Mikhail Tal vs Wolfgang Uhlmann (1971) Trojan Horse

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Mikhail Tal vs Wolfgang Uhlmann
"Trojan Horse" (game of the day Nov-13-2017)
Moscow (1971), Moscow URS, rd 6, Nov-30
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation. Open System Euwe-Keres Line (C07) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 74 times; par: 22 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer). [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 4 OF 4 · Later Kibitzing>
Mar-26-09		WhiteRook48: what made it the Trojan horse?

Jun-25-11		wordfunph: game sidelight.. <There is a story which indicates the extent of the problems Tal could set his opponents. During this game, someone went to see a performance of an act of Rossini's opera, The Barber of Seville. Upon his return he found Wolfgang Uhlmann still thinking about the same move.> - GM James Plaskett (from his book Catastrophe in the Opening)

Sep-30-11		DrMAL: Also presented in DVD Roman's Lab #2 as example of positional sac, 12.Nf5 was indeed a creative move to grab the initiative. Very Tal-like in that the intuitive move 12...exf5 was a big mistake and instead either 12...Qc5 or 12...Qe5 gets a large advantage but it is very difficult to see/do this. The sequence after, including 15.Bd2! is played out perfectly, magical game!

Sep-30-11		DrMAL: Black is paralyzed at end it is instructive to look at how each move loses. Here is eval of top four moves (truncated), interesting to note 19...Nf6 which looks awful is a best option! Houdini_20_x64: 26/76 1:03:07 31,390,935,879 -4.49 19. ... Nf6 20.Qxh8 Ne4 21.f3 Kb6 22.fxe4 Nxb4 23.exf5 Bxf5 24.Qxg7 Qc5+ -4.51 19. ... Qa4 20.Bd6+ Kb6 21.Qf8 Nge7 22.Qxh8 Nc8 23.Qxg7 Nxd6 24.Rxd6 h5 -5.48 19. ... Nge7 20.Qxh8 Nc8 21.Qxg7 Kb6 22.Rac1 Qe4 23.Bc5+ Ka6 24.Qxh7 b6 -6.43 19. ... Bd5 20.Rxd5 Nge7 21.Bd6+ Kb6 22.Rxb5+ Kxb5 23.Qxb7+ Ka4 24.Rb1 Qc4

Jun-28-14		WCC Editing Project: Played at the <Alekhine Memorial 1971>. Tal only managed shared 6th with Spassky, scoring an anemic +4 -2 =11. This game, however, won the tournament prize for "most brilliant attack." -"The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal," p.401

Jul-25-16		andrea volponi: 11...h6!=

Aug-12-16		TerryMills: According to Tal, Uhlmann thought about 12..exf5 for 1 hour and 50 minutes. ("The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal," p.401). Is this really true? It sounds incredible.

Aug-12-16		RookFile: About the only move of Uhlmann's I had a problem with was Bb4. Even that has its logic to it. And yet Tal just blows him right off the board.

Feb-24-17		Sourav: I still don't understand why 7...f6 was not played. Can someone please explain? I know one of the commentators has explained. But, I could not quite follow.

Feb-24-17		ughaibu: After 7...f6, 8.Bf4, how will black unravel his position? He wants f6 for his knight.

Feb-25-17		Sourav: But, if Bf4 is such a good move, then why not make it immediately? Why move the Bishop to g5 first?

Feb-25-17		Sourav: Please ignore the question above. 7. Bf4 is simply met by 7...Nd4. Also, 7...f6 is better met by 8.Be3 than by 8.Bf4.

Nov-13-17		AlicesKnight: A chee4ring sight on a cold Monday morning, when my throat is a little horse....

Nov-13-17		Ratt Boy: < TheSlid: …Back to the pun - the move 12.Nf5 is literally a Trojan Horse, as the "Horse Gift" allows the main army into the black city.> Um…literally?

Nov-13-17		Ilkka Salonen: Would 15. ...Qf6 be any better?

Nov-13-17		Isilimela: Even a player as 'well booked' (as Uhlmann undoubtedly was) cannot match intuitive genius! Trojan horse is indeed the perfect description here: 12 Nf5! leaving the opponent fatally mesmerized!

Nov-13-17		Cheapo by the Dozen: The natural try to play on in my quick estimation is ... Bc4, taking that bishop out of the defense so as to get the c6 knight back in, and thus loosening White's grip on the black squares.

Nov-13-17		saturn2: After 19..Bc4 20 Ba5+ NxB 21 Qa5+ eventually followed by a check on d8 looks good to me.

Nov-13-17		kevin86: White rubs away with black's QR.

Nov-13-17		dhotts: A most beautiful gift!...How Tal could find this beguiling move is pure genius.

Jul-06-20		SpiritedReposte: <12. Nf5!> Tal playing such a move against you...good luck. Playing through I expected 15. Rxe6+ which looks to win as well?

May-24-21		Messiah: Excellent game, very nice!

Sep-02-21		GrahamClayton: <Knezh>why not 7.dxc5? <Knezh> I think Tal's style was for rapid piece development rather than opening the position up for Uhlmann.

Oct-21-21		Gaito: On 19...Nxb4, there would have followed 20.Qd8+ Kc6 21.Qd6 mate. click for larger view

Jan-09-22		N.O.F. NAJDORF: <DrMAL: ... the intuitive move 12...exf5 was a big mistake and instead either 12...Qc5 or 12...Qe5 gets a large advantage but it is very difficult to see/do this.> Are you sure about 12 ... Qe5 ? After 12...Qe5 13. Nd6+ Kf8 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. Qxd7+ Kg6 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. f4 Qd5 18. Qb7 Nf6 19. Rad1 white seems to have the better position.

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