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Mikhail Tal vs Tigran Petrosian
"Fairytal" (game of the day Aug-27-2023)
URS blitz (1975) (blitz)
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation (C03)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-24-16  Moszkowski012273: 19...Bc5 and white is totally busted.
Nov-24-16  Moszkowski012273: 19.Ne5... is not stunning at all.
Nov-25-16  John Abraham: wonderful game! great final position!
Nov-25-16  Howard: Personally, I've probably never gone over a blitz game in my life, and probably never will.
Sep-12-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: Perhaps a takeaway point at least for blitz chess players online is that sometimes taking away King escape squares can create good luck :)

Perhaps Tal was a little lucky that Petrosian played b6 which is understandable to stop Rc8 - but Bc5 might have been a different story :)

Sep-12-21  RookFile: 15. dxe6 would have been good.
Oct-21-21  Gaito: A beautiful finish for this very nice miniature by Tal. If there wasn't a White pawn on b3, the final position would be even more pleasantly aesthetic.

Another very nice blitz game by Tal with the same opening can be seen in this link: Tal vs Korchnoi, 1970

Only a genius at blitz like Tal could create such miniatures against Petrosian and Korchnoi. He really made them look bad.

In classical chess I suppose both Petosian and Korchnoi were stronger than Tal. But in blitz maybe only Bobby Fischer was better than Tal.

Jan-25-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: Very nice attack!
Jan-25-22  Petrosianic: <plang: Very nice attack!>

You're sure now? That's not just a polite nothing comment?

Jun-24-22  Ricosupercapo: I think 19. ...f6 covers everything. Black should probably win from that position.
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Are we questioning the Latvians sexuality?
Aug-27-23  Cecco: Comments showing how black could win are systematically ignored. I guess because the victory of the reckless Tal over the cautious Petrosian is seen, at least in a blitz game, as a sort of happy ending that must not be spoiled in any way by calm analysis perhaps with the help of an engine.
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Why didn't the crowds ever put Petrosian on their shoulders and sing songs? Life just isn't fair.
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <Cecco> and friends would look pretty silly parading Stockfish through the streets.
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: 19...Bc5 refutes white's attack due to weak back rank of white. With white h-Pawn on h3 instead of h2 19.Ne5 would have been absolutely correct and probably decisive shot.

<Ricosupercapo: I think 19. ...f6 covers everything. Black should probably win from that position.>

19...f6 20.Rc8+ Ke7 21.Qb4+ Rd6 (21...Qd6 22.Qxb7+) 22.h4 h6 (22...b6 23,Qc3 +-) 23.Qc5 Qb6 24.Rc7+ Ke8 25.Rc8+ Ke7 =

Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <19...Bc5 refutes white's attack due to weak back rank of white.>

Of course, the problem is that after 19...Bc5 20.Rxc5 Qa1+ white must play 21.Rc1 Qxc1+ 22.Bxc1 Rxd4 etc. With white Pawn on h3 white would be able to play just 21.Kh2 in the same line.

Aug-27-23  Cecco: <MissScarlett>, why should I celebrate Stockfish? I have just explained why a calm analysis, especially with the help of engines, is inadequate for games like this. And, for the very little it's worth, I think they're often ungenerous to players even in classic format games. Don't you agree?
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Teyss: Hi Cecco,
<Comments showing how black could win are systematically ignored.> That's because it's a fairytal where magicians have to win. I agree, the fact the game could have turned around doesn't diminish the beauty of Tal's attack, even somewhat helped by Petrosian.

Don't pay attention to Missy, it's her usual post-morning tea sarcastic comment, happened to fall on you. I avoid posting after she just had a cuppa.

Aug-27-23  Cecco: Hi Teyss. Thanks for the info, but it wasn't a problem. I like all of her comments, including the ones that tear me apart.
Aug-27-23  Granny O Doul: HMM: There was this-- https://cdn.chess24.com/JJDOCs4LRHW... . Probably not an everyday thing, but it's more than a crowd ever did for me.
Aug-27-23  Saniyat24: The name of Mikhail Tal's wife is Salli Landau...she was beautiful just like this game...!
Aug-27-23  Allderdice83: 19 ... b6?? Just 19 ... f6, blocking the bishop from d8 and e7, creating a real threat on the white queen, and forking bishop and knight, wins easily for Black. If now 20. Rc8+, just 20 ... Ke7
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: I may have misinterpreted <Cecco>'s remarks.
Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Ricosupercapo>, <Allderdice83>

19...f6 is not easy at all, because White replies 19...f6 20. Rc8+ Ke7 21. Qb4+ Rd6 <22. h3!> creating luft, and now 22...fxg5 23. Qg4 h6 24. Qh5 gives a huge attack for the rook.

Aug-27-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: Oh sorry, just noticed that <Honza Cervenka> already analyzed 19...f6 out to a draw above.
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