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Submitted by benws on Fri, 01/02/2009 at 2:38pm.

Later in his life, Tal was still able to play great chess. In the early '80s he produced a series of 80 wins without a defeat. This is one of those games, involving a highly complicated struggle.

(notes from my great predecessors part II)

» posted in Student of Life

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by spellman01772 - 10 months ago
Southborough, Mass United States

Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 611

Some time in the late '80s or early '90s I watched Tal play a simultaneous exhibition at the Framingham Chess Club (Mass, USA), against 30 players. His record was 26 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws. One of the losses was against a boy (I think he was 12 or 13) named Bobby Seltzer. There was a sharp, attacking move early on where Tal traded his Queen for a Rook, minor piece, and pawn. I remember thinking that Bobby got his money's worth on that one move.

The last game to finish was against one of the club's favorite players, Drew (maybe). Tal pulled up a chair and got out a clock. 50 people (spectators and players) gathered around to watch. After his initial shock at being the center of all that attenction, about the first thing Drew did was to drop a piece. Tal gave it back, so that he could go on to win properly, which he did.

In all, Tal was energetic, fun, and gracious. That exhibition is one of my fondest chess memories.