Mikhail Tal

1936–1992 Soviet Union (Latvia) World Champion 1960–1961

The "Magician from Riga", youngest world champion of his time at 23. Tal's sacrifices were often objectively unsound and practically unanswerable — "You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5," he said, "and the path leading out is only wide enough for one."

2,430games
981won · 40%
1,175drawn · 48%
273lost · 11%
1952–1992span

Games in the Archive

2,430 games
0-1 Klasup, Karlis vs Mikhail Tal 1952 · LAT-ch · Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Klasup, Karlis 1952 · Riga-ch · Dutch Defense: Blackmar's Second Gambit The Soviet School ½-½ Mileika, Janis vs Mikhail Tal 1952 · Riga-ch · Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Lilienthal Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Segal, Alexandru Sorin 1952 · Riga-ch sf · Pirc Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Lozov 1952 · Riga-ch · Catalan Opening: Closed The Soviet School 1-0 Pasman, M. vs Mikhail Tal 1952 · Riga-ch · King's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Segal, Alexandru Sorin 1952 · Riga tt · Dutch Defense: Classical Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Birjanis 1952 · Riga-ch sf · Queen's Gambit Declined The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Zaid, Leonid D 1952 · Riga-ch · Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Tartakower Gambit The Soviet School 0-1 Klevitzki, Yehezkel vs Mikhail Tal 1952 · Riga-ch sf · Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Rozenberg, S. 1953 · LAT-ch sf · Caro-Kann Defense: Main Line The Soviet School 0-1 Gradus vs Mikhail Tal 1953 · LAT-ch · King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Long Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Mileika, Janis vs Mikhail Tal 1953 · LAT-ch · Benoni Defense: Modern Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Solmanis, Zigfrids vs Mikhail Tal 1953 · LAT-ch · King's Indian Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Erepov 1953 · LAT-ch · French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Kampenuss, P. 1953 · LAT-ch · Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Minckwitz Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Pasman, M. 1953 · LAT-ch · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Balinsh vs Mikhail Tal 1953 · LAT-ch · Dutch Defense: Classical Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Kliavinsh, Janis vs Mikhail Tal 1953 · LAT-ch · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Romanovsky Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Mikhail Tal vs Pigit 1953 · LAT-ch sf · Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Exchange Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Darznieks, Artur 1953 · LAT-ch sf · Grünfeld Defense: Smyslov Defense The Soviet School 0-1 Mikhail Tal vs Aronin, Lev Solomonovich 1953 · URS-chT · Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack The Soviet School 0-1 Mileika, Janis vs Mikhail Tal 1953 · LAT-ch sf · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Taimanov Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Mikhail Tal vs Paradniek 1954 · LAT-ch · Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation The Soviet School