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Here are some chess problems taken from the games of Mikhail Tal.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
'Print edition' available for this page.
a)
White mates in 6.
Mikhail Tal vs Boris Gulko, exhibition, 1949
r1bq1k1r/1p2b1Rp/p7/3Np2B/1P1pP3/8/2PK3P/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Rf7+ Ke8 Rxe7+ Kf8 Rf1+ ]
b)
White mates in 8.
Mikhail Tal vs Israel Zilber, Riga, 1949
r7/p4Pk1/1p6/2b1pbN1/1n6/8/PPP2qQ1/1K1R3R w - - 0 1
[ Ne6+ Kxf7 Qg7+ Kxe6 Rh6+ ]
c)
Black mates in 3.
Igor Glek vs Mikhail Tal, Riga, 1955
6k1/pp5q/4p3/4P3/3rn1K1/PP2Q1P1/8/4R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf5+ Kh4 Nf6+ ]
d)
A Ostrauskas vs Mikhail Tal, Vilnius, 1955
5r1k/6pp/p7/1pnP3q/2p1P3/2P4b/PPB4Q/4R1NK b - - 0 1
[ ...Bg2+ Kxg2 Rf2+ Kf2 Qxh2+ Kf1 Qxc2 ]
e)
Black mates in 5.
Kira Zvorykina, Vilnius, 1955
2r3k1/pp3pp1/3N3p/4P3/P2p4/1P3qPn/1Q3P1P/3R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...d3 if Ke1 Rc2 or if Rxd3 Rc1+ ]
1d)
A Ostrauskas vs Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
E Chukaev vs Mikhail Tal, Tbilisi, 1956
4r1k1/5pbp/3p2p1/1ppP4/pqP5/R4B2/1PQ3PP/1K6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re1+ if Bd1 Rxd1+ Ka2 Qxa3+ ]
b)
Mark Taimanov vs Mikhail Tal, Moscow, 1957
r1qr3k/pp4pp/2n2p2/1P2p3/2P5/Q1P1BN1b/5PPP/R2R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxd1+ Rxd1 Qg4 Ne1 Qxd1 ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Alexander Koblenz, Riga, 1957
2b2knQ/r2r2pR/2q1p2R/1p3pB1/6P1/2P5/P1Pp4/3K4 w - - 0 1
[ Rf6+ gxf6 Bh6+ Rg7 Bxg7+ Ke7 Bxf6+ ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Bent Larsen, Reykjavik, 1957
2rr2k1/1p3pp1/p1b4p/q2Np1b1/4P3/3R1Q2/PPP1B1PP/1K1R4 w - - 0 1
[ b4 Qa4 Ra3 ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Konstantin Klaman, Moscow, 1957
2r1kr2/p1qbbp1Q/3p4/5p2/1p1N1P2/6P1/PPP4P/K2RR3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe7+ Kxe7 Qh4+ if Ke8 Re1+ or if f6 Qh7+ ]
2a)
mate in 4
E Chukaev vs Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Bannik vs Mikhail Tal, Moscow, 1957
1r1r2k1/1p3p2/p1p2bp1/7p/2Pn3P/2B1q1P1/PP1RPQB1/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe2+ ]
b)
Black mates in 6.
Hector Rossetto vs Mikhail Tal, Portoroz, 1958
4r1k1/5p1p/2Qb2p1/3Pq3/6Pn/2N1B2P/1P3P2/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh2+ Kf1 Rxe3 ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Harry Golombek, Munich, 1958
2qr1k2/5p1r/1pp1pP2/p1N2pQ1/Pn1P3p/8/1P4PP/3R1R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rf4 Nd5 Rxh4 if Qxh4 Qg7+ ]
d)
White mates in 6.
Mikhail Tal vs P Skuja, Latvia CH, 1958
3r1rk1/pp3p1p/6pP/3Nnb2/qP5R/P1Q5/2P3P1/2KR1B2 w - - 0 1
[ Ne7+ Kh8 Qxe5+ f6 Qxf6+ Rxf6 Rxd8+ ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Georgy Tringov, Munich, 1958
r3kr2/1p1b1pp1/p1n1p2p/8/4q3/1N6/PPP1BKPP/R2Q1R2 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd7+ Kxd7 Nc5+ ]
3d)
mate in 6
Mikhail Tal vs P Skuja
Mikhail Tal, part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Max Blau vs Mikhail Tal, Zurich, 1959
1r4k1/5p1p/R3b1p1/8/N7/4nPP1/r6P/2R2BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf1 if Rxf1 Bc4 ]
b)
Alexandre Abrosimov vs Mikhail Tal, Riga, 1959
r3rbk1/2q3pp/p1p2p2/1pn2P2/3RBP2/P6P/1PP1Q1P1/2B2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rad8 if Rfd1 Rxe4 or if Rb4 Qe7 ]
c)
White mates in 2.
Mikhail Tal vs Pal Benko, Bled, 1959
1r3k2/2n1p1b1/3p2QR/p1pq1pN1/bp6/7P/2P2PP1/4RBK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ Bxh8 Nh7# ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Vasily Smyslov, Bled, 1959
r1bb1r1k/p4ppp/2p2n1N/7Q/2p5/2B2N2/qPP2PPP/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Qxf7 if Rxf7 Rxd8+ or if Re8 Qg8+ mates ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Robert Fischer, Yugoslavia, 1959
5r2/2p2rk1/2Pp2pp/1N4q1/P1Q1Pb2/5R2/7P/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Nd4 Re7 Ne6+ ]
4a)
Max Blau vs Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Tal vs Dieter Keller, Zurich, 1959
r7/2k1Pp1p/p1n2p2/P1b1r3/2p5/2P3P1/5P1P/1R1Q2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rb7+ if Kxb7 Qd7+ Kb8 e8/Q+ ]
b)
Mikhail Tal vs Klaus Darga, Hamburg, 1960
5rk1/2qnQp1p/p4Pp1/3B4/2p5/6P1/PrP4P/4RR1K w - - 0 1
[ Re6 if Rd8 Rc6 ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Mikhail Botvinnik, Moscow, 1960
2r5/kp1r1pp1/pR2pnp1/2Pq4/3P4/1Q6/4N1PP/1R4K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxa6+ if bxa6 Qb6+ or if Kb8 Qa3 ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Wolfgang Unzicker, Stockholm, 1961
3rr1k1/3nbppp/p1R2n2/q2Bp3/1p2P3/5N1P/PP1B1PP1/2RQ2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf7+ Kxf7 Qb3+ Nd5 exd5 ]
e)
Ortega vs Mikhail Tal, Habana, 1963
r2qk2r/pp1bppbp/2np1np1/1B1N4/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Nxd4 if Bxd7+ Nxd7 or if Qxd4 Bxb5 ]
5a)
Mikhail Tal vs Dieter Keller
Mikhail Tal, part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Tal vs NN, USSR, 1963
rn2kb1r/1b1n2pp/pq2p3/1p2P1B1/6Q1/2N5/PPP3PP/2KR1B1R w - - 0 1
[ Rd6 if Bxd6 Qxe6+ Bc4 bxc4 Rf1+ ]
b)
Larry Evans vs Mikhail Tal, Amsterdam, 1964
1R2r1k1/6pp/p2Q1P2/1p1P4/6KP/P3q3/1P6/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...h5+ Kxh5 Qf3+ Kg5 Qxf6+ gxf6+ Kxf6 Rxb8 ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Pal Benko, Amsterdam, 1964
r1b1k2r/1p3pp1/p3pn2/2p1q1N1/8/1B2P3/PPP1Q2P/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ if Kxd8 Nxf7+ ]
d)
White mates in 5.
Mikhail Tal vs Georgy Tringov, Amsterdam, 1964
r1b1k1nr/1p1n1pbp/p1pQ2p1/4p3/2B1PB2/2q2N2/P1P2PPP/1R1R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf7+ if Kd8 Ng5 or if Kxf7 Ng5+ ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Alexander Koblents, 1965
r4rk1/p2nbppp/3pp3/6PQ/4bP2/2B4R/qPP1B2P/2K3R1 w - - 0 1
[ g6 if Bxg6 Qxh7+ Bxh7 Rxg7+ or if fxg6 Qxh7+ Kf7 Qxg7+ Ke8 Rh7 ]
6b)
Larry Evans vs Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Tal vs Kiriukov, Riga, 1965
r2qr1k1/pp2bp2/4bnpp/3p4/3P3B/2NQ4/PPB2PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6 fxe6 Qxg6+ Kf8 Qxh6+ ]
b)
Mikhail Tal vs A Shmit, Riga, 1965
q4k2/2n1ppb1/8/2N1P1B1/1p6/1P1Q2P1/r4PbP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh7 if Bc6 Bh6 ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Svend Hamann, Kislovodsk, 1966
r1b4r/1p2kp2/pqp1pp2/7p/4P3/3R4/P1PQBPPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ e5 if Qc5 Re8 or if fxe5 Qg5+ ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Robert Wade, Palma de Mallorca, 1966
2r1b1k1/p4p1n/3p2pQ/q3p1P1/2pNPP2/2P5/PKP5/7R w - - 0 1
[ Ne6 if fxe6 Qxh7+ Kf8 Qh8+ Ke7 Rh7+ ]
e)
Edgar Walther vs Mikhail Tal, Habana, 1966
q5k1/r4ppp/4p3/3pP3/1Nn2P1P/1QP3P1/1P2R3/1K6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ra1+ Kc2 Na5 ]
7e)
Edgar Walther vs Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Ufimtsev vs Mikhail Tal, Moscow, 1967
4r1k1/1p1bqpb1/p5p1/P1pP3p/3nn3/R3N1P1/1P2N1KP/2BQR3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bh3+ if Kxh3 Ng5+ Kg2 Qe4+ mates or if Kg1 Nf3+ mates ]
b)
Mikhail Tal vs NN, USSR, 1970
r1bq3r/pp1nk3/2n1p1Qb/3pP1p1/2NP4/8/PP3PPP/R1B1K2R w - - 0 1
[ Bxg5+ if Bxg5 Qg7+ mates ]
c)
Gedeon Barcza vs Mikhail Tal, Mikhail Tallinn, 1971
2r5/pp3pkp/6p1/8/4P1P1/5b2/PqPQ1P1P/2R1K1R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd8 if Qe3 Qxc2 mates ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Andres Vooremaa, Mikhail Tallinn, 1971
r1bk1bQ1/1p1pRr2/p2n1P2/5P2/3p1N2/8/qPP3PP/4R2K w - - 0 1
[ Ne6+ dxe6 Rxf7 Nxf7 Qxf8+ Kc7 Qxf7+ ]
e)
Karoly Honfi vs Mikhail Tal, Sukhumi, 1972
r1r3k1/5p1p/3b2p1/3Pp3/4B1P1/1PR5/qPK1Q2P/2BR4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc3+ if Kxc3 Bb4+ Kxb4 Qa5+ Kc4 Qa6+ or if Kd2 Bb4 Qb5 Rc4+ Qa6+ ]
8b)
Mikhail Tal vs NN
Mikhail Tal, part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Tal vs Orest Averkin, Moscow, 1973
8/8/4np2/4pk1p/RNr4P/4KP2/1P6/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nd5 if Rxa4 Ne7# ]
b)
Mikhail Tal vs William Hartston, Hastings, 1973
2q2rk1/3rbpn1/pB2p1pQ/1p2P2p/4B3/8/PPP3PP/4RR1K w - - 0 1
[ Rxf7 Rxf7 Bxg6 Bd8 Qh7+ ]
c)
White mates in 3.
Mikhail Tal vs NN, 1973
rn1q3r/pp2kppp/3Np3/2b1n3/3N2Q1/3B4/PP4PP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf7+ Nxf7 Qxe6+ Kf8 Qxf7# ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs NN, 1973
2r1kbnr/2q2ppp/R7/3Qp3/5p2/5B2/1PP2PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qb5+ if Qd7 Rxe5+ Be7 Bc6 Rxc6 Ra8+ ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Kick Langeweg, Wijk aan Zee, 1973
4rbk1/3r1p2/3p1Ppp/pp1qp2n/7Q/P2B1R2/1PP3PP/2B1R2K w - - 0 1
[ Qg4 if Red8 Bxg6 ]
9c)
mate in 3
Mikhail Tal vs NN
Mikhail Tal, part X.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 7.
Mikhail Tal vs NN, 1973
r1bk3r/1pq3p1/4p3/1B1pP1p1/5Q2/8/PPP3PP/2KR1R2 w - - 0 1
[ Qf8+ Rxf8 Rxf8+ Ke7 Re8+ Kf7 Rf1+ Kg6 Bd3+ ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Mikhail Tal vs Igor Platonov, Dubna, 1973
5r1k/1p1b1p1p/p2ppb2/5P1B/1q6/1Pr3R1/2PQ2PP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Qh6 Rxg3 Bg6 Rxg6 fxg6 fxg6 Qxf8# ]
c)
White mates in 7.
Mikhail Tal vs Michael Stean, Hastings, 1973
1q5r/1b2Q2p/6k1/r4p2/7P/2N5/PPP3P1/1K3R2 w - - 0 1
[ h5+ Kxh5 Qf7+ Kh4 Qf6+ ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Rafael Vaganian, Dubna, 1973
r2qkb1r/p1pb2pp/2p1p3/2npP1N1/8/1N6/PPP2PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 1
[ Qh5+ g6 Qf3 Qe7 Nxc5 ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Zaitsev, Aanval, 1973
r4r2/1p1kqp1p/p5b1/3P2Q1/8/5BP1/PP6/2R4K w - - 0 1
[ Rc7+ Kxc7 Qxe7+ Kb6 Qd6+ Ka7 Qc5+ ]
10b)
mate in 4
Mikhail Tal vs Igor Platonov
Mikhail Tal, part XI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Mikhail Tal vs Anton Deze, Novi Sad, 1974
r2rn2k/7p/p2P2pP/q3p1Q1/1pB5/4bP2/PPP5/1K1R3R w - - 0 1
[ Qe7 Bxh6 Rxh6 Ng7 Rxh7+ ]
b)
Mikhail Tal vs Thomas Paehtz, Halle, 1974
1r3k2/p4p1p/1p2b1p1/3B4/2PQ4/8/PP1K1P1q/4R3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6 if fxe6 Qf6+ mates ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Tigran Petrosian, Moscow, 1974
r1q1brk1/pppn1pb1/6p1/6N1/2B2Q2/8/PPP2PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd7 if Qxd7 Qh4 mates or if Bxd7 Bxf7+ Rxf7 Qxf7+ ]
d)
White mates in 4.
Mikhail Tal vs Prschibyl, Mikhail Tallinn, 1977
r7/5pk1/2p4p/1p1p4/1qnP4/5QPP/2B1RP1K/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qg4+ if Kf6 Qf5+ or if Kf8 Bh7 ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Mikhail Tal vs Ivan Radulov, Leningrad, 1977
8/r7/3pNb2/3R3p/1p2p3/pPk5/P1P3PP/1K6 w - - 0 1
[ Rd1 if Be5 Ng5 ]
11a)
mate in 5
Mikhail Tal vs Anton Deze Mikhail Tal, part XII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Tal vs Sergey Makarichev, Tbilisi, 1978
8/1p3pkp/1r1pq1p1/3R4/1r1RP3/5QP1/5PKP/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rxb4 Rxb4 Qc3+ ]
b)
White mates in 5.
Mikhail Tal vs Yrko Rantanen, Mikhail Tallinn, 1979
1rq1r2k/5Rbp/p2p1p1B/2p1p3/2P1P2Q/1P6/P5PP/3b2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxg7+ Kg8 Bh8 ]
c)
Boris Spassky vs Mikhail Tal, Montreal, 1979
4r1k1/pb2qppp/5n2/7r/2Np4/1P1B4/PB1Q1PP1/2RR2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng4 if Re1 Rh1+ mates or if f3 Qh4 mates ]
d)
Mikhail Tal vs Boris Spassky, Tilburg, 1980
4qr2/1b1n2k1/r2P1p2/1p2pR1p/2p5/2P4P/1PBQ2P1/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rg5+ if Kf7 Bg6+ or if Kh8 Rg3 ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Iivo Nei, USSR, 1981
5rk1/p5p1/1q1Qpn1p/2N5/1p6/1P2P3/P5PP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxf8+ Kxf8 Nd7+ ]
12e)
Mikhail Tal vs Iivo Nei
Mikhail Tal, part XIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Mikhail Tal vs Ricardo Calvo Minguez, Malaga, 1981
8/6R1/p2kp2r/qb5P/3p1N1Q/1p1Pr3/PP6/1K5R w - - 0 1
[ Qe7+ Kc6 Rc1+ ]
b)
Robert Huebner vs Mikhail Tal, Wijk aan Zee, 1982
r4rk1/1pp3pp/p1pb1n2/4N2b/4PB2/3R1N2/PPP2PPP/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxf3 if gxf3 Nh5 ]
c)
White mates in 4.
Mikhail Tal vs David Bronstein, Tbilisi, 1982
2b2k2/2p2r1p/p2pR3/1p3PQ1/3q3N/1P6/2P3PP/5K2 w - - 0 1
[ Ng6+ if hxg6 Qd8+ ]
d)
Klaus Bischoff vs Mikhail Tal, Albena, 1984
1q4k1/p4p2/3n2p1/2Q3P1/3PP2p/1P3P1P/P1R3K1/3r4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nc4 if bxc4 Qg3# or if e5 Ne3+ ]
e)
Miguel Quinteros vs Mikhail Tal, Argentina, 1987
2r2rk1/Qn2bppp/1p3n2/3q4/2pN1B2/6P1/PP3P1P/R3RNK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc5 if Nc2 Ra8 ]
13b)
Robert Huebner vs Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, part XIV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Mikhail Tal vs Johann Hjartarson, Reykjavik, 1987
1R6/2nb2kp/3p2p1/3PN2n/1P2Pp2/5N1P/1Q3PPK/r2q4 w - - 0 1
[ Ng4+ if Kf7 Nh6+ Ke7 Ng8+ ]
b)
Mikhail Tal vs Miguel Quinteros, St del Esterol, 1987
1r3rk1/p3pp1p/1q1p1npQ/3P1nN1/1pp5/2N4P/PPP1B1P1/R4R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rxf5 gxf5 Nce4 fxe4 Rf1 ]
c)
Mikhail Tal vs Alexander Chernin, St John, 1988
3rr1k1/pp1n1pb1/2pBpqpp/8/2PP2PP/1P4Q1/P4PK1/1B1RR3 w - - 0 1
[ g5 ]
d)
Siegfried Maus vs Mikhail Tal, Germany, 1990
1r4k1/5n1p/5qp1/1p6/3Q4/1P4PP/P3rPB1/R2R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re1+ ]
e)
Mikhail Tal vs Vladimir Akopian, Barcelona, 1992
2r4k/5p1p/2bQP3/5pr1/1PpR1P2/2q5/P4K1P/4R3 w - - 0 1
[ Qe5+ Rg7 Rd8+ ]
14b)
Mikhail Tal vs Miguel Quinteros
Other World Champions
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