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Classic game replay

Mikhail Tal vs Jiri Fichtl, 1964

This replay preserves the complete 79-ply score of Tal playing White across 40 numbered moves. The board can be advanced one ply at a time; the notes stick to observable board changes rather than guessing at the players’ intentions.

On this page
  1. Practice positions
  2. Replay with move-by-move board facts
  3. PGN
  4. Sources and checking
  5. Continue with another game
White
Mikhail Tal
Black
Jiri Fichtl
Event
Kislovodsk
Year
1964
Result
1-0
Opening
D37 Queen's Gambit Declined: Barmen Variation

Opening reference: Queen's Gambit Declined: Barmen Variation (D37).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 59 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 13 captures and 1 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 40 legal choices. The source score ends after 40.Qc7 with the recorded result 1-0. Its termination tag was not retained, so this record does not infer whether the game ended by resignation, time or another cause.

Practice positions

The daily trainer uses a short set of positions from this complete score. Each link goes to the exact half-move rather than only the numbered move.

  1. 6.Bg5 — Develop the bishop6.Bg5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 17.Qxf5 — Recapture on f517.Qxf5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 23.e4 — Change the pawn structure23.e4 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 31.Nd6 — Create pressure on e831.Nd6 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  5. 39.b7 — Advance a passed pawn39.b7 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.

Replay with move-by-move board facts

The board, fact panel and transcript use the same legal score. “Fixed engine check” means Stockfish 17.1, one thread, a fixed 25,000-node search and 3 candidate lines. It compares moves under one reproducible setting; it does not claim to reconstruct a player’s thoughts.

♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜
Mikhail Tal vs Jiri Fichtl, 1964

Start position

Use Previous and Next on the board, or select a move in the transcript. The board fact and fixed engine check remain visible until you choose another move.

Opening · 1.c4 to 10...Nf8

  1. 1.c4 Advance the c-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from c2 to c4; from there it controls d5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · c4.

  2. 1...e6 Advance the e-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from e7 to e6; from there it controls d5 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e6 Nc3 d5 d4.

  3. 2.d4 Claim central space

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from d2 to d4; from there it controls e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d4 d5 Nf3 Nf6.

  4. 2...d5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from d7 to d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d5 it attacks White's pawn on c4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d5 Nc3 Nf6 Bg5.

  5. 3.Nc3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from b1 to c3; from c3 it attacks Black's pawn on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc3 Nf6 Nf3 dxc4.

  6. 3...Nf6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to f6; from there it controls d5 and e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf6 Bg5.

  7. 4.Nf3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from g1 to f3; from there it controls d4 and e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf3 c5.

  8. 4...Nbd7 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to d7; from there it controls e5, c5 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nbd7 Bg5.

  9. 5.cxd5 Exchange on d5

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; White accepts doubled pawns on the d-file; from d5 it attacks Black's pawn on e6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · cxd5 exd5.

  10. 5...exd5 Recapture on d5

    Board fact: Black's pawn recaptures the pawn on d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exd5 Bf4 c6 e3.

  11. 6.Bg5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to g5; from g5 it attacks Black's knight on f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg5 Be7 e3 c6.

  12. 6...Be7 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to e7; from there it controls c5, d6 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be7 e3.

  13. 7.e3 Advance the e-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e2 to e3; from there it controls d4 and f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e3 c6 Bd3 Ne4.

  14. 7...O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: Black castles kingside, moving the king to g8 and the rook to f8. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O Bd3 Re8 Qc2.

  15. 8.Bd3 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to d3; from d3 it attacks Black's pawn on h7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd3 c6 h3 Ne4.

  16. 8...Re8 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to e8; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from e8 it reinforces the queen on d8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re8 h3 c6 Qc2.

  17. 9.Qc2 Reposition the queen

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d1 to c2; from there it controls c3 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc2 h6.

  18. 9...c6 Advance the c-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from c7 to c6; from there it controls d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c6 h3 a6 O-O.

  19. 10.O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: White castles kingside, moving the king to g1 and the rook to f1. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O a6.

  20. 10...Nf8 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from d7 to f8; from there it controls e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf8 h3 Ne4 Bf4.

Middlegame · 11.Bxf6 to 40.Qc7

  1. 11.Bxf6 Exchange on f6

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the knight on f6; from f6 it attacks Black's bishop on e7 and Black's pawn on g7; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bxf6 Bxf6.

  2. 11...Bxf6 Recapture on f6

    Board fact: Black's bishop recaptures the bishop on f6; from f6 it attacks White's pawn on d4; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf6 Bf5 Bxf5 Qxf5.

  3. 12.b4 Advance the b-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b2 to b4; from there it controls c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · b4 Bg4 Nd2 g6.

  4. 12...Bg4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to g4; from g4 it attacks White's knight on f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg4 Nd2 Be7 Rab1.

  5. 13.Nd2 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f3 to d2; from there it controls e4, c4 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd2 Be7 h3 Bd7.

  6. 13...Rc8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from a8 to c8; from there it controls c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rc8 Rfb1.

  7. 14.Nb3 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d2 to b3; from there it controls d4 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nb3 Be7.

  8. 14...Be7 Create pressure on b4

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from f6 to e7; from e7 it attacks White's pawn on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be7 a3 Bd6 Rae1.

  9. 15.a3 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from a2 to a3; from a3 it reinforces the pawn on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a3 Bd6 Rae1 Qh4.

  10. 15...Bd6 Create pressure on b4

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from e7 to d6; from d6 it attacks White's pawn on b4 and White's pawn on h2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd6 f3 Bh5 Rae1.

  11. 16.Bf5 Create pressure on c8

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from d3 to f5; from f5 it attacks Black's rook on c8 and Black's bishop on g4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bf5 Bxf5.

  12. 16...Bxf5 Exchange on f5

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the bishop on f5; from f5 it attacks White's queen on c2; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf5 Qxf5 g6 Qd3.

  13. 17.Qxf5 Recapture on f5

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the bishop on f5; from f5 it attacks Black's rook on c8 and Black's pawn on d5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxf5 g6.

  14. 17...Re6 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from e8 to e6; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from e6 it attacks White's pawn on e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re6 Rac1 h6 Qd3.

  15. 18.Nc5 Create pressure on e6

    Board fact: White moves the knight from b3 to c5; from c5 it attacks Black's rook on e6 and Black's pawn on b7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc5 Re7.

  16. 18...Rf6 Create pressure on f5

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from e6 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's queen on f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rf6 Qc2 Rh6 g3.

  17. 19.Qc2 Create pressure on h7

    Board fact: White moves the queen from f5 to c2; from c2 it attacks Black's pawn on h7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc2 Rh6 g3 Qe7.

  18. 19...Rc7 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from c8 to c7; from there it controls c6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rc7 g3.

  19. 20.Rad1 Improve the rook

    Board fact: White moves the rook from a1 to d1; from there it controls d4 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rad1 Rh6 g3 Qc8.

  20. 20...Re7 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from c7 to e7; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from e7 it attacks White's pawn on e3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Rh6 ranked higher · Re7 e4.

  21. 21.Rfe1 Improve the rook

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f1 to e1; from there it controls e3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rfe1.

  22. 21...Rh6 Create pressure on h2

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f6 to h6; from h6 it attacks White's pawn on h2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rh6 g3.

  23. 22.h3 Advance the h-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from h2 to h3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · h3 Ng6 e4 Nh4.

  24. 22...Qc8 Create pressure on h3

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to c8; from c8 it attacks White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Ng6 ranked higher · Qc8 e4.

  25. 23.e4 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e3 to e4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from e4 it attacks Black's pawn on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e4 Ng6.

  26. 23...Bxc5 Exchange on c5

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on c5; from c5 it attacks White's pawn on b4 and White's pawn on d4; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc5.

  27. 24.dxc5 Recapture on c5

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the bishop on c5; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxc5 Qe8.

  28. 24...dxe4 Exchange on e4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on e4; the move changes the central pawn contact; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · dxe4 Nxe4.

  29. 25.Nxe4 Recapture on e4

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the pawn on e4; from e4 it reinforces the pawn on c5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe4 Rhe6 Re3 Qc7.

  30. 25...Qf5 Create pressure on e4

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from c8 to f5; from f5 it attacks White's knight on e4 and White's pawn on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qf5 f3 Qf4 Rd8.

  31. 26.Rd8 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from d1 to d8; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from d8 it attacks Black's knight on f8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rd8 Rhe6 f3 Qf4.

  32. 26...Rhe6 Rook on the open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from h6 to e6; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e6 it attacks White's knight on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rhe6 f3.

  33. 27.f3 Advance the f-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from f2 to f3; from there it controls e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · f3 Qf4 Red1 f5.

  34. 27...Qf4 Create pressure on e4

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from f5 to f4; from f4 it attacks White's knight on e4 and White's pawn on f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf4 Red1 f5 Qd2.

  35. 28.Qc4 Create pressure on e6

    Board fact: White moves the queen from c2 to c4; from c4 it attacks Black's rook on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc4 Qh4 Red1 Re8.

  36. 28...Qh4 Create pressure on e1

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from f4 to h4; from h4 it attacks White's rook on e1 and White's knight on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qh4.

  37. 29.Red1 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from e1 to d1; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from there it controls d4, d5 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Red1 Re8 Rxe8 Rxe8.

  38. 29...Re8 Rook on the open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from e7 to e8; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e8 it attacks White's rook on d8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re8 Rxe8 Rxe8 Nd6.

  39. 30.R8d4 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from d8 to d4; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from there it controls d5, e4 and c4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · R8d4 Rg6.

  40. 30...Qh6 Create pressure on h3

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from h4 to h6; from h6 it attacks White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Rg6 ranked higher · Qh6 Nd6 Rb8 Kh1.

  41. 31.Nd6 Create pressure on e8

    Board fact: White moves the knight from e4 to d6; from d6 it attacks Black's rook on e8 and Black's pawn on b7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd6 Qe3+ Kf1 Ra8.

  42. 31...Qe3+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from h6 to e3; the move checks White's king; from e3 it attacks White's rook on d4 and White's pawn on a3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qe3+ Kf1 Rd8 Nf5.

  43. 32.Kh1 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from g1 to h1; from h1 it reinforces the pawn on g2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh1 Rb8.

  44. 32...Rd8 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from e8 to d8; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from d8 it attacks White's knight on d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rd8 Nxb7 Rxd4 Qxd4.

  45. 33.R4d3 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from d4 to d3; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from d3 it attacks Black's queen on e3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · R4d3 Qf2.

  46. 33...Qe2 Create pressure on d1

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from e3 to e2; from e2 it attacks White's rook on d1 and White's rook on d3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qe2 f4 b6 f5.

  47. 34.Qc3 Create pressure on g7

    Board fact: White moves the queen from c4 to c3; from c3 it attacks Black's pawn on g7.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qc3.

  48. 34...Rg6 Create pressure on d6

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from e6 to g6; from g6 it attacks White's knight on d6 and White's pawn on g2.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; b6 ranked higher · Rg6 R3d2.

  49. 35.R3d2 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from d3 to d2; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from d2 it attacks Black's queen on e2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · R3d2 Qe6 f4 f5.

  50. 35...Qa6 Create pressure on a3

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from e2 to a6; from a6 it attacks White's pawn on a3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Qe6 ranked higher · Qa6 f4.

  51. 36.a4 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from a3 to a4.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; f4 ranked higher · a4 Ne6 f4 Nxf4.

  52. 36...b6 Create pressure on c5

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from b7 to b6; from b6 it attacks White's pawn on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Rg5 ranked higher · b6 b5 Qxa4 Ra1.

  53. 37.b5 Create pressure on a6

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b4 to b5; from b5 it attacks Black's queen on a6 and Black's pawn on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · b5 Qxa4 Ra1 Qf4.

  54. 37...Qxa4 Exchange on a4

    Board fact: Black's queen takes the pawn on a4; from a4 it attacks White's rook on d1 and White's pawn on b5; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxa4 Ra1 Qf4 bxc6.

  55. 38.cxb6 Exchange on b6

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on b6; the move changes the central pawn contact; White accepts doubled pawns on the b-file; from b6 it attacks Black's pawn on a7; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · cxb6.

  56. 38...cxb5 Exchange on b5

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on b5; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; from b5 it reinforces the queen on a4; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; axb6 ranked higher · cxb5 b7 Qa6 Nf5.

  57. 39.b7 Advance a passed pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b6 to b7; the pawn is now passed.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · b7 Qh4 Qc7 Re6.

  58. 39...Qf4 Create pressure on d2

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from a4 to f4; from f4 it attacks White's rook on d2 and White's knight on d6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qf4 Qc7 Rd7 b8=Q.

  59. 40.Qc7 Create pressure on d8

    Board fact: White moves the queen from c3 to c7; from c7 it attacks Black's rook on d8 and Black's pawn on f7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc7 Rg3 b8=Q Rxb8.

PGN

[Event "Kislovodsk"] [Site "?"] [Date "1964.??.??"] [White "Tal, Mikhail"] [Black "Fichtl, Jiri"] [Result "1-0"] 1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Bd3 Re8 9. Qc2 c6 10. O-O Nf8 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. b4 Bg4 13. Nd2 Rc8 14. Nb3 Be7 15. a3 Bd6 16. Bf5 Bxf5 17. Qxf5 Re6 18. Nc5 Rf6 19. Qc2 Rc7 20. Rad1 Re7 21. Rfe1 Rh6 22. h3 Qc8 23. e4 Bxc5 24. dxc5 dxe4 25. Nxe4 Qf5 26. Rd8 Rhe6 27. f3 Qf4 28. Qc4 Qh4 29. Red1 Re8 30. R8d4 Qh6 31. Nd6 Qe3+ 32. Kh1 Rd8 33. R4d3 Qe2 34. Qc3 Rg6 35. R3d2 Qa6 36. a4 b6 37. b5 Qxa4 38. cxb6 cxb5 39. b7 Qf4 40. Qc7 1-0

Sources and checking

Score source: Chess Database, version 1 by Ana Schaigorodsky (2016), licensed under CC BY 4.0. LibreChess selected the exact score identified by sha256:b061e878873dbdb8e14b358e634a080639c28efba1eb84276cdf4417caf6ecca and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Tal, Mihail"; Black="Fichtl, Jiri"; Event="Kislovodsk"; Date="1964.??.??"; Result="1-0".
Reviewed display mapping: white Tal, Mihail → Tal, Mikhail. LibreChess parsed the main line with chess.js and stores normalised SAN. Source comments, side variations and termination detail were not retained.

LibreChess checks every SAN move with chess.js and compares the result and move sequence with a stored reference. The engine comparison was calculated offline from the fixed settings above; it is not a source for historical claims. No termination is inferred where the imported score does not preserve one.

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