Mikhail Tal Plays the Tarrasch

Submitted by BasicLvrCH8r on Wed, 06/24/2009 at 7:14pm.

This is a game in which Mikhail Tal plays the Tarrasch against Jan Timman. It seems to be even, and then Tal converts the position into a won endgame.

Do not view my annotations as undisputable facts; I am rated 1300 USCF.

These blogs are mainly my efforts to understand games played by grandmasters. They may be helpful to you, too.

» posted in BasicLvrCH8r's Blog
 

Comments:

by BasicLvrCH8r - 5 months ago
Kansas United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 1604

Thank you for your constructive criticism. The next game features an unsound sacrifice that ends up winning very nicely.

by KillaBeez - 5 months ago
Kansas United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 4059

I'll just correct some of your annotations as I go.  Most of them were pretty good

6. Bd3- This move is not really aimed at attacking the g6 square; it is mainly devised for pressuring the h7 point and to get things going on the kingside with an eventual sacrifice on h7.

9. exf6- Not all other moves lose.  Nf4 is a good alternative which leads to a draw in modern theory.  This result is usually not acceptable for White, so he plays exf6

9. Nxf6- Qxf6 is actually a decent alternative.  The idea is to play for a quick e5.  This would activate Black's forces.

15. Rhe1- Tal does care, but doesn't see a useful discovery from the knight.  Therefore he attacks the e6 pawn.

31. h4- While I can't see the reason for this move, at least try to find the rationale behind it.  Tal likely had some reason to play it over other alternatives.

37. Ka5- This move has merits.  It gets the king out of the way for the b pawn and puts it in a place that is safe from immediate checks.

38. Ra3+- Black wants to force White to impede his pawn with the king before he undergoes any other matters.

Overall, I thought you did an excellent job annotating this game.  You got lazy on some matters and didn't elaborate on others, but overall, it was a great effort.  I hope you learned something while doing it.  Next game, rather than a boring rook ending, look up a Tal special: a middlegame crush!

 

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