damsky book in Russian, "Into the line of fire" and years later named his own book of games. "Fire on Board". 1–0
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Shirov,A2610Nikolenko,O24501–0 C11URS-ch58

A stunning performance that reminds the old man of his own younger days! He who had once won this USSR Championship as many as six times now revels in the sights and sounds of these new battles, never mind his own result. Together with friend and companion, Vaganian he also writes a report on the championship for New in Chess Magazine recreating the whole drama of the tournament.  The old man, as the readers guessed, is Misha Tal.

It’s with regret that I put the rest of the narrative in the past tense.

A game of dice with death

On January 1, 1992, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. It was preceded and followed by a turmoil never known before or since. Amidst this chaos, Misha moved to Germany with his wife and daughter. An ardent fan had provided him and the family a house for free.  But Misha’s heart belonged to Riga and Moscow. He would return to Moscow every now and then for medical tests. In the summer of 1992, he was again admitted to hospital. This time was a game of dice with Death itself. He who had forever gambled with life now found himself on the brink of defeat. His restless spirit still yearned for chess.

The last hurrah!

What happened next is a story oft repeated. One fine morning the hospital staff found the bed empty and there was a frantic search. Where was Tal? He had escaped to play a blitz tournament in which Garry himself was playing: 

 
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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 any number of positions in his life. Here it's rather 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. Any way no one was able to record the flurry of moves that followed. What is known that Garry was unable to solve the problems set by Tal in 5 minutes and lost on time. 1–0
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Tal,M-Kasparov,G-1–0 B51Moscow Blitz

That was his last bow. By then his condition had deteriorated. Slowly he lost his consciousness and life ebbed away from his frail body. Over the years it had submitted to every impossible demand that his indomitable will had made on it and now could not take it any more. He breathed his last on July 28th, 1992.

Kirillov had lost his friend and idol. Even in that moment of shock and grief, he did not lose his sense of responsibility. It’s a token of his integrity that both wives of Tal and the children reposed their faith in him for making the final arrangements for Misha’s burial in Riga. It did not end there. He devoted the rest of his life to prepare a complete collection of Tal’s games. The chess world owes a debt to him for preserving the legacy of Tal.

Valentin defends Misha

Misha was not without his critics in his lifetime or thereafter. Paradoxically some were admirers-turned critics. Emanuel Sztein, in particular, made a searing indictment of Tal. He wrote:

Tal was a bit of pushover. He was powerless off the board. He would let soviet chess administrators boss him around. You could say they wound up outplaying him.

Tal with Baturinsky and Polugaevsky

Tal at an offhand game with Viktor Baturinsky, the boss and GM Lev Polugaevsky | Photo: chesspro.ru

In this book, Kirillov makes a brave attempt to defend his departed friend against such criticism. He maintains, Tal made no more compromises than necessary. It was just a way of survival in the system. Anyone who defied it paid the price and ran the risk of becoming a nobody shunned by everyone.

The black-and-white images take up a great deal of space in the book. Many of them are worth it. They have not been seen before.

I was particularly enamoured of a picture by late Galina Satonina (1905-2000). Here is the original painting:

Forever in flight | Photo: Valerij Surkov, Live Journal

This brings me to the limitations of the book. The title is a bit of misnomer. Essentially, this is a Kirillov story. In this context, the writing on other players Janis Klovans and Aivars Gipslis appears rather superfluous. The same cannot be said of Alvins Vītoliņš who adored Tal and took after him in style. So he certainly deserves his place in this book.

Alvins Vītoliņš (1946-1997) met with a tragic end. Suffering from depression, he committed suicide. Genna Sosonko wrote a moving essay, The Jump in his book, Russian Silhouettes (New in Chess, 2001)

We have now reached the end of our journey. Kirillov could bring himself to write this work only in his last days. By then he was critically ill and the task was by no means easy. However, after much persuasion by Alexei Shirov, he was able to write these reminiscences of Tal.

In a way that explains the uneven quality of writing (often one has to wade through a rambling narrative that moves back and forth). On occasion the writing is pedestrian. A case in point is his description of the Riga Interzonal 1979 that Tal won. A more illuminating story is provided by Kapengut [in Russian] who acted as Tal’s second for this tournament. (The English version had first appeared in New in Chess Magazine, 2007/1).

This little book offers quite a few signposts for Tal fans to follow. The discerning reader would do well to reflect on the pauses and the gaps that Kirillov did not wish to fill in. He was a loyal friend, after all.

Kirillov

Kirillov | Photo: vesti.bb.lv

Recommended.

A preview of the book, courtesy New in Chess (PDF)

Acknowledgement

I owe a special debt to Mr.Raymond W. Rozman, Special Collections Librarian, Cleveland Public Library, USA. He offered a pdf copy of the report on the 1991 USSR Championship by Tal and Vaganian that appeared in New in Chess Magazine, issue, 1992/2.

Cleveland Public Library houses the famous John G. White Collection on chess and checkers: https://cpl.org/

Links

Notes

  1. Late Rimma Bilunova (1940-2015) was a coach of women's team for years during the Soviet era. She prepared the card index for the Central Chess Club, Moscow. Here is an interview with her.
  2. The USSR championship 1991 was the last of them all. Once the Soviet Union ceased to exist it was also discontinued.
  3. Alexei Shirov named his book, “Fire on Board” after the book, В огонь атаки (“Into the Line of Fire”) by Tal and Damsky (1978)
  4. Emanuel Sztein (1934-1999) was an émigré author, publisher and collector of rare books and manuscripts. He had served as a press attaché for Korchnoi, during the World Championship Match with Karpov (1980). His article, critical of Tal appeared in шахматный вестник (Chess Herald) No.1, 1993.
  5. Tal was known as the Devil of the Chessboard. The printer’s devil did not wish to be behind. So it also leaves its occasional mark on this book. The Leningrad Interzonal was played in 1973 and not 1972.  Both Emanuel Sztein and Galina Satonina have their names misspelt. Otherwise, the text remains clean.

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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