They compare me with Lasker, which is an exaggerated honor…

They compare me with Lasker, which is an exaggerated honor. Lasker made mistakes in every game and I only in every second one!

Attributed

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…
“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…
“If Tal would learn to program himself properly, then it would become quite impossible to play against him.” – Mikhail Botvinnik - View Quote Details on “If Tal would learn to program himself properly, then it…
Just as one’s imagination is stirred by a girl’s smile, so is one’s imagination stirred by the possibilities of chess. - View Quote Details on Just as one’s imagination is stirred by a girl’s smile,…
“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…
“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…
“First, how to sac my queen, then rook, then bishop, then knight, then pawns.” (on what he thinks about after his opponent moves) - View Quote Details on “First, how to sac my queen, then rook, then bishop,…
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…
“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…
“When Spassky offers you a piece, you may just as well resign, but when Tal offers you a piece, go on playing, he may sacrifice another, and then…who knows?” – Miguel Najdorf - View Quote Details on “When Spassky offers you a piece, you may just as…