Tal - Hjartarson 

GM Mikhail Tal (2650) - 
Johann Hjartarsson (2575) 
[C99]
Reykjavik, ICE;  1987

 [A.J. Goldsby I]  

One of the best chess games ever played. 
GM Andy Soltis considers it Tal's best game!
  (Many others do as well.) 

A very tense Ruy Lopez is suddenly torn wide open, 
as Tal shows why he is one of the greatest tactical 
geniuses of all times. 

1.e4 e5;  2.Nf3 Nc6;  3.Bb5 a6;  4.Ba4 Nf6; 

5.0-0 Be7;  6.Re1 b5;  7.Bb3 0-0;  8.c3 d6;  

9.h3 Na5;  10.Bc2 c5;  11.d4 Qc7;  12.Nbd2 Bd7!?; 

13.Nf1! cxd4;  14.cxd4 Rac8;  15.Ne3 Nc6!?;  

16.d5 Nb4;  17.Bb1 a5;  18.a3 Na6;  

19.b4! g6!?; {Diagram?} 
This keeps White's Knight out of f5, and possibly
prepares the pawn break, ...f5. 

   [ 19...axb4!?;  20.axb4 Nxb4?; (??) 
      21.Bd2, "+/" {Diagram?} 
      The Knight on b4 is lost. ].  

20.Bd2 axb4;  21.axb4 Qb7; 22.Bd3!,  (TN) 
A new move/theoretical novelty. 

   [ 22.Nh2!?, {Diagram?} 
     GM V. Jansa - D. Prasad;  Calcutta, 1986. ]. 

22...Nc7;  23.Nc2! Nh5;  24.Be3 (!)  24...Ra8; 
Black cannot allow Ra7 by White. 

One could give White's exclams to all of White's
next 7-8 moves. 
25.Qd2 Rxa1;  26.Nxa1!, (Maybe - !!') {Diag?} 
This Knight is now headed for the a5-square ... 
via b3. 

   [ Maybe 26.Rxa1!? is also good for White? ].  

White now - brilliantly, and also logically - plays 
to remove Black's KB. (The grand defender of 
the dark squares.) 
26...f5!?;  27.Bh6 Ng7;  28.Nb3 f4!?; {Diagram?}
I am not sure about this move, but Soltis does 
not even comment here. 
(Black closes the K-side, and only White has 
 play on the other side of the board.) 

29.Na5 Qb6;  30.Rc1 Ra8;  31.Qc2 Nce8!?;  

32.Qb3 Bf6!?;  33.Nc6 Nh5;  34.Qb2! Bg7!?;  

35.Bxg7 Kxg7?!;  (Maybe - '?') {Diagram?}  
A natural-looking move ... that meets with one 
of ...  the best combinations ever played. 
(Black had to play 35...Nhxg7; 36.Qe2, "+/="
 according to GM Andy Soltis.)

(I am tempted to give every one of White's moves 
 - in the remainder of this fantastic game - 
 a double-exclamation point.) 
36.Rc5!! Qa6[];  37.Rxb5! Nc7;  38.Rb8! Qxd3[];  

39.Ncxe5! Qd1+;  40.Kh2 Ra1!; {Diagram?} 
Now Black also threatens mate. 

41.Ng4+! Kf7;  42.Nh6+ Ke7;  43.Ng8+, {Diag?}
Black Resigns.  (If ...Kf7; 44.Ng5#.) 

  A grand game.  (Check out the  FANTASTIC 
   VOYAGE  of the Knight on g8!!!)    

GM A. Soltis - in his fabulous book, "The 100 Best" - 
considers this to be in the  'Top Ten'  best games 
played in the whole of the 20th Century!!!

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