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Tal, Mikhail

World Champion

classical era

Mikhail Tal, "The Magician from Riga," became the youngest World Champion at age 23 when he defeated Botvinnik in 1960 with a dazzling display of tactical brilliance, holding the title until 1961. His fearless, improvisational style -- defined by daring sacrifices and bewildering combinations -- captivated audiences and made him one of the most beloved figures in chess history. More of his games appear in collections of the greatest chess brilliancies than those of any other player.

Total Games

2431

Wins

982

Draws

1175

Losses

273

40.4% wins48.3% draws11.2% losses

Most Played Openings

A30 - English Opening: Wing Gambit40D41 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense29C92 - Ruy Lopez: Closed29A34 - English Opening: Symmetrical Variation28B85 - Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line26B48 - Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack24B17 - Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation24B43 - Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack23B06 - Modern Defense23B07 - Pirc Defense22

Most Faced Opponents

Botvinnik, Mikhail44 gamesKortschnoj, Viktor41 gamesPetrosian, Tigran V40 gamesSpassky, Boris V39 gamesLarsen, Bent39 gamesGeller, Efim P34 gamesTimman, Jan H33 gamesPortisch, Lajos32 gamesGligoric, Svetozar32 gamesBronstein, David I31 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
0-1

Vaganian, Rafael A vs Tal, Mihail

Wch-blitz

1988

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FCGFCG
0-1

Gurevich, Dmitry vs Tal, Mihail

Wch-blitz

1988

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FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Jussupow, Artur

Wch-blitz

1988

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FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 23th

1960

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FCGFCG
0-1

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 24th

1961

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FCGFCG
0-1

Szukszta, Janusz vs Tal, Mihail

WchT U26

1956

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FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 24th

1961

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FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 23th

1960

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FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Portisch, Lajos

WchT U26

1958

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FCGFCG
0-1

Tal, Mihail vs Smyslov, Vassily

Biel Interzonal

1976

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Games (2431)

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Tal, Mihail vs Polugaevsky, Lev
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1980 B47
Hort, Vlastimil vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Tilburg 1980 E15
Tal, Mihail vs Andersson, Ulf
1/2-1/2
Tilburg 1980 E42
Karpov, Anatoly vs Tal, Mihail
1-0
Bugojno 1980 D48
Tal, Mihail vs Ljubojevic, Ljubomir
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 B43
Spassky, Boris V vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
Montreal 1979 E14
Tal, Mihail vs Timman, Jan H
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 A30
Tal, Mihail vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
URS Spartakiad 1979 D40
Bronstein, David I vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Tallinn 1979 C56
Tarjan, James Edward vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
Riga Interzonal 1979 B80
Van Riemsdijk, Herman C vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Riga Interzonal 1979 B81
Ribli, Zoltan vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Riga Interzonal 1979 D41
Tal, Mihail vs Larsen, Bent
1-0
Montreal 1979 B63
Kuzmin, Gennadi P vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
Riga Interzonal 1979 A62
Tal, Mihail vs Adorjan, Andras
1/2-1/2
Riga Interzonal 1979 A31
Tal, Mihail vs Kasparov, Gary
1/2-1/2
URS-ch47 1979 B85
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Tallinn 1979 D59
Tal, Mihail vs Bouaziz, Slim
1/2-1/2
Riga Interzonal 1979 E92
Tal, Mihail vs Beliavsky, Alexander G
1-0
URS-ch47 1979 D12
Tal, Mihail vs Tseshkovsky, Vitaly
1-0
Riga Interzonal 1979 B33
Tal, Mihail vs Karpov, Anatoly
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 C08
Tal, Mihail vs Romanishin, Oleg M
1-0
Riga Interzonal 1979 C93
Trois, Francisco RT vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
Riga Interzonal 1979 E61
Gruenfeld, Yehuda vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Riga Interzonal 1979 C83
Portisch, Lajos vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 E12
Jussupow, Artur vs Tal, Mihail
1-0
URS-ch47 1979 E01
Rodriguez, Ruben vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
Riga Interzonal 1979 C00
Tal, Mihail vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch47 1979 B52
Karpov, Anatoly vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 D41
Larsen, Bent vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 A29
Tal, Mihail vs Mednis, Edmar John
1-0
Riga Interzonal 1979 B09
Tal, Mihail vs Spassky, Boris V
1-0
Montreal 1979 E94
Ljubojevic, Ljubomir vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 C69
Tal, Mihail vs Miles, Anthony J
1-0
Riga Interzonal 1979 B52
Timman, Jan H vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Montreal 1979 A34
Tal, Mihail vs Gheorghiu, Florin
1-0
Riga Interzonal 1979 B53
Tal, Mihail vs Portisch, Lajos
1-0
Montreal 1979 C08
Kasparov, Gary vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
URS-ch46 1978 C69
Tal, Mihail vs Portisch, Lajos
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1978 B19
Beliavsky, Alexander G vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
URS-ch46 1978 D63
Larsen, Bent vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1978 A46
Polugaevsky, Lev vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
URS-ch46 1978 D58
Tal, Mihail vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch46 1978 D55
Tal, Mihail vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1978 C99
Ljubojevic, Ljubomir vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1978 D40
Timman, Jan H vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1978 D46
Karpov, Anatoly vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1978 E48
Tal, Mihail vs Karpov, Anatoly
1/2-1/2
Las Palmas 1977 E12
Tal, Mihail vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
URS-ch45 1977 C16
Tal, Mihail vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
URS-ch45 1977 C80
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