Endearing Autobiography of the Great Attacker

Tal, the renowned attacker, has left an indelible mark with his captivating autobiography. The book not only delves into his remarkable career on the field but also reveals the personal struggles he faced, especially his battle with illness. This aspect adds a poignant note to the games and anecdotes he shares.

Readers are taken on a journey through Tal's life, experiencing his triumphs and setbacks. The vivid descriptions of his matches make one feel as if they are right there in the stadium, witnessing the excitement unfold. Despite the challenges of his illness, Tal's passion for the game shines through, inspiring readers to persevere in their own pursuits.

Overall, Tal's autobiography is a must-read for fans of the sport and anyone interested in a story of determination and courage. It offers a unique perspective on the life of a great athlete and serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity, one can achieve great things.

Incredibly interesting and another reason why I adore memoirs. The novel delves much deeper than just the tactics that Mikhail employs in chess. It also encompasses the intense psychological warfare that takes place during the games. Moreover, it includes the various illnesses he endured as a result of years of excessive drinking and smoking.

The book features both annotated and unannotated chess games from Tal's illustrious career. Therefore, I would not recommend it if you have absolutely no knowledge of chess. However, for those with at least a basic understanding, his thought processes are truly fascinating to explore. Given his reputation as one of the most creative and impulsive players in the history of the game, learning about how he approaches and strategizes in different situations provides a unique and valuable perspective.

Overall, this memoir offers a comprehensive and engaging look into the life and mind of a chess legend.

Absolutely brilliant!

This is probably the best Chess biography and games collection ever written.

Tal was not only a great player but also a great writer.

His work is filled with humor, which makes it not only educational but also highly entertaining.

Reading this book is like sitting down with Tal himself and listening to him share his experiences and insights into the world of Chess.

The games are presented in a clear and engaging manner, with detailed analysis and commentary.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, you will find something of value in this book.

Tal's unique perspective and writing style make this a must-read for any Chess enthusiast.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Chess or is interested in learning more about the game.

It is truly a masterpiece that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Magic is a truly fascinating and enchanting subject. It has the power to captivate our imaginations and transport us to a world of wonder and mystery.

From the ancient times, magic has been an integral part of various cultures and civilizations. It has been used for different purposes, such as healing, divination, and protection.

Today, magic continues to intrigue people of all ages. There are many forms of magic, including stage magic, which is performed by magicians to entertain audiences. They use various tricks and illusions to create the appearance of impossible feats.

In addition to stage magic, there is also real magic, which is based on the principles of the universe and the power of the mind. This type of magic is used by some people for personal growth and spiritual development.

Whether we believe in magic or not, it cannot be denied that it has a certain charm and allure. It makes us question the limits of what is possible and opens our minds to new possibilities.

So, the next time you see a magic trick or hear about a magical experience, take a moment to wonder and be amazed. Magic may just be the key to unlocking a whole new world of possibilities within us.

Tal is widely regarded as a creative genius and one of the best attacking players of all time. He played in a daring, combinatorial style that was renowned for its improvisation and unpredictability. Every game, as he once said, was as inimitable and invaluable as a poem. He was affectionately called "Misha", a diminutive for Mikhail, and "The magician from Riga".

The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games and Modern Chess Brilliancies feature more games by Tal than any other player. This is a testament to his remarkable skill and influence in the world of chess. In addition to his prowess on the board, Tal was also a highly regarded chess writer. His writings provided valuable insights into the game and his unique approach to it.

Tal's contributions to chess have had a lasting impact, and his games continue to be studied and admired by chess enthusiasts around the world. His creative and unpredictable style serves as an inspiration to aspiring players, and his legacy as a great player and writer will surely endure for many years to come.

Please provide the article that needs to be rewritten and expanded so that I can help you.

A great book with games of the magician is truly a captivating piece of literature.

It takes the reader on a magical journey filled with mystery and wonder. The games described in the book are not only entertaining but also challenging, making it a great choice for those who love to test their skills and intellect.

The author has done an excellent job of creating a vivid and engaging world, complete with colorful characters and exciting plot twists.

Whether you are a fan of magic or simply looking for a good read, this book is sure to satisfy.

It will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and leave you wanting more.

So, if you haven't already picked up a copy of this great book, what are you waiting for?

Open it up and let the magic begin!

It's a truly enormous shame that he passed away at such a young age.

Even now, when I see that some of his contemporaries died just within the past 5 years, like Korchnoi, or are still alive, such as Averbakh, I find it completely crazy.

If Tal were alive today, he would be only 84. Just imagine, we could have had the epic showdown of Tal vs. Carlsen!

Nonetheless, this is a great book. It contains wonderful stories and excellent games that offer a fascinating glimpse into the world of chess and the remarkable talent of Tal.

Despite his untimely death, his legacy lives on through his games and the memories he left behind.

Now, I have finally understood why Mikhail was indeed a true genius when it came to the chess enigma. Cheers to that!

His profound and top-notch insights into the brilliancy of piece sacrifices were truly remarkable.

Even though I carefully played through the games on my chess board, there were still more than a few that I will never, ever be able to fully come to grips with.

It is quite evident that his mind was operating on a completely different level, one that seemed almost otherworldly. I'm willing to bet that it was like that of beings from Venus or Mars.

His strategic thinking and ability to see moves and combinations that others couldn't were simply astonishing.

Mikhail's genius in the world of chess will always be remembered and studied by enthusiasts and players alike.

He has left an indelible mark on the game, and his brilliance will continue to inspire generations to come.

I can't believe that I left home for some time without this book. It's truly worth more than five stars.

The stories it contains are simply the best. Take for instance the account of someone's thought process during a game: “Why did you play this move when it was so clearly refuted in…” “Well, I was reading the latest 64 in the bath, got to this variation at the bottom of the page and thought, yes, that will do, I’ll play that today. Jumped up, grabbed a towel and…I never did turn the page.” Or the famous hippopotamus story.

A journalist once asked Tal if extraneous, abstract thoughts ever entered his head while playing a game. Tal recalled a game with GM Vasiukov in the USSR Championship. In a very complicated position where he intended to sacrifice a knight, he found to his horror that nothing would come of it after studying the numerous possible variations. His head became filled with a chaotic pile of moves. Then, for some reason, he remembered the classic couplet by Korney Ivanovic Chukovsky: “Oh, what a difficult job it was. To drag out of the marsh the hippopotamus”. He then spent time trying to figure out how one would drag a hippopotamus out of the marsh, considering things like jacks, levers, helicopters, and a rope ladder. After a lengthy consideration, he gave up as an engineer and thought spitefully, “Well, just let it drown!” Suddenly, the hippopotamus disappeared from the chessboard, and the position no longer seemed so complicated. He realized that the knight sacrifice was intuitive and since it promised an interesting game, he made it.

All the things Tal did for fun, like leaving his shoes outside his hotel door to make it look like he was inside working hard when he was actually sneaking off to the beach, are endearing. As Kasparov said, Tal lived differently and didn't consider the things obvious to others to be of any importance. He sought beauty in chess, a concept completely different from most. Kasparov also recalled that he became a world champion on Tal's birthday and received calls from Botvinnik and Tal before the last game with Karpov. Botvinnik gave a stern speech while Tal simply reminded him that it was his birthday.

In case you haven't heard the sunglasses story, here it is. Tal was so intimidating that GM Pal Benko wore sunglasses during a game against him at the Interzonal Tournament in Belgrade in 1959, thinking Tal had been hypnotizing him. But Tal, having heard of Benko's plan, borrowed enormous dark glasses from GM Petrosian. When he put them on, everyone, including the spectators, other participants, tournament controllers, and finally even Benko himself, laughed. However, Benko didn't remove his glasses until the 20th move when his position was hopeless.

I'm writing this today because last night I watched Tal in a movie. I watched The Falcon and the Snowman and discovered that my favorite chess player looks exactly like my favorite actor. Are they not identical? Karpov also makes an appearance as a KGB agent in the movie. He doesn't play chess but does make the 7-letter word ‘diagram’ in a Scrabble game, which is so apt for a chess player and surely was on purpose.

Mikhail Tal's autobiography is presented in an engaging interview format. A "journalist" poses in-depth questions, and Tal provides detailed answers. Some of his responses are straightforward narratives, while others offer intricate descriptions of his chess matches. In fact, the book is richly illustrated with hundreds of chess diagrams from his games spanning from 1949 to 1975. Given his life's deep immersion in chess, it's only natural that his autobiography combines both narrative and game diagrams in an even mix. There simply is no other way to comprehensively illustrate Tal's remarkable life.

Tal was born in Riga, Latvia in 1936 and passed away in 1992 at the age of 55. He spent a significant portion of his life dealing with illness, mainly kidney problems that sometimes disrupted his play. Nevertheless, he achieved great feats at a young age. At 18, he defeated a Grandmaster for the first time at the USSR Team Championship, and by 21, he became a Grandmaster himself. At 24, in 1960, he won the World Chess Championship.

Tal's unique personality emerged early. At 19, he made the bold statement that "To play for a draw, at any rate with white, is to some degree a crime against chess." This was quite a departure from the norm, as playing for a draw was not uncommon at the top levels of competition.
One of the most memorable anecdotes that showcases Tal's personality is the story of the Hippopotamus in the Marsh. During a USSR Championship game against Grandmaster Vasiukov, they reached a highly complicated position where a difficult decision about a piece sacrifice had to be made. Tal was deep in thought, tracing thousands of moves, subtleties, and alternatives. Suddenly, in the midst of this intense mental struggle, he remembered a poetry couplet: "Oh, what a difficult job it was / To drag out of the marsh the hippopotamus." He became completely obsessed with the couplet and forgot all about the chess board. Spectators assumed he was intently studying the position, but in reality, he was trying to formulate a theory on how to drag the hippopotamus out of the marsh. After 40 minutes of working out various methods involving levers, helicopters, and rope ladders, he finally decided to just "let it drown." Then, as suddenly as it had entered his mind, the hippopotamus disappeared. As he "awoke" from his 40-minute daydream, he became aware of the chess board in front of him again. At that very moment, he realized that the board was so complex that it was impossible to follow the tree of variations. The only possible (and advisable) thing to do was to make the move that was most in tune with his intuition. And that's exactly what he did. The next day, he was amused to read in the paper that he had carefully thought over the position for 40 minutes and made an accurately calculated piece sacrifice. That move turned out to be pivotal, and he won the game with almost no conscious thought given to that crucial move.
Leading a life of intense competition, Tal inevitably experienced strong emotions in both winning and losing. However, he learned early on to control his emotions. As he put it, "In principle, striving for revenge … is a good intention, but when it becomes an end in itself … you lose your sense of reality and of objectivity in assessing a position."
Unlike some of his adversaries, such as Bobby Fischer who was hypersensitive to crowd noise, Tal loved playing in front of a crowd. He felt that "When we appear on the stage, we are artistes." He relished the noise in the hall, especially when it was a positive reaction to one of his moves on the chess board.
Even though Tal won the World Chess Championship at the young age of 24 in 1960, he actually reached his peak rating at age 44 in 1980. In the 1970s, he had an impressive 100-game winning streak against some of the world's greatest Chess Champions. He played against all of them and had his fair share of victories over legends like Fischer, Spassky, Karpov, Petrosian, Keres, and many others who felt fear and anxiety when sitting across from him.
When games lasted long and had to be adjourned for the night, there would be feverish analysis into the early hours of the morning in preparation for the resumption the next day. In many of Tal's games, where "every hour a cup of coffee was consumed," his opponent would often resign right away the next morning or after just a few moves. The night's analysis would predict, and the morning resumption would confirm, the unassailable pattern of Tal's advantage.
During his illnesses, Tal's colleagues would visit him in the hospital, bringing a portable chess board to help him pass the time in bed. In 1969, there was a false report of his death. He quickly reached out to his friends and quoted Mark Twain, reassuring them that "The rumors about my death are greatly exaggerated!" Through sickness and health, Tal continued to play chess and maintain his sense of humor.
Mikhail Tal lived a life filled with pain and disease. He constantly endured physical suffering while facing some of the most intense mental challenges on a daily basis. He played a minimum of 100 games per year, many of which lasted all day or even two days. Despite all this, he was known as an upbeat, friendly man with a great sense of humor and a pleasure to be around. He had the classic "absent-minded professor" personality type and was not particularly adept at everyday practical skills. But the moment he sat in front of a chess board, he was making history. If you have an interest in fascinating characters, history, and chess, this autobiography is likely to be one of the best books you could read.

This autobiography is truly amazing.

Posing as a journalist, Tal interviews himself. One of my favorite questions from the book is:

"JOURNALIST. It may not be convenient to interrupt you at such a crucial moment, but I still want to know if extraneous thoughts ever enter your mind during a game?"

Tal, referring to himself as a chess player, seizes the opportunity to present us with the famous hippopotamus story:

"CHESS PLAYER. Oh yes! For example, I will never forget my game with Grandmaster Vasiukov in one of the USSR Championships. We reached a very complex position where I intended to sacrifice a knight. The sacrifice was not entirely obvious, and there were numerous possible variations. But when I conscientiously started to work through them, I was horrified to find that nothing would come of it. Ideas piled up one after another. I would transfer a subtle reply from my opponent, which worked in one case, to another situation where it would naturally prove useless. As a result, my head was filled with a completely chaotic jumble of all kinds of moves, and the famous 'tree of variations', from which the trainers recommend cutting off the small branches, in this case spread with unbelievable rapidity. Then, for some reason, I suddenly remembered the classic couplet by Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky:

"Oh, what a difficult job it was
To drag out of the marsh the hippopotamus."

I don't know what associations brought this hippopotamus onto the chessboard, but although the spectators were convinced that I was still studying the position, I, despite my humanitarian education, was trying to figure out at this time: just how would you drag a hippopotamus out of a marsh? I remember how jacks, levers, helicopters, and even a rope ladder figured in my thoughts. After lengthy consideration, I admitted defeat as an engineer and thought spitefully: 'Well, let it drown!' Suddenly, the hippopotamus disappeared, left the chessboard just as it had come - on its own! Immediately, the position did not seem so complicated. I somehow realized that it was impossible to calculate all the variations, and that the knight sacrifice was, by its very nature, purely intuitive. Since it promised an interesting game, I couldn't resist making it. The next day, I was pleased to read in the paper how Mikhail Tal, after carefully thinking over the position for 40 minutes, made an accurately calculated piece sacrifice."

This is just one of many wonderful anecdotes in the book. Tal was truly unique, and this autobiography may be the best I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I can't recommend it enough.

We also get the opportunity to play through no less than one hundred of his games, carefully selected from his entire career (up to the point of writing). Did those games make me a better chess player? I don't know, but I certainly enjoyed the experience.

Unfortunately, the diagrams are not of the best quality. Sometimes they are blurry, and sometimes it's almost impossible to tell which color the queens are. Basically, the diagrams look like poor copies of a poor photocopy. There are also a few annotation errors in the book. These issues mar what is otherwise a masterpiece, but not to the extent that I feel like deducting a star. The book is far too good for that.