Mikhail Tal - Games page 2

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 O-O 9. O-O-O (9. Be2 Bd7 10. O-O-O Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. g4 Qa5 13. g5 Nd7 14. Rhg1 b5 15. Qh5 b4 16. Rd3 bxc3 17. Bxc3 Qxa2 18. Rh3 Bxe4 19. g6 Bxg6 20. Qxh7+ Bxh7 21. Rxg7+ Kh8 22. Rhxh7# {this was a game played between Tal & Koblentz on the morning of this Larsen game & shows very well the dangers of the line for B.}) 9... Qc7 {a normal move in this sort of position but here it is not so good. Better was first Bd7.} 10. Ndb5 (10. g4 Nxd4 11. Rxd4 e5 12. Rc4 Bxg4) 10... Qb8 11. g4 a6 12. Nd4 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 b5 (13... e5 {Tal felt that this was best for B when he would have replied...} 14. g5 Bg4 15. Qg3 Bxd1 (15... exd4 16. gxf6 dxc3 17. fxe7 cxb2+ 18. Kb1 Bxd1) 16. gxf6 Bxf6 17. Nd5) 14. g5 Nd7 {At this point W must decide how to pursue the attack. Tal says that at first he planned to play a3 to keep the N on c3. Then he saw the N sac idea & easily pursuaded himself. If he was to lose it would not be through cowardice!} 15. Bd3 (15. a3 b4 16. axb4 Qxb4 17. Qh5 Rb8 18. Rd3 Qxb2+ 19. Kd1 {was one possibility.}) 15... b4 16. Nd5 exd5 {If not then Nf6 is even more dangerous.} 17. exd5 {The B pieces are mostly on the Q-side and cannot easily help the defence. W's Bs are very powerful.} 17... f5 (17... g6 18. h4) (17... Re8 18. Bxh7+ Kxh7 19. Qh5+ Kg8 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Qh6+ Kg8 22. g6 Nf6 23. Rhg1 Rd8 24. Rde1 Be6 (24... Qc7 25. gxf7+ Kxf7 26. Rg7+ Ke8 27. Qg6+ Kf8 28. Qf7#) 25. gxf7+ Kxf7 26. dxe6+ Ke8 27. Qg6+ Kf8 28. Qg7+) 18. Rde1 Rf7 (18... Bd8 19. Qh5 Nc5 20. Bxg7 Nxd3+ 21. Kb1 Nxe1 22. g6 Kxg7 23. Qxh7+ Kf6 24. g7 Rf7 25. g8=N# {is one rather odd line.}) 19. h4 Bb7 20. Bxf5 (20. g6 hxg6 21. h5 g5 22. Bxf5 {This was the sort of line Tal wanted to play but he could not see a forced win after Bf6 & did not want to waste time looking unsucessfully.} 22... Rxf5 (22... Bf6 23. Be6 Qf8) 23. Rxe7 Ne5 24. h6 Nxf3 25. h7+ Kf8 26. Rxg7 {& mates.}) 20... Rxf5 21. Rxe7 Ne5 ( 21... Rf7 22. Rxf7 Kxf7 23. g6+ hxg6 24. h5) (21... Bxd5 22. Rxg7+ Kf8 23. Qh5 Rxf4 24. Qxh7 Rf7 25. Bf6 Nxf6 26. gxf6 Ke8 27. Re1+ Kd7 28. Rxf7+ Kc6 29. Rfe7) 22. Qe4 Qf8 23. fxe5 Rf4 24. Qe3 Rf3 {Larsen has only 5 minutes left for 16 moves, but that is the least of his worries.} (24... Bxd5 25. exd6 Rxd4 26. Qxd4 Bxh1 27. b3 {threatening h5-h6} 27... Re8 28. Qe5 Rxe7 29. dxe7 Qe8 30. Qe6+ Kh8 31. h5 Bc6 32. g6 hxg6 33. hxg6 {& mates.}) 25. Qe2 Qxe7 (25... Qf4+ 26. Qd2 Rf1+ 27. Rxf1 Qxf1+ 28. Qd1) 26. Qxf3 dxe5 27. Re1 Rd8 (27... Rf8 28. Rxe5 Qxe5 29. Qxf8+ Kxf8 30. Bxe5) 28. Rxe5 Qd6 29. Qf4 Rf8 (29... Bxd5 30. Re8+) 30. Qe4 b3 31. axb3 Rf1+ 32. Kd2 Qb4+ 33. c3 Qd6 34. Bc5 Qxc5 35. Re8+ Rf8 36. Qe6+ Kh8 37. Qf7 1-0

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7 10. Nf3 b5 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. f5 Qa5 13. Kb1 O-O-O 14. g3 Kb8 15. Bh3 Bc8 16. Rhe1 h5 17. Qe3 Bd7 (17... b4 18. Ne2 Qc5 19. Nf4 (19. Ned4 Nxd4 20. Nxd4 e5) 19... Qxe3 20. Rxe3 d5 21. exd5 e5) 18. Ne2 Ne5 19. Nf4 Ng4 20. Qe2 Rdg8 {Nxh5 was threatened.} 21. Nd4 Qb6 (21... e5 22. Nb3 {& Nd5 gives W a fine game.}) 22. Rd2 ( 22. fxe6 fxe6 23. Nfxe6 Bxe6 24. Nxe6 Nf2 25. Nf4 {is an interesting exchange sac but as this was a team tournament Tal felt he had to play without risk (!??)}) 22... e5 (22... d5 23. fxe6 fxe6 24. exd5 e5 25. Nc6+ Bxc6 26. dxc6) 23. Nd5 Qd8 24. Nb3 Bc6 25. c4 Qd7 26. Na5 {to exchange off B's only good defender.} 26... Bd8 27. Nxc6+ Qxc6 28. Rc1 Kb7 29. cxb5 Qxb5 30. Rd3 Ka7 31. Bxg4 hxg4 32. Qe3+ Ka8 33. Rb3 (33. Rc8+ Kb7 34. Rxd8 Rxd8 35. Rb3 Rd7 {While obviously winning does still leave some work to be done.}) (33. Rc7 Qxd3+ 34. Qxd3 Bxc7 35. Nxc7+ Kb7 36. Nxa6 {is also possible.}) 33... Qd7 34. Qd3 Ka7 35. Qe3+ (35. Nb4 {is even better.} 35... Qb5 36. Nc6+ Kb7 37. Qd5) 35... Ka8 36. Rb6 (36. Rb6 a5 37. Ra6+ Kb8 38. Rc8+ Kxc8 39. Ra8+ Kb7 40. Qa7+ Kc6 41. Qa6+ Kc5 42. b3 Qb5 43. Rc8+ Kd4 44. Rc4+ Kd3 45. Qxb5) 1-0

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 b5 3. Bg2 Bb7 4. O-O e6 5. d3 d5 6. Nbd2 Be7 7. e4 O-O 8. Qe2 c5 9. Re1 Nc6 10. c3 a5 11. exd5 exd5 12. d4 Qb6 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. Nb3 Rfe8 15. Qc2 d4 16. Qf5 Rxe1+ 17. Nxe1 Re8 18. Nf3 (18. Bf4 Bf8 19. Nxd4 Nxd4 20. cxd4 Ne4) 18... Bd6 19. Bg5 Ne4 (19... dxc3 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. bxc3 {Looks weakening for B but is in fact ok.}) 20. Re1 Ne7 21. Bxe7 (21. Rxe4 Nxf5 22. Rxe8+ Bf8 23. Ne5 Qc7 24. Bd8) 21... g6 22. Qh3 dxc3 23. Rxe4 (23. Bxd6 Qxf2+ 24. Kh1 Qxe1+ 25. Nxe1 Nf2+ 26. Kg1 Nxh3+ 27. Kf1 Bxg2+ 28. Kxg2 cxb2 29. Nd2 Re2+) 23... cxb2 {This is the point. Ng5 is not a threat as B has h5.} 24. Re1 (24. Qh6 b1=Q+ 25. Bf1 Qxe4 26. Ng5 Qh1# {This is the line Bilek overlooked.}) ( 24. Nbd2 Bxe4 25. Ng5 h5 26. Bxd6 Bf5) 24... Rxe7 25. Rb1 a4 26. Nbd4 Bxf3 27. Nxf3 Re2 28. Rf1 (28. Qc8+ Kg7 29. Qc3+ Be5) 28... Rxf2 29. Qc8+ Kg7 30. Qc3+ f6 0-1

1. Nf3 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 d6 4. d3 e5 5. e4 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd4 9. Ne2 Bh3 10. Nfxd4 Bxg2 11. Rg1 exd4 12. Nxd4 c5 13. Nb5 Bf3 14. g4 d5 15. Bxc5 Rc8 16. Ba3 dxe4 17. dxe4 Qb6 18. Bxe7 Qxb5 19. Bxf8 Qxb2 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Rc1 Rd8 22. Qe3 Qxc2 23. Kf1 Rd1+ 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. O-O Qc7 8. Nc3 Bd6 9. Kh1 h5 10. f4 Ng4 11. Qf3 Nxe3 12. Qxe3 Qb6 13. Nce2 e5 14. Qg3 exd4 15. Qxg7 Rf8 16. e5 Be7 17. f5 f6 18. Nf4 Rf7 19. exf6 Ne5 (19... Rxg7 20. fxg7 Kf7 21. f6 Bxf6 22. Nxh5 Ne7 23. Bh7 Ng8 24. Rae1 Nh6 25. Rxf6+ Qxf6 26. g8=Q+ Nxg8 27. Bxg8+ Kxg8 28. Nxf6+) 20. Bc4 Nxc4 21. Qg8+ Bf8 22. Nxh5 Nd6 23. Rae1+ Kd8 24. Re7 Qb5 25. Rfe1 Qd5 26. Nf4 Qxa2 (26... Qa5 27. c3 Qxa2 28. cxd4 Kc7 29. Ne6+ Kb8 30. Qg3 Ka7 31. Qxd6 Rxe7 32. Qc5+ Kb8 33. fxe7 Bxe7 34. Qxe7 dxe6) 27. Ne6+ Qxe6 28. fxe6 Rxf6 29. Rf7 1-0

{Games between these two can take on the feel of the irrisistable force vs the immovable object. This time Petrosian makes one mistake in the opening & is torn apart by an attack straight out of the romantic period.} 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O Nc6 7. d5 Nb8 8. Re1 e5 {Possibly the losing move! more usual would be a plan involving ..c6.} 9. dxe6 Bxe6 10. Bf4 h6 11. Nd4 Bd7 12. Qd2 Kh7 13. e5 {Tal realizes that by exchanging this centre pawn and giving up the B pair he can achieve a fine centralised position while B cannot easily develop his pieces.} 13... dxe5 14. Bxe5 Ne4 15. Nxe4 Bxe5 16. Nf3 Bg7 17. Rad1 {The pin on the d7 B and the N stuck defending it make B's position difficult. Nc5 is threatened.} 17... Qc8 18. Bc4 Be8 19. Neg5+ hxg5 20. Nxg5+ Kg8 21. Qf4 {B's pieces are so tied up that the simple threat of Q-h4-h7 coupled with the pressure on f7 is unanswerable.} 21... Nd7 {At last the N moves. If it could get to f6 it could shore up the defence, but against someone with Tal's disregard of material it is never going to get the chance.} (21... Bh6 22. Rxe8 Qxe8 23. Qf6 Bxg5 24. Qxg6+ Kh8 25. Qh5+ Kg8 26. Qxg5+ Kh8 27. Rd4 {& mates}) 22. Rxd7 Bxd7 (22... Qxd7 23. Qh4) 23. Bxf7+ (23. Bxf7+ Rxf7 24. Qxf7+ Kh8 25. Re7 Qf8 26. Qxg6 Bf5 27. Nf7+ Kg8 28. Nh6+ Kh8 29. Nxf5) 1-0

1. c4 c5 2. b3 Nc6 3. Bb2 e5 4. g3 d6 5. Bg2 Be6 6. Nc3 Qd7 7. Nf3 Bh3 8. Bxh3 Qxh3 9. Nd5 Qd7 (9... O-O-O 10. b4 {opening the b-file.}) 10. e3 Nce7 (10... Nge7 11. d4 cxd4 12. exd4 e4 13. Nd2 Nxd5 14. cxd5 Nb4 15. Nxe4 Nxd5 16. O-O Be7 17. Qh5) 11. Nc3 Nf6 12. O-O e4 { to prevent d4.} 13. Ng5 d5 (13... Qf5 14. Nb5 Rd8 (14... Qxg5 15. Nxd6+ Kd7 16. Nxf7) 15. Nc7+ Kd7 16. Nxf7 Kxc7 17. Nxh8 {& W will open the f-file decisivly.}) 14. cxd5 Qf5 15. Nxf7 Kxf7 16. f3 Nexd5 ( 16... exf3 17. e4) 17. fxe4 Nxc3 18. Bxc3 Qxe4 19. Qh5+ Ke6 (19... Kg8 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Rxf6 Qe7 22. Qd5+ Kg7 23. Qg5#) 20. Qh3+ Kd6 21. b4 ( 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Rxf6+ Kc7 23. Rf7+ Be7) 21... Kc7 22. Rac1 Rc8 23. Rf5 Qg4 24. Be5+ Kd7 25. Qf1 Qe4 26. Rc4 Qc6 27. Qh3 Qe6 28. Bxf6 gxf6 29. Re4 Qxa2 30. Rxc5+ 1-0

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bc4 Ngf6 6. Ng5 e6 7. Qe2 Nb6 8. Bb3 h6 9. N5f3 a5 10. a3 Be7 11. Bd2 Nbd5 12. c4 Nc7 13. Bc2 O-O 14. Ne5 Qxd4 15. Bc3 Qd8 16. Ngf3 Nce8 17. g4 b5 18. g5 hxg5 19. Nxg5 Ra6 20. Qf3 b4 21. Qh3 g6 22. Bxg6 bxc3 23. Nexf7 Qd2+ 24. Kf1 Rxf7 25. Bxf7+ Kg7 26. Rg1 Qxg5 27. Rxg5+ Kxf7 28. bxc3 e5 1-0

1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Be2 Nf6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. O-O c5 7. d5 Na6 8. Re1 Nc7 9. Bf4 b5 10. Nxb5 Nxe4 11. Nxc7 Qxc7 12. Bc4 Nf6 13. h3 Re8 14. Rb1 a5 15. Qd2 Qb6 16. Re3 Ba6 17. Bxa6 Qxa6 18. Rbe1 Kf8 19. Ng5 Qb7 20. c4 Qb4 21. Qe2 h6 22. Nxf7 Kxf7 23. Rb3 Qa4 24. Qe6+ Kf8 25. Rb7 Qxc4 26. Bxd6 Ng8 27. Re3 Bf6 28. Rf3 Kg7 29. Bxe7 Rxe7 30. Rxe7+ Nxe7 31. Qxf6+ Kg8 32. Qf7+ Kh8 33. Qxe7 Qxd5 34. Rf7 1-0

{Tal's last Tournament game. He went out playing the same wonderful style that he had always played} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. O-O Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Ba4 c4 8. d4 cxd3 9. Bg5 e6 10. Qxd3 Be7 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Bxc6 Bxc6 13. c4 O-O 14. Nc3 Kh8 15. Rad1 Rg8 16. Qe3 Qf8 17. Nd4 Rc8 18. f4 Bd7 19. b3 Bd8 20. Nf3 b5 21. Qa7 Bc7 22. Qxa6 bxc4 23. b4 Qg7 24. g3 d5 25. exd5 Bxf4 26. Kf2 f5 27. gxf4 Qxc3 28. Qd6 Ba4 29. Rd4 Rg7 30. dxe6 Bc6 31. Ng5 Rxg5 32. Qe5+ Rg7 33. Rd8+ Rxd8 34. Qxc3 f6 35. e7 Ra8 36. Qxf6 Be4 37. Rg1 Rxa2+ 38. Ke1 1-0