Mikhail Tal, born in 1936 in Riga, was a Soviet-era grandmaster of chess and world champion. He is considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Despite his short stature and lack of physical strength, he became known for his aggressive style of play that often led to complex positions and an ironclad defense. Learn more about the life and times of Mikhail Tal in this informative blog post.
We are glad to present you the deepest quotes from Mikhail Tal, and much more.
Chess isn’t football or hockey. — Mikhail Tal
When I asked Fischer why he had not played a certain move in our game, he replied: ‘Well, you laughed when I wrote it down!’ — Mikhail Tal
Quiet moves often make a stronger impression than a wild combination with heavy sacrifices. — Mikhail Tal
Of course, errors are not good for a chess game, but errors are unavoidable and in any case, a game without ant errors, or as they say ‘flawless game’ is colorless. — Mikhail Tal
Naturally, the psychological susceptibility of a match participant is significantly higher than a participant in a tournament, since each game substantially changes the over–all position. — Mikhail Tal
Just as one’s imagination is stirred by a girl’s smile, so is one’s imagination stirred by the possibilities of chess. — Mikhail Tal
Fischer is Fischer, but a knight is a knight! — Mikhail Tal
Later, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because I realized a very simple truth: not only was I worried, but also my opponent — Mikhail Tal
I can take care of myself! But the ‘external barriers’, my opponents, do indeed concern me. — Mikhail Tal
Fischer is the greatest genius to descend from the chess heavens. — Mikhail Tal
Planning anything is hopeless. — Mikhail Tal
If (Black) is going for victory, he is practically forced to allow his opponent to get some kind of well–known positional advantage. — Mikhail Tal
If you wait for luck to turn up, life becomes very boring. — Mikhail Tal
To play for a draw (at any rate with White) is to some degree a crime against chess. — Mikhail Tal
I like to grasp the initiative and not give my opponent peace of mind. — Mikhail Tal
As long as my opponent has not yet castled, on each move I seek a pretext for an offensive. Even when I realize that the king is not in danger. — Mikhail Tal
I go over many games collections and pick up something from the style of each player. — Mikhail Tal
I think that the FIDE leaders have to reconsider the current drawing rules–their advantages aren’t very clear, but their shortcomings are obvious. Artificial drawing of the lots is detrimental for everyone. — Mikhail Tal
I have always thought it a matter of honour for every chess player to deserve the smile of fortune. — Mikhail Tal
First, how to sac my queen, then rook, then bishop, then knight, then pawns. — Mikhail Tal
Playing in your home city is very special. You feel the support and attention. When everything goes well, it’s very great, but when it doesn’t, you might as well turn off your phone: the advices seem endless. — Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal was one of the most brilliant chess players in history. He had a unique style that led him to many victories, and his words on learning and success are just as inspiring as his play. We hope you’ve enjoyed these quotes from this incredible mind. If you want to learn more about how to achieve your own goals, check out our courses.
