“Tal enjoys excitement and hair-raising complications, and in that kind…

“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

About Tal

Other Mikhail Tal Quotes

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…
“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 pieces must breathe deeply and with a full chest! - View Quote Details on The pieces must breathe deeply and with a full chest!
“I realized that you cannot tackle him if the pieces are mobile and active. I played closed positions in which Tal could gain no advantage. Tal had no positional understanding for closed games.” – Mikhail Botvinnik (on their ‘61 rematch) - View Quote Details on “I realized that you cannot tackle him if the pieces…
It’s funny, but many people don’t understand why I draw so many games nowadays. They think my style must have changed but this is not the case at all. The answer to this drawing disease is that my favorite squares are e6, f7, g7 and h7 and everyone now knows this. They protect these squares not once but four times! - View Quote Details on It’s funny, but many people don’t understand why I draw…
Later, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because I realized a very simple truth: not only was I worried, but also my opponent. - View Quote Details on Later, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because…
“Believe me, playing in such a style, this guy has no chess future.” – Peter Romanovsky (on a young Tal) - View Quote Details on “Believe me, playing in such a style, this guy has…
Chess is better than checkers. In the very least it has a more interesting cast of characters. - View Quote Details on Chess is better than checkers. In the very least it…
Extraordinarily tense, full-blooded struggles that are absolutely without any mistakes are only to be found in distant interplanetary chess tournaments. - View Quote Details on Extraordinarily tense, full-blooded struggles that are absolutely without any mistakes…
“The chess pieces in Tal’s hands radiated magical energy. Tal quickly became the favorite of chess fans all around the world. People attended the games of the “chess magician” for the same reasons the spectators had listened to the violinist-virtuoso Paganini.” – Valery Tsaturian - View Quote Details on “The chess pieces in Tal’s hands radiated magical energy. Tal…