“Believe me, playing in such a style, this guy has…

“Believe me, playing in such a style, this guy has no chess future.” – Peter Romanovsky (on a young Tal)

About Tal

Other Mikhail Tal Quotes

If you wait for luck to turn up, life becomes very boring. - View Quote Details on If you wait for luck to turn up, life becomes…
“He was like a man from another planet! That’s why he played “unidentifiable” chess. Analyzing his chess games is tantamount to discussing what God looks like.” — Vladimir Kramnik - View Quote Details on “He was like a man from another planet! That’s why…
Usually, I prefer not to study chess but to play it. For me chess is more an art than a science. It’s been said that Alekhine and I played similar chess, except that he studied more. Yes, perhaps, but I have to say that he played, too. - View Quote Details on Usually, I prefer not to study chess but to play…
“Tal enjoys excitement and hair-raising complications, and in that kind of game he can find his way around better than anyone else.” – Paul Keres - View Quote Details on “Tal enjoys excitement and hair-raising complications, and in that kind…
There are two types of sacrifices - sound ones and mine. - View Quote Details on There are two types of sacrifices - sound ones and…
“The chess story of Mikhail Tal is about the act itself of straining against the leash of limited human imagination to create mammoth combinations on the chessboard. During his games, Tal wished to go where no chess player had ever gone before, choosing the middlegame as his métier for creative expression. He burned energy profligately. A chain-smoker and a heavy drinker, Tal pulsated nervous energy, pacing like a caged tiger in between moves. And as a young man with those famous fierce, hooded eyes and that imposing hooked nose, he bulldozed all before him.” – Larry Parr - View Quote Details on “The chess story of Mikhail Tal is about the act…
Many sacrifices don’t require concrete calculation at all. It is sufficient to only glance at the arising position to convince us that the sacrifice is correct. - View Quote Details on Many sacrifices don’t require concrete calculation at all. It is…
They compare me with Lasker, which is an exaggerated honor. Lasker made mistakes in every game and I only in every second one! - View Quote Details on They compare me with Lasker, which is an exaggerated honor…
“I was surprised by his ability to figure out complex variations. Then the way he sets out the game; he was not interested in the objectivity of the position, whether it’s better or worse, he only needed room for his pieces. All you do then is figure out variations which are extremely difficult. He was tactically outplaying me and I made mistakes.” – Mikhail Botvinnik - View Quote Details on “I was surprised by his ability to figure out complex…
“The guy ate and breathed the game. If he wasn’t playing in a tournament he was playing blitz or talking about the latest chess news; nobody adored chess as much as Tal did!” – Jeremy Silman - View Quote Details on “The guy ate and breathed the game. If he wasn’t…