World champion #8 · 1960–1961

Mikhail Tal

The Magician from Riga · Latvia (USSR)

Tal sacrificed pieces on intuition, throwing opponents into chaos where one wrong step was fatal. His games are thrilling lessons in initiative, imagination and courage at the board.

Three lessons from Tal for your own games

The initiative is worth material
Complications favour the better calculator
Trust your intuition — then check it

Mikhail Tal’s games to replay

Jimenez Villena, Francisco J – Tal, MihailSevilla op · 1992½–½ Tal, Mihail – Romero, MartinSevilla op · 19921–0 Magem Badals, Jorge – Tal, MihailBarcelona · 1992½–½ Tal, Mihail – Landero Luna, V.Sevilla op · 19921–0 Tal, Mihail – Jimenez Morales, FranciscoSevilla op · 19921–0 Tal, Mihail – Illescas Cordoba, MiguelSevilla op · 1992½–½ Romanishin, Oleg M – Tal, MihailBarcelona · 19921–0 Rodriguez Vargas, Orestes – Tal, MihailBarcelona · 1992½–½ Dorfman, Josif D – Tal, MihailBarcelona · 19921–0 Gonzalez, R. – Tal, MihailSevilla op · 19920–1 Gomez, M. – Tal, MihailSevilla op · 19920–1 Oll, Lembit – Tal, MihailSevilla op · 19921–0 Eslon, Jaan – Tal, MihailSevilla op · 19920–1 Tal, Mihail – Gutman, LevBundesliga 9192 · 1992½–½ Tal, Mihail – Kortschnoj, ViktorBarcelona · 1992½–½ Tal, Mihail – Akopian, VladimirBarcelona · 19921–0 Tal, Mihail – Lautier, JoelBarcelona · 19921–0 Tal, Mihail – Sokolov, IvanBarcelona · 1992½–½ Gurevich, Mikhail – Tal, MihailBarcelona · 19921–0 Tal, Mihail – Rivas Pastor, ManuelBarcelona · 19921–0 Marinkovic, Ivan – Tal, MihailBundesliga 9192 · 1992½–½ Doncevic, Dario – Tal, MihailBundesliga 9192 · 1992½–½ Maljutin, Evgeni – Tal, MihailURS-ch58 · 1991½–½ Kiselev, Sergey – Tal, MihailURS-ch58 · 19911–0

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Three lessons from Tal for your own games

Mikhail Tal’s games to replay

Find your own the magician from riga

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