Mikhail Tal - Games page 1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. Nb3 Qb6 10. f3 a6 11. g4 Rd8 12. Be3 Qc7 13. h4 b5 14. g5 Nd7 15. g6 hxg6 16. h5 gxh5 17. Rxh5 Nf6 18. Rh1 d5 19. e5 Nxe5 (19... Qxe5 20. Bf4 Qf5 21. Bd3) 20. Bf4 Bd6 21. Qh2 Kf8 22. Qh8+ Ng8 23. Rh7 f5 24. Bh6 Rd7 25. Bxb5 Rf7 26. Rg1 Ra7 27. Nd4 Ng4!! (27... Qb6 28. Bd7 Raxd7 29. Nxe6+ Ke8 30. Nxg7+ Rxg7 31. Qxg8+) 28. fxg4 Be5 {B seems safe. Although a piece down, W has 3 pieces en-prise. What can be done} (28... Bf4+ 29. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 30. Kb1 Qxd4 31. Rgh1 {threat Qxg7+} 31... Rfb7 32. Be8 {Renewing the threat}) 29. Nc6! {To attack the Be5} 29... Bxc3 30. Be3 { not the R but c5 with check} (30. bxc3 axb5 31. Nxa7 Qxa7) 30... d4 31. Rgh1 { threatening Qxg8+} 31... Rd7 32. Bg5 axb5 33. R1h6 d3 (33... Bxb2+ 34. Kxb2 (34. Kb1 Qxc6 35. Rf6+ gxf6 36. Bh6+ Rg7 37. Bxg7+ Ke7 38. Qxg8 Kd6 39. Bf8+ Ke5 40. Rxa7 d3) 34... Qxc6 35. Rf6+ gxf6 36. Bh6+ Rg7 37. Bxg7+ Ke7 38. Qxg8 (38. Bxf6+ Kd6 39. Be5+ Kd5 40. Rxa7 Qc3+ 41. Kb1 Qe1+ 42. Kb2 Qxe5 43. Qxg8 d3+ 44. Kb3 d2 45. Qxc8 Qe3+ 46. Qc3 Qxa7 47. Qxd2+ Qd4) 38... Qc3+ 39. Kb1 Qe1+ 40. Kb2 Qb4+ 41. Ka1) 34. bxc3 d2+ 35. Kd1 Qxc6 36. Rf6+ Rf7 37. Qxg7+ 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nd7 10. d4 Nb6 11. Be3 exd4 12. cxd4 Na5 13. Bc2 c5 14. e5 dxe5 (14... Nac4 15. exd6 Qxd6 16. Bg5 Bxg5 17. Nxg5 ) 15. Nxe5 Nbc4 16. Qd3 f5 17. Bb3 f4 18. Bd2 Nxb3 19. Nc6 Nxa1 20. Nxd8 Bf5 21. Qf3 Raxd8 22. Rxe7 Bxb1 23. Bxf4 Rxd4 (23... cxd4 24. b3 Bg6 25. bxc4 d3 {Is suggested by Vukovic as good for B. However Tal suggests now...} 26. Qg4 Rxf4 (26... d2 27. Rd7) 27. Qxf4 d2 28. Rxg7+ Kh8 29. Rd7) 24. Qg4 Bg6 25. Qe6+ Bf7 26. Qf5 Nc2 (26... Bg6 27. Rxg7+ Kxg7 28. Bh6+ Kxh6 29. Qxf8+) 27. b3 Bg6 28. Rxg7+ Kxg7 29. Bh6+ Kxh6 30. Qxf8+ Kg5 31. bxc4 bxc4 32. g3 Be4 33. h4+ Kg4 34. Kh2 Bf5 (34... Bd5 35. f3+ Bxf3 36. Qc8+ {& mates}) 35. Qf6 h6 36. Qe5 Re4 37. Qg7+ Kf3 38. Qc3+ Ne3 39. Kg1 Bg4 40. fxe3 h5 41. Qe1 Rxe3 42. Qf1+ Ke4 43. Qxc4+ Kf3 44. Qf1+ Ke4 45. Qxa6 Kd4 46. Qd6+ Kc4 47. a4 Re1+ 48. Kf2 Re2+ 49. Kf1 Ra2 50. Qa6+ Kd4 51. a5 c4 52. Qb6+ Kd5 53. a6 Ra1+ 54. Kf2 c3 55. a7 c2 56. Qb3+ Kd6 57. Qd3+ (57. Qd3+ Ke7 (57... Ke6 58. Qxc2 Rxa7 59. Qe4+ {& again the R is lost}) 58. Qxc2) 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3 d6 6. Bc4 Be7 7. Qb3 Na5 8. Bxf7+ Kf8 9. Qa4 Kxf7 10. Qxa5 Be6 11. O-O Kf8 12. Nd5 c6 13. Nc7 Bf7 14. Nd4 Qc8 15. Nxa8 Qxa8 16. Nf5 b6 17. Qc3 Bf6 18. Qg3 Ne7 19. Qxd6 Ke8 20. Bh6 Rg8 21. Rad1 Qc8 22. Bxg7 Nxf5 23. exf5 Be7 24. Rfe1 Be6 25. Rxe6 Rxg7 26. f6 1-0

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. O-O Qc7 8. Re1 Nc6 9. Nxc6 Qxc6 10. a4 b4 (10... bxa4 11. Rxa4 Nf6 12. Rc4 Qb6 13. Be3) 11. Nd5 Nf6
(11... h6 {B is in great danger, as can be seen if we make a trivial move such as this for him.} 12. Bd2 a5 13. Bf4 Rc8 14. Bb5 Qxc2 (14... Qc5 15. Nb6 (15. Bxd7+ Kxd7 16. Nb6+ Kc6 17. Qd7+ Kxb6 18. Be3) 15... Rd8 16. Nxd7 ) 15. Bxd7+ Kxd7 16. Nb6+ Ke7 17. Nxc8+ Qxc8 18. Rc1 Bc6 19. Qd6+ Kf6 20. Qxc6 Qxc6 21. Rxc6)
12. Bd2 Nxd5 (12... a5 13. Bb5 Qc5 14. Be3 Qd6 15. Bf4 e5 16. Bxe5 Qxe5 17. Nxf6+ Ke7 18. Nxd7 ) 13. exd5 Qc5 14. Be4 f5 (14... Bxd5 15. Be3 Qc6 16. Bxd5 Qxd5 17. Qxd5 exd5 18. Bg5+) 15. Bf3 (15. Bxf5 Bxd5 16. Bxb4 Qxb4 17. Qxd5 ) 15... Bxd5 16. Bxb4 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Qc8 18. Bc3 Kf7 19. Rad1 Be7 20. g4 Rf8 (20... Qc6 21. Qxc6 dxc6 22. gxf5 exf5 23. Rd7 Rhe8 24. Bb4 ) 21. gxf5 Kg8 22. Qg2 Bf6 23. Bxf6 Rxf6 24. Rxd7 Qxd7 25. Qxa8+ Rf8 26. Qxa6 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nc6 12. Nbd2 Qb6 13. dxc5 dxc5 14. Nf1 Be6 15. Ne3 Rad8 16. Qe2 g6 17. Ng5 c4 18. a4 Kg7 19. axb5 axb5 20. Rb1 (20. b3 cxb3 21. Nxe6+ fxe6 22. Bxb3 Nxe4 23. Ng4 Nxc3 { Because of B's 18th W does not now have a check with Bxe6} 24. Bh6+ Kh8 25. Qb2 b4 26. Bxf8 {& B has compensation for his exchange}) 20... Na5 (20... Nd4 21. cxd4 exd4 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. exd5 d3 24. Qxe7 dxc2 25. Be3 cxb1=Q 26. Bxb6 Qf5 27. Ne6+ ) 21. Nf3 Qc7 22. Nd5 Bxd5 (22... Nxd5 23. exd5 Bxd5 24. Nxe5 {25.Nxg6 or Ng4 or Qe3}) 23. exd5 Rfe8 24. Qxe5 Qxe5 25. Nxe5 Nxd5 (25... Bd6 {creates interesting complications} 26. Bh6+ Kxh6 27. Nxf7+ Kg7 28. Rxe8 Rxe8 29. Nxd6 Re2 30. Ra1 Rxc2 31. Rxa5 Rxb2 {& B has chances of a draw}) 26. Ra1 Nb3 (26... Nb4 {suggested post game by Bronstein. however..} 27. cxb4 Bxb4 28. Re3 Bc5 29. Rxa5 Bxe3 30. Bxe3) 27. Bxb3 cxb3 28. Bh6+ Kg8 (28... Kxh6 29. Nxf7+ Kg7 30. Nxd8 Rxd8 31. Ra5) 29. Nc6 Rc8 30. Rad1 Rxc6 31. Rxd5 {No answer to Rxe7 or Rxb5} 31... f6 32. Rxb5 g5 33. Rxb3 Kf7 34. Rb7 Re6 35. Rxe6 Kxe6 36. h4 Rg8 37. f4 Bc5+ 38. Kf1 gxh4 39. Rb5 Rc8 40. f5+ Kd6 41. b4 h3 42. Rxc5 h2 43. Bf4+ 1-0

1. e4 c6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 e5 4. Ngf3 Nd7 5. d4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 exd4 7. Qxd4 Ngf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. O-O-O O-O 10. Nd6 Qa5 11. Bc4 b5 12. Bd2 Qa6
(12... Qc7 13. Bxf7+ Rxf7 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. Ng5+ Kg8 16. Rhe1 Nf8 17. Bf4 Qb7 18. Bd6 Bxd6)
13. Nf5 Bd8
(13... Bc5 14. Qh4 bxc4 15. Bc3 Qxa2 16. Rxd7 Bxd7 (16...Be3+ 17. fxe3 Qa1+ 18. Kd2 Qxh1 19. Bxf6 Qg2+ 20. Kc3 Bxd7 21. Ne7+ Kh8 22. Ng5) 17. Nh6+ Kh8 18. Qxf6)
14. Qh4 bxc4
(14... Ne5 15. Nh6+ gxh6 16. Bxh6 Ng6 17. Rxd8)
15. Qg5 Nh5
(15... g6 16. Nh6+ Kg7 17. Bc3 Qxa2 18. Rhe1)
(15... Ne8 16. Qxd8 Qxa2 17. Bc3 Nef6 18. Rxd7 Bxd7 19. Nh6+ gxh6 20. Qxf6 )
16. Nh6+ Kh8 17. Qxh5 Qxa2
(17... Bf6 18. Bc3 Bxc3 19. Ng5 g6 20. Nhxf7+ Rxf7 21. Nxf7+ Kg7 22. Qf3 Bf6 23. Nd6 {& B is still struggling to finish his q-side development})
(17... Nf6 18. Qc5 Nd7 19. Qd6)
18. Bc3 Nf6
(18... f6 19. Rhe1 gxh6 (19... g6 20. Qh4 Qa1+ 21. Kd2 Qa4 22. Ng5) 20. Qxh6 Rg8 21. Ng5)
(18... Bf6 {Possibly best though the position is highly complex} 19. Ng5 Bxg5+ 20. Qxg5 f6 21. Qh4 gxh6 22. Rhe1 {One possible line is as follows} 22... Qa1+ 23. Kd2 Qa4 24. Re7 Ne5 25. Ke1 Be6 26. Qxh6 Rf7 27. Rxf7 Bxf7 28. Qxf6+ Kg8 29. Bxe5 Kf8 30. Rd7 )
19. Qxf7 Qa1+ 20. Kd2 Rxf7 21. Nxf7+ Kg8 22. Rxa1 Kxf7 23. Ne5+ Ke6 24. Nxc6 Ne4+ 25. Ke3 Bb6+ 26. Bd4 1-0

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 a6 10. O-O Qe8 11. Nd2 Nh7 12. b4 Bf6 13. Bxf6 Nhxf6 14. Nb3 Qe7 15. Qd2 Kh7 16. Qe3 Ng8 17. c5 f5 18. exf5 gxf5 19. f4 exf4 20. Qxf4 dxc5 21. Bd3 cxb4 22. Rae1 Qf6
(22... Qd6 23. Bxf5+ Kh8 24. Qd4+ Qf6 25. Qxb4 Qb6+ 26. Qd4+ Qxd4+ 27. Nxd4)
23. Re6 Qxc3 24. Bxf5+ Rxf5 25. Qxf5+ Kh8 26. Rf3 Qb2 27. Re8 Ndf6 28. Qxf6+ Qxf6 29. Rxf6 Kg7 30. Rff8 Ne7 31. Na5 { Zugswang} 31... h5 32. h4 Rb8 33. Nc4 b5 34. Ne5 1-0

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 cxd4 7. Qg4 Ne7 8. bxa5 dxc3 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qxh7 Nbc6 11. Nf3 Qc7 12. Bb5 Bd7 13. O-O O-O-O 14. Bg5
(14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. Qxf7 d4 16. Qxe6+ Bd7 17. Qxe7 Rxg2+ 18. Kxg2 Bh3+ 19. Kxh3 Qxe7 20. Bg5)
14... Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxb5 16. Nxf7 Bxf1 17. Nxd8 Rxg5 18. Nxe6 Rxg2+ 19. Kh1
(19. Kxf1 Rxh2 20. Qf7 Rh1+ 21. Ke2 (21. Kg2 Qh2+ 22. Kf3 Qh3+ 23. Kf4 Qh4+ 24. Ke5 Qe4+ 25. Kf6 Qf5+ 26. Kxe7 Qxf7+ 27. Kxf7 Rxa1) 21... Qc4+ 22. Kf3 Rh3+ 23. Kg2 Qg4+ 24. Kf1 Rh1)
19... Qe5 20. Rxf1 Qxe6 21. Kxg2 Qg4+ 1/2-1/2

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Qe2 f5 5. d3 Nf6 6. dxe4 fxe4 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Qb5+ c6 9. Qxb4 exf3 10. Bg5 cxd5 11. O-O-O Nc6 12. Qa3 Be6 13. Bc4 Qe7 14. Nxd5 Qxa3 15. Nc7+ Ke7 16. Rhe1 (16. Bxe6 Qd6 17. Rxd6 Kxd6 18. Bf4+ Ne5 19. Nxa8 Kxe6 20. Nc7+ Kf5 21. Bxe5 Kxe5 22. gxf3 {But the ending still requires accurate play}) 16... Qc5 (16... Qa5 17. Rxe6+ Kf8 18. Bf4 Rd8 19. Rxd8+ Nxd8 20. Bd6+ Kf7 21. Re5+ Kg6 (21... Nd5 22. Rxd5 Qa4 23. Rd4+ Kf6 24. Nd5+ Ke6 25. Nb6+ Qxc4 26. Nxc4 fxg2 27. Rd1 b5 28. Na3 g1=Q 29. Rxg1 Kxd6 30. Nxb5+) 22. Rxa5 fxg2 23. Bd3+ Kf7 24. Rg5) 17. Rxe6+ Kf8 18. Rxf6+ gxf6 19. Ne6+ Ke7 20. Nxc5 fxg5 21. Rd7+ Kf6 22. Rd6+ Ke7 23. Re6+ Kd8 24. Nxb7+ Kc7 25. Bd5 Nb4 (25... fxg2 26. Rxc6+ Kxb7 27. Rg6+ Kc7 28. Rxg5) 26. Bxf3 Rae8 27. Nc5 Nxa2+ 28. Kb1 Rxe6 29. Nxe6+ Kd7 30. Nc5+ Kd6 31. Nd3 1-0

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bg4 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Qxf3 Nd7 7. d4 Ngf6 8. Bd3 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e6 10. O-O Be7 11. c3 Nf6 12. Qh4 Nd5 13. Qg4 Bf6
(13... O-O 14. Bh6 Bf6 15. Qe4) 14. Re1 (14. Qe4 Ne7 )
14... Qb6 ( 14... O-O 15. Bh6 Re8 16. Rad1 Qb6 17. Bc1) 15. c4 {a3 would be the normal strategic line but Tal, feeling that Portisch would be happy in such a line, has an astonishing tactical ploy lined up.} 15... Nb4 (15... Ne7 16. d5 cxd5 17. cxd5 Nxd5 18. Qa4+ {was Tal's intention, with B's King unable to castle compensating for the pawn.}) 16. Rxe6+ fxe6 17. Qxe6+ Kf8 (17... Kd8 18. Qd6+ Ke8 19. Qe6+ {is a draw but was hardly likely when B is a R up!}) (17... Be7 18. Bg6+ (18. Bg5 Qc7 19. Re1 Nxd3 20. Bxe7 Qd7) (18. Bxh7 c5 19. Qg6+ Qxg6 20. Bxg6+ Kd8 21. d5 Bf6 22. a3 Na6) 18... hxg6 (18... Kd8 19. Bf5 Qxd4 (19... Qc7 20. Bf4 Qc8 21. Qe4) 20. Bf4 {Tal had seen this position before the R sacrifice & liked it a lot. He had further seen the following "main line" as a possibility that he found very attractive.} 20... Re8 21. Re1 g6 22. Be3 (22. Bg4 {Dvoretsky's improvment} 22... Nd3 (22... h5 23. Rd1 Nd3 24. Be5 ) 23. Re4 Qxf2+ 24. Kh2 Qg1+ (24... Nc5 25. Qe5) 25. Kxg1 Bc5+ 26. Be3 Rxe6 27. Rxe6 Bxe3+ (27... a5 {Chernin's defensive plan, when the N gets the c5 square.}) 28. Rxe3 Nxb2 29. Rb3 Nxc4 30. Rxb7 Ne5 31. Rxh7 Rb8 32. Be6) 22... Qd6 23. Bxa7 Qxe6 { Here however there is a flaw, Dvoretsky has pointed out that instead of this black should play Kc7 & stays a R up. But he has further pointed out the improvement for white on move 22 mentioned earlier.} 24. Bb6+ Kc8 25. Bxe6+ Kb8 26. Bd7) 19. Bg5 Qc7 20. Re1 {threatening both Bxe7+ & Qxg6+.}) 18. Bf4 Rd8 (18... Re8 19. Bd6+ Be7 20. Re1 Qd8 21. Re3 ) (18... Qd8 19. Re1 g5 (19... Be7 20. Bb1 {threatening Re3 or Re5}) 20. Bd6+ Kg7 21. Bxb4) 19. c5 Nxd3 20. cxb6 {Tal had forseen the Bh6 line some time ago & had originally planned to take it with a draw if Black found the right line, but his tremendous will to win keeps him going. After all the cpawn reaches a7!} (20. Bh6 Qxb2 (20... Qc7 21. Qxf6+ Ke8 22. Bxg7 Rg8 23. Qe6+) 21. Qxf6+ Ke8 {& W must take perpetual.}) 20... Nxf4 21. Qg4 Nd5 22. bxa7 Ke7 {Having defended well for so long in the face of such complication Portisch goes wrong. g6 and Kg7 was stronger and could well have drawn although W still has chances.} 23. b4 Ra8 {Nc7 or Kd6 were stronger.} 24. Re1+ Kd6 25. b5 {threatening 26.bc bc 27.Qe6+ Kc7 Rc1 & 26.b6 Nxb6 27.Rb1} 25... Rxa7 (25... Rhe8 26. Rxe8 Rxe8 27. Qg3+ Kd7 28. Qb8) (25... Kc7 26. Qg3+ Kd7 27. b6 Nxb6 28. Rb1) 26. Re6+ Kc7 27. Rxf6 1-0