The Real Sacrifices: Mikhail Tal vs Bent Larsen, Bled, 1965

Tal,M - Larsen ,B [B04]

Real Sacrifices Bled cs, 1965

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 e6 6.Qf3 Qf6
7.Qg3 h6 8.Nc3 Nb4 9.Bb5+ c6 10.Ba4 Nd7

11.0-0
[11.Bd2; 11.Ne4 "I was intending to continue examining this variation when my attention was attracted by the possibility of a piece sacrifice which I played in the game a few moves later" - TAL]
11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Qg6 13.Qf3 [13.Qxg6+/=] 13...Qf5 14.Qe2 Be7 15.a3!? [15.f4!; 15.g4!?] 15...Nd5 16.Nb5!! cxb5 17.Qxb5+ Kd8 18.c4

18...Qxe5

[18...Nf4 "The main variation conceived by White was..." - Tal 19.Rd1+ (19.Qa5+ b6 20.Qd2+ makes the whole main line unecessary)
19...Kc7 20.Rd7+ Bxd7 21.Qxd7+ Kb8 22.Qxe7 Qxe5 23.Be3 Ng6 (else Rd1) 24.Qxf7 Qf6 25.Be8! Qe7 (25...Ne5? 26.Bf4; 25...Qxf7 26.Bxf7 Nf8 Dvoretsky) 26.Qxg6 Rxe8 27.Bc5 Qd7 28.Bd6+ Kc8
"and the Bishop on d6 is noticeably stronger than the Rook" - Tal "Again we see a long main variation containing a spectacular 'point'. And again it is utterly unconvincing"- Dvoretsky.; 18...Nb6 is also noted by Tal who gives
19.Qa5 Kc7 (19...Bd7 20.Be3 Kc7 21.c5) 20.c5 Kb8 21.cxb6 axb6 22.Qb5 Ra5 (22...Rd8 Dvoretsky) 23.Qb3 (with, according to Tal, pretty good attacking chances) (23.Qc4 Dvoretsky) 23...Qxe5 24.Bd2 Rd5 Dvoretsky]

19.cxd5 Bd6 20.g3 Qxd5 21.Qe2 Ke7 22.Rd1 Qa5 23.Qg4 Qf5
24.Qc4 Qc5 25.Qd3 Qd5 26.Qc3 Be5 27.Qe1 Qc5 28.Bd2 Kf6
29.Rac1 Qb6 30.Be3 Qa6 31.Qb4 b5 32.Bxb5 Qb7 33.f4 Bb8
34.Bc6

"Thus the sacrifice of a piece was objectively not the strongest continuation. But what do we mean by the strongest continuation? Tal played in full accordance with his style, which has brought him outstanding sporting and creative success." - Dvoretsky.

"Years of analysis and minutes of play are not the same thing" - Tal.

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