Undoubtably one of the best (if not the best) chess books ever written! Players of Tal's ability are few and far between but for such a player to have a great literary talent in addition marks him out as a unique star in the chess firmament. This book charts Tal's career from it’s beginnings up to 1975 with autobiographical material taking the form of an extended interview between "a journalist" and "a chessplayer" (both Tal). There are 100 complete, annotated games as well as many more part games and positions included in and amongst the text. Tal was one of the great figures of 20th century chess becoming (at the time) the youngest ever World Champion and changing a whole generation’s approach to the game. This book offers a fabulous opportunity to understand the way Tal interpreted chess and also to study some of his most brilliant games. pub. 1997, softback, 496 pages.
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Volume one includes all the traceable games of the Latvian Grandmaster from this period, with Ianguageless annotations contributed by several Russian Grandmasters. It also includes tournament crosstables and indexes of openings and opponents. During these years Tal won and lost the World Championship, became Soviet Champion twice and played in Olympiads, Candidates Tournaments and many strong international events. His daring, sacrificial style of play won him great admiration amongst chess fans and provoked controversy in the ranks of his fellow Grandmasters. The games in this book show Tal at his brilliant best. Pub. 1994, softback, 431 pages.
Volume 2 contains over 600 games with languageless annotations from Russian masters. Tal continued to compete at the very top level in chess with his brand of sacrificial ingenuity. Crosstables and indexes of openings and opponents included. Pub. 1995, softback, 379 pages.
Volume 3 in the series includes over 700 games with annotations by several Russian GMs and masters. During this period Tal was again a world championship candidate, USSR Champion and winner of several strong tournaments. With tournament crosstables and indexes of opponents and openings. Pub. 1996, softback, 443 pages.
The 4th and final volume of Tal's games in this series; he died in 1992. Ill health limited Tal's achievements during this period but, when well, he still competed in the strongest tournaments including the 1988-89 World Cup series. Languageless annotations are provided by Russian GMs and others. Includes tournament crosstables and indexes. Pub. 1997, softback, 459 pages.
Mikhail Tal was the 8th World Champion and at the time the youngest Champion ever. His play attracted many admirers because of his willingness to take risks, sacrifice pieces and aim to create beautiful games rather than dry technical victories. This is essentially a puzzle book based on positions from Tal's games with 163 diagrammed puzzles for the reader to solve with hints and solutions provided. Eight chapters provide a brief biography of Tal and introduce his play with several annotated, illustrative games. Each chapter concludes with a series of test positions which increase in complexity as you progress through the book. There is no better way to appreciate the complexity of Tal's play than by trying to emulate it by solving the puzzles here. The authors are both Russian masters and successful chess authors. Pub. 2004, softback, 160 pages.
Tal remains, even after his untimely death, one of the most fascinating of players to the chess public. His bold, imaginative style represented an escape from the humdrum world of theoretical recommendations and technical advantages into a realm where brilliance, sacrifice and inventiveness held sway. Gallagher has picked up where Tal's own autobiography left off in 1975 and he presents biography and 34 annotated games from Tal's later period. A brief introductory chapter covers Tal's earlier career. A well produced book containing some of the most breathtaking games of all time. Pub. 2000, softback, 224 pages.
An algebraic reprint of Tarrasch’s autobiographical game collection which became immediately recognized as a classic treatise on positional chess. Tarrasch was the first player to combine the positional ideas of Steinitz with the dynamic play of Morphy to create a style of straightforward, easily understood play. He emphasized rapid development and occupation of the centre, and his annotations remain easily comprehensible. Essential reading for the aspiring player, with many model games. pub. 1999, softback, 366 pages.
Includes 142 games, with light annotations, of the German Grandmaster as well as a brief biography and tournament record. Teichmann was a regular competitor in top rank chess events from the early twentieth century until World War I. Pub. 1995, softback, 79 pages.
Timman has been a leading Grandmaster since the 1970s and was the main challenger to the Soviets for the World Championship from 1985 to 1990. Here he has annotated 80 of his most interesting games from the period 1983 to 1994 Almost all were played against Grandmasters and have been chosen for their dramatic content. Pub. 1995, softback, 254 pages.
A brief biography plus 105 complete, annotated games of the Mexican who achieved spectacular results in the mid 1920s in America and then in Europe. Torre competed with the world's best at Baden-Baden and Moscow in 1925 before returning to Mexico in 1926, giving up tournament chess after a nervous breakdown. He was belatedly awarded the GM title in 1977. The book concludes with an interview with Torre conducted by the author in 1977.pub. 2000, softback, 302 pages.
