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I saw this game in an article recently and of course I had to share. Hope it makes somebody's day! (besides mine) https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1134883 Tal of course!
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Lovely. :) -
Game of the Day
March 1, 2021
Goglidze Memorial, Tbilisi
Round 11, Dec. 30, 1969
Tal, Mikhail – Suetin, Alexey
B42 Sicilian, Kan
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Nc3 Nbc6 7.Nb3 Ng6 8.O-O b5 9.Be3 d6 10.f4 Be7 11.Qh5 Bf6 12.Rad1 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qc7 14.Rd2 Nce7 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.f5 exf5 17.exf5 Ne5 18.Ne6 Bxe6 19.fxe6 g6 20.Qxe5 dxe5 21.exf7+ 1-0
Final Position
Chessgames.com comments
Just looking at their games in print, I can't shake the thought that somehow certain players, like Tal and Morphy, had the ability to mesmerize their opponents. We can say "Suetin shoulda seen it comin'," but he didn't. How was Tal able to mystify his opponents? Wish I could!
According to Fischer "He is always on the look-out
for some spectacular sacrifice. He is not so much interested in who has the better game, or in the essential soundness of his own games, but in finding that one shot, that dramatic breakthrough that will give him the win."
I'm glad you asked; there is an anecdote that goes with this game.
<'Not bad for a dead man!' was the comment reportedly made by a spectator. The point was that the Yugoslav press had reported Tal's death during his recent operation. Tal had reassured his Yugoslav friends with the words, "The rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated!">
from "The Magic of Mikhail Tal", by Gallagher, 2000
Tal was my hero when I started chess about 1963 we got the book of his games by P H Clarke - my father and i kind of argued re Tal (we both learnt chess together ) I loved the complexities -the almost impossibly complex games and positons generated by Tal) but my father studied Botvinnik and then was able to pass judgement on Tal when he lost in the second match to Botvinnik - mind you my Dad was more enthusiastic about Fischer (and Botivnnik was great player - i read somewhere in HIS book how he acknowledged he didnt have a great combinative vision -well he emant probably not as great as such as Tal) ..but Tal is perhaps the greatest complexifier and combinative player perhaps of the modern era of chess players...
I worked this out (and decided QxN was the winning move) - but at first I thought 20. Bxb5+ After 20 Qe5 ed5 21 ef7+ kf8 22 Bh6++ is the theme. But Black can play 21..Nc3 which had me worried) I work my moves out without moving the pieces around - ie in my head so to speak if I can ) if 21..Ke7 22. Bf5 dble ch (Bb5+ may also win but I couldnt see how White gave a good coup de grace -although I see now its winning) a Kc6 23. Be4+ Nd5 24. Bd5+ Kd3 25. Ba8+ Ke6 26.Bd5+ Ke7 or white gets the Q back with big material advantage) 27.Bg5+ Kf8 28.Bh6+ Ke7 29. f8=Q+ Rf8 30. Bf8+ ..actually I thought there was also a forced win of Black's queen but I'm in the right direction if I go down on this line...Kd8 White is winning.
But if after 20. Qe5 de5 21. ef7+ Kd8 22. Be4+ Kc8 23. ff8=Q+ Rf8 24. Rf8+ Qd8 25. Rfd8+ Kc7 26. Rdd7++
BUT the annoying move is 22. ... Nd5 [I actually didnt even consider Qd7..blast - talk about a dead man!! but 22..Qd7 ff8=Q with a general slaughteration and White wins I saw lines like that] but after (Nd5) 23. Bg5+ Kc8 24. ff8=Q Rxf8 25. Rxf8+ Kb7 26. Bd4+ Ka7 27. Be3+ Qb6 28. Rxa1 mate but bother and blast if Qc6 avoids mate!! But loses of course.
This is my analysis without looking at anyone else or moving any pieces I had the King in check all over the boarde and I kept seeing double -it wasnt easy but it was fun..there are some lines I have left off but that seems to be the way
A great Tal game.
I also considered Bb5+ at the right moment (even 20.Bb5+ to open the files for the rook) but couldnt makeComment
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