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Boris Spassky vs Mikhail Tal
Moskva tt 1959  ·  Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Keres Defense (C92)  ·  1-0
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Given 2 times; par: 62 [what's this?]

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sac: 34.fxe4 PGN: download | view Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-29-06  Maynard5: This largely unknown game features an incredible tactical fight, in which however Tal was not at his best. Black completely misses the point of 36. Be3, after which White can counterattack on the kingside. Earlier on, Spassky makes some surprising moves (like 19. Na1), but is then able to repulse the ensuing attack successfully. The situation gets extremely complicated around move 25, after which the position appears double-edged.
Sep-18-06  woodenbishop: Great tatical game by Spassky!
Sep-18-06  mdz: Tal had advantage for awhile a could have kept it with 33...Nc3
Aug-18-08  Helios727: Revenge for that bitter loss in the 1958 Zonal.
Dec-03-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  goldenbear: I don't see how White could possibly win after 34.dxe4. No one has mentioned this possibility. Any ideas? 35.Rd2 d3 should at least hold I think and, to me, looks dangerous for White. The rook at e6 defends everything.
Dec-20-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  wwall: This game was lightly annotated in Chess Life & Review, January, 1970, page 12. A comment was made that 26...d3? was perhaps the losing move and that 26...Nc2 should draw. But perhaps White is winning after 26...Nc2 37.Qf3 Ne3 38.Qh5 Nxf5 39.Qe8+ Kh7 40.Qd7+ Ng7 41.Qxc6 Qc3 42.Qxa6 Qxg3 43.Nf3 Qf4 44.Qxb5.
Dec-21-09  crwynn: It is indeed remarkable that Black didn't play 34...de, just flipping through the game casually 34...Qxb2 looked bizarre, so I am sure Tal considered taking e4. Rybka likes 34...de, and from what I can tell it just wins; Tal must have seen a ghost somewhere.
Dec-21-09  Atking: <I am sure Tal considered taking e4. ... Tal must have seen a ghost somewhere.> Yes <crwynn> the move wins Maybe Tal thought that xRb2 should win too. An incredible battle indeed. In other hand White must have forget 25...Nd6! and should have play simply 21.b3
Oct-05-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Pfleger, and Euwe before him in his classic work on the middlegame (I think), wrote on the critical position below, stating that Tal's error came with 34....Qxb2 rather than 34....dxe4:


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