Boris Spassky vs Mikhail Tal (1973) Tal in Tallinn

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Boris Spassky vs Mikhail Tal
"Tal in Tallinn" (game of the day Jul-01-2016)
Tallinn (1973), Tallinn URS, rd 13, Mar-10
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Leningrad Variation. Averbakh Gambit (E30) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 40 times; par: 45 [what's this?]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 3 OF 3 · Later Kibitzing>
Jul-01-16		al wazir: Doesn't black have a much, much easier win with 20...Bxa1 ? After 21. Rxa1 (21. Qb8 Rxc6) Qc3 21. Qd8+ Kh7, black is up a ♗. No wizardry needed.

Jul-01-16		mike1: 20 Bxa1. 21. Rxa1 Qc3. 22 Qd8+ Kh7 23. Be4+ and black will need some help

Jul-01-16		cunctatorg: Tal's play at this masterpiece reminds of Kasparov's play at his best!! By the way Tal had to avenge his many losses to Spassky and after all Boris was going for it by keep playing the Leningrad variation of the NID for so many years!...

Jul-01-16		The Kings Domain: Brilliant attacking game by Tal. The sacrifices come like punches to the gut that barely relent. Spassky must have felt as dazzled and dazed as anyone who studies and appreciates this topnotch game.

Jul-01-16		offramp: Karpov was not the world's greatest gambiteer but he played the opening in a very similar way to Tal in Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1978. It was a Nimzo-Indian and in this position, click for larger view ...Karpov played 6...b5. I believe Tal was on Karpov's team for part of that match. Who wasn't? The game ended up as a thrilling draw.

Jul-01-16		kevin86: Black is about to use white's rooks as an aid to walling in white's king.

Jul-01-16		al wazir: <mike1: black will need some help>. Oops. Thanks.

Jul-01-16		morfishine: Too famous of a game to pollute with yet another lame "tal" play on word really pathetic *****

Jul-01-16		Willber G: <mike1: 20 Bxa1. 21. Rxa1 Qc3. 22 Qd8+ Kh7 23. Be4+ and black will need some help> Surely 22.Qd8 NxQ

Jul-01-16		Honza Cervenka: Tal played this game like Spassky at his best. His play was absolutely sound here and wery powerful.

Jul-01-16		mruknowwho: Mike1 is correct. After 20...Bxa1? 21.Rxa1 Qc3?? 22.Qd8+ Kh7 23.Be4+!, Black is in trouble. <Willber G> mike1 wrote 20...Bxa1 like a White move so there is an illusion that there is a knight that can take the queen. (No disrespect intended for mike1.)

Jul-01-16		Willber G: Yep, my mistake.

Nov-30-16		Albion 1959: Vintage Tal !!

Dec-24-17		anjumskhan: My name is Tal ... Mikhail Tal

Dec-25-17		ughaibu: Interestingly, if we look at the results of Spassky against Tal, over the period 1972 to 1992, we find that he did worse than he did against Fischer: around 36% versus Tal and 41% versus Fischer.

Dec-25-17		Eduardo Bermudez: I recommend take a look the score Spassky-Tal between 1954-1965: was only 9 to 2 in Spassky favour !

Dec-25-17		ughaibu: <I recommend take a look the score Spassky-Tal between 1954-1965: was only 9 to 2 in Spassky favour !> But that wouldn't be much use for a comparison with Spassy's performance in his two matches against Fischer.

Dec-25-17		Eduardo Bermudez: ... in the sixties, Spassky beat Fischer comfortably 3 wins and two draws: 4 to 1

Dec-25-17		ughaibu: Again, let's make a comparison: over the period 1960 to 1970, Spassky scored 80% against Fischer and 67% against Tal.

Nov-16-20		Everett: Speaking of comparisons, see Larsen’s improvement on move 9. Larsen vs R Garbarino, 1993

Nov-14-22		Everett: < Dec-25-17 ughaibu: Again, let's make a comparison: over the period 1960 to 1970, Spassky scored 80% against Fischer and 67% against Tal.> These numbers are easy to understand: Spassky was still hungry for the title, and was clearly the best player on the planet for much of the 60�s. In fact, it is reasonable to suggest that Fischer waited for Spassky to become champ before returning to the candidates cycle. Why? Because a hungry Spassky might just beat Fischer in the 60�s

May-19-23		Saul Goodman: Fischer dropped out of the World Championship cycle after the Soviets cheated at the 1962 Curaçao Candidates Tournament. He was 19 years old and still developing as a player. After the 1966 Piatagorsky Cup tournament, when Fischer as 23 years old, he literally won every tournament or match he completed for the rest of his life. Notwithstanding his record against Spassky, Fischer was already better than him by the time Spassky became Champion, and he feared no player, only collusion.

Dec-02-23		Everett: < Saul Goodman: Fischer dropped out of the World Championship cycle after the Soviets cheated at the 1962 Curaçao Candidates Tournament. He was 19 years old and still developing as a player. After the 1966 Piatagorsky Cup tournament, when Fischer as 23 years old, he literally won every tournament or match he completed for the rest of his life.> Fischer ducked Spassky until he was champ. Spassky won through two full candidates cycles, matches included (upon Fischer�s request!) while Fischer stayed home sucking his thumb.

Jan-10-24		jerseybob: <Everett: ....Fischer ducked Spassky until he was champ...> I think "ducking Spassky" is too simplistic. Who was he ducking in 1964 and 1967? Ducking the danger of failure is more like it for me. I'm not a doctor of course, but even a team of shrinks might have trouble figuring out such a head case. And sadly in his final "duck", he apparently ducked the medical care that might have saved his life.

Jan-10-24		HeMateMe: <the Soviets cheated at the 1962 Curaçao Candidates Tournament. > not proven. Not proven at all. Spassky (1969-72) was not quite the player he had been in the '60s. Fischer saw this and decided to risk losing a match. Fischer never played serious chess again except for a '92 match against none other than...an aging Boris Spassky.

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