The meteoric rise of Mikhail Tal (1936–1992) staggers the imagination. He rose from a mere master to World Champion in just three years. After winning the Candidates Tournament in Yugoslavia in 1959, he challenged Botvinnik in 1960 and seized the chess crown by winning the title match 12½-8½ (Moscow, 1960). Tal earned the nickname "The Wizard from Riga" because of his combinational style, full of sacrifices and fight for the initiative.
The 8th World Chess Champion Mikhail Tal (1960) by FIDE archiveInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Tal’s reign was short-lived, as he lost the rematch to Botvinnik a year later. He came very close to challenging the World Champion again but lost the final Candidates match to Spassky in Tbilisi in 1965.
Caricature “Before the rematch” between Tal and Botvinnik (1961) by G. KovanovInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Tal was a six-time USSR chess champion and an eight-time winner at the FIDE Chess Olympiads.
Tal was a prolific and highly respected chess writer. He authored numerous books and served as the editor of the Latvian chess magazine Šahs ("Chess") from 1960 to 1970. He often called the editorial board from tournaments to provide firsthand reports of the events.
For a long time, Tal held the record for the longest unbeaten streak in competitive chess history with 95 games (46 wins, 49 draws) between October 1973 and October 1974. In 1988, at the age of 51, he won the official World Blitz Championship in Saint John, ahead of World Champion Kasparov.
Autograph of Mikhail Tal by Mikhail TalInternational Chess Federation (FIDE)
Tal's autograph
Tal's signature chess combination
Tal – Smyslov. Bled 1959
Tal wouldn’t be Tal without queen sacrifices! 19. Qxf7! Qa1+ 20. Kd2 Rxf7 21. Nxf7+ Kg8 22. Rxa1 Kxf7, and as a result of this brilliant combination, White has a decisive material advantage.
The Chess World Speaks: Opinions on Tal
"The chess pieces seemed to come to life under his hand." - Vasily Smyslov
"We analyzed the position where he sacrificed pieces left and right. I said, 'Misha, it doesn’t work like that.' He shrugged and replied, 'I know. But I want to.' This sums up Tal, a brilliant combinational chess player." - Boris Spassky
"Despite his brief reign on the chess throne (also a record), Tal was one of the brightest stars in the chess sky. His combinations, sacrifices, and boundless optimism reflected Soviet society's relief after the harsh Stalinist era." - Garry Kasparov
Timeless chess wisdom from Tal
I realized a simple truth: not only was I worried, but so was my opponent.
You must take your opponent into a deep, dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.
Playing for a draw (especially with White) is, to some degree, a crime against chess.
Quiet moves often make a stronger impression than wild combinations with heavy sacrifices.
Dive deeper: explore Tal's legacy through these videos
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