A Tal story

I have told many tall stories in the past, but here is a Tal story and I’m not taking the “Mikhail”, honestly. Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the game below, the first in the 1960 world championship match, which saw Tal win over Botvinnik, champion off and on since 1948, who gained revenge in 1961 over an ill Tal. The Latvian grandmaster Tal, ”letts” be honest (get it?), is my favourite chess champion, whose games are always worth studying. He once said: ”there are two types of sacrifices - sound ones and mine” - a typically modest and amusing comment. For more of the same, get ”Life and Games of Mikhail Tal”, possibly the best chess book ever, or his book on the 1960 world championship, full of insight and intellectual “riga”!

Two tournaments to look forward to this month are in Belfast and Cork. This Saturday, 20/3/10, the £1000 QUB Rapid takes place at the Students Union – “check” out details at chrismillar75@hotmail.com. The following weekend, Friday 26th to Sunday 28th March, sees a “corker” of a tournament - the 5,000 euro 18th annual Cork congress - details at www.corkchess.com though how Cork was able to keep “afloat” despite the recession down south, I don’t know.

Last week in division one, Lagan “sank” The Away Team by 5.5-1.5 to score their first win. It was good to see the return to competitive chess of my former rival chess journalist, Belfast Telegraph’s William Collins as Lagan’s board two. As for Willie, ”will he”come to the fore in future chess events? I hope so, anyway!

Finally, thanks for the many erudite comments on my recent blogs - the latest from “I’m a right” Charleyboy is, though, double-edged as he awaits with anticipation my return to top form - no pressure, then! So, for comparison’s sake, in each blog, I shall resurrect a “golden oldie” from the “Irish News” column. When Fred Harte played Fred Armstrong in a Dublin tourney in the 1980’s, I commented: ”the intricate tapestry of this game was woven by just two freds”.

Rookie