Chess lessons › Famous chess games
Mikhail Tal
Sacrifices that set hard problems: Tal gives a bishop and then his queen against Smyslov in 1959.
The idea
Tal gives up a bishop, then his queen, and comes out ahead.
- The knight on f6 attacks White’s queen on h5.
- The queen takes on f7 instead of running away.
- If the rook takes back, the knight on h6 takes on f7 with check.
In a game: When your queen is attacked, look for a capture that wins more back.
How the lesson begins
Mikhail Tal was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1936. In 1960 he beat Mikhail Botvinnik and became world champion at 23, the youngest champion up to then. Botvinnik won the title back in their return match in 1961.
Tal was famous for sacrifices that gave his opponents hard problems at the board. Here is a game from the 1959 Candidates Tournament, which Tal won to earn his match with Botvinnik. Tal has White against Vasily Smyslov.
White castles queenside and Black kingside. Tal’s knight goes to f5 and his queen to h4, and he lets Black take the bishop on c4.
- 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 White castles on the queenside.
- 9... O-O 10. Nd6 Qa5 11. Bc4 b5 12. Bd2 Qa6 13. Nf5 The knight jumps to f5.
- 13... Bd8 14. Qh4 The queen goes to h4, towards Black’s king.
- 14... bxc4 Black takes the bishop. White is a piece down.
Find the move
White to move. You are a piece down. Find the queen move that threatens mate on g7.
A hint
Line up the queen with the knight on f5 against g7.
Show the answer
15. Qg5
15.Qg5 The queen and the knight on f5 both attack g7.