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Tal vs Hecht, 1962

Tal’s 21.Bf5 offers the queen and hangs a bishop. Hecht takes the bishop instead of the queen, and the resulting ending — two rooks against a rook and knight — is what Tal converts.

White
Mikhail Tal
Black
Hans-Joachim Hecht
Event
Varna Olympiad
Year
1962
Result
1-0

Critical position

Tal vs Hecht, 1962, after ply 40♜♚♜♟♝♟♙♟♛♞♟♟♟♘♗♙♗♙♙♙♙♖♖♔abcdefgh12345678

After 20... Rg8. White to move.

Take over as White vs Maia

Step through

Position after 20... Rg8♜♚♜♟♝♟♙♟♛♞♟♟♟♘♗♙♗♙♙♙♙♖♖♔abcdefgh12345678

20... Rg8

Annotated score

  1. 1. d4 (best) Nf6 (best)

  2. 2. c4 (best) e6 (best)

  3. 3. Nf3 (excellent) b6 (good)

  4. 4. Nc3 (excellent) Bb4 (best)

  5. 5. Bg5 (good) Bb7 (excellent)

  6. 6. e3 (good) h6 (excellent)

  7. 7. Bh4 (best) Bxc3+ (best)

  8. 8. bxc3 (best) d6 (good)

  9. 9. Nd2 (best) e5 (excellent)

  10. 10. f3 (best) Qe7 (best)

  11. 11. e4 (excellent) Nbd7 (excellent)

  12. 12. Bd3 (excellent) Nf8 (good)

  13. 13. c5 (good) dxc5 (best)

  14. 14. dxe5 (good) Qxe5 (best)

  15. 15. Qa4+ (best) c6 (mistake)

  16. 16. O-O (best) Ng6 (best)

  17. 17. Nc4 (inaccuracy) Qe6 (inaccuracy)

  18. 18. e5 (best) b5 (good)

    e5: 18.e5 opens the diagonal the bishop will use.

  19. 19. exf6 (good) bxa4 (excellent)

    exf6: 19.exf6. The queen on a4 is hanging. Black takes it.

  20. 20. fxg7 (best) Rg8 (best)

  21. 21. Bf5 (good) Nxh4 (best)

    Bf5: 21.Bf5. The queen and the bishop are both en prise. Taking the queen walks into Nd6+.

  22. 22. Bxe6 (best) Ba6 (best)

    Bxe6: Hecht takes the bishop. Tal keeps enough pieces to win the ending.

  23. 23. Nd6+ (best) Ke7 (best)

  24. 24. Bc4 (best) Rxg7 (excellent)

  25. 25. g3 (best) Kxd6 (best)

  26. 26. Bxa6 (best) Nf5 (best)

  27. 27. Rab1 (best) f6 (inaccuracy)

  28. 28. Rfd1+ (best) Ke7 (best)

  29. 29. Re1+ (best) Kd6 (best)

  30. 30. Kf2 (excellent) c4 (good)

  31. 31. g4 (excellent) Ne7 (best)

  32. 32. Rb7 (excellent) Rag8 (best)

  33. 33. Bxc4 (best) Nd5 (good)

  34. 34. Bxd5 (best) cxd5 (best)

  35. 35. Rb4 (inaccuracy) Rc8 (mistake)

  36. 36. Rxa4 (best) Rxc3 (best)

  37. 37. Ra6+ (best) Kc5 (best)

  38. 38. Rxf6 (good) h5 (best)

  39. 39. h3 (best) hxg4 (good)

  40. 40. hxg4 (best) Rh7 (excellent)

  41. 41. g5 (best) Rh5 (best)

  42. 42. Rf5 (best) Rc2+ (best)

  43. 43. Kg3 (best) Kc4 (good)

  44. 44. Ree5 (good) d4 (best)

  45. 45. g6 (best) Rh1 (best)

  46. 46. Rc5+ (good) Kd3 (best)

  47. 47. Rxc2 (best) Kxc2 (good)

  48. 48. Kf4 (best) Rg1 (good)

  49. 49. Rg5 (best)