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Tal's Rook Sacrifice at Nice

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Mikhail Tal commits a rook on e6 before the rest of the line is forcing. The point is visible in the score: the f-pawn is drawn away, the bishop arrives with check and Black's king loses its shelter.

On this page
  1. Critical decisions
  2. Replay with move-by-move board facts
  3. PGN
  4. Sources and checking
  5. Continue with another game
White
Mikhail Tal
Black
Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren
Event
Nice olm prel
Year
1974
Result
1-0
Opening
A13 English Opening: Agincourt Defense

Opening reference: English Opening: Agincourt Defense (A13).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 47 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 16 captures and 10 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 35 legal choices. The source score ends after 34.Qf4+ 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.

Critical decisions

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. 8.Bxc4 — Recapture on c48.Bxc4 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 16.Bxe6+ — Moves 16-17 — Bxe6+ and Nh416.Bxe6+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 21.dxe5+ — Moves 19-22 — the king hunt21.dxe5+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 23.Nd4+ — Move 23 — Nd4+ keeps the initiative23.Nd4+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  5. 31.Qe4+ — A forcing check31.Qe4+ 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 Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren, 1974

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...Bxc3

  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.Nc3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from b1 to c3; from there it controls d5 and e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc3 d5.

  4. 2...Bb4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to b4; from b4 it attacks White's knight on c3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb4 e4.

  5. 3.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 Nf6.

  6. 3...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: Near the leading choice · d5 Qb3 Bxc3 Qxc3.

  7. 4.d4 Claim central space

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

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · d4 dxc4 e3 b5.

  8. 4...Ne7 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to e7; from there it controls d5, c6 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Ne7 Qa4+.

  9. 5.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 O-O.

  10. 5...c5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from c7 to c5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c5 it attacks White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c5 dxc5.

  11. 6.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 cxd4.

  12. 6...Nbc6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to c6; from c6 it attacks White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nbc6 dxc5.

  13. 7.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 dxc4 Bxc4 cxd4.

  14. 7...dxc4 Exchange on c4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on c4; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the c-file; from c4 it attacks White's bishop on d3; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxc4 Bxc4 cxd4 Nxd4.

  15. 8.Bxc4 Recapture on c4

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the pawn on c4; from c4 it attacks Black's pawn on e6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc4.

  16. 8...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: Near the leading choice · O-O dxc5 Bxc5 b3.

  17. 9.a3 Create pressure on b4

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from a2 to a3; from a3 it attacks Black's bishop on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; dxc5 ranked higher · a3 Bxc3 bxc3 b6.

  18. 9...cxd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d4 it attacks White's knight on c3 and White's pawn on e3; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Bxc3 ranked higher · cxd4 axb4 dxc3 bxc3.

  19. 10.exd4 Recapture on d4

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the pawn on d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; axb4 ranked higher · exd4 Bxc3 bxc3 h6.

  20. 10...Bxc3 Exchange on c3

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on c3; from c3 it attacks White's pawn on b2 and White's pawn on d4; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc3 bxc3 b6 Bd3.

Middlegame · 11.bxc3 to 34.Qf4+

  1. 11.bxc3 Recapture on c3

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the bishop on c3; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c3 it reinforces the pawn on d4; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · bxc3 Na5 Bd3 b6.

  2. 11...b6 Advance the b-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from b7 to b6; from there it controls c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · b6 Bd3.

  3. 12.Qd3 Create pressure on h7

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d1 to d3; from d3 it attacks Black's pawn on h7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd3.

  4. 12...Bb7 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to b7; from there it controls c6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; e5 ranked higher · Bb7 Ng5 Ng6 h4.

  5. 13.Re1 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f1 to e1; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from e1 it attacks Black's pawn on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Ng5 ranked higher · Re1 Ng6 Ng5 Nce7.

  6. 13...h6 Advance the h-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from h7 to h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · h6 Ba2 Re8 c4.

  7. 14.Ba2 Create pressure on e6

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from c4 to a2; from a2 it attacks Black's pawn on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ba2 Na5 Bb1 Nf5.

  8. 14...Re8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to e8; from e8 it reinforces the queen on d8.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Re8 Bd2 Ng6 h4.

  9. 15.Rxe6 Exchange on e6

    Board fact: White's rook takes the pawn on e6; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e6 it attacks Black's knight on c6 and Black's knight on e7; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxe6.

    Move 15 — Rxe6, the rook sacrifice15.Rxe6 fxe6 16.Bxe6+ gives a rook for the e6- and f7-pawns. It also removes the pawns that had screened the king on g8.
  10. 15...fxe6 Recapture on e6

    Board fact: Black's pawn recaptures the rook on e6; the move changes the central pawn contact; black is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nxd4 ranked higher · fxe6 Bxe6+.

  11. 16.Bxe6+ Recapture on e6

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the pawn on e6; the move checks Black's king; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe6+ Kf8 Qh7 Ng6.

    Moves 16-17 — Bxe6+ and Nh4After 16...Kf8 17.Nh4 Ne5, White's knight is headed to f5 and 18.Qh7 threatens checks on g8. Black must spend moves responding rather than consolidating the material edge.
  12. 16...Kf8 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from g8 to f8; from f8 it reinforces the rook on e8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kf8 Qh7 Ng6 Qg8+.

  13. 17.Nh4 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f3 to h4; from there it controls f3 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nh4 Ne5 Qh7 N7c6.

  14. 17...Ne5 Create pressure on d3

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from c6 to e5; from e5 it attacks White's queen on d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ne5 Qh7.

  15. 18.Qh7 Create pressure on g7

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d3 to h7; from h7 it attacks Black's pawn on g7 and Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qh7 N7c6 Qg8+ Ke7.

  16. 18...N7c6 Create pressure on d4

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from e7 to c6; from c6 it attacks White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · N7c6 Qg8+.

  17. 19.Qg8+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from h7 to g8; the move checks Black's king; from g8 it attacks Black's pawn on g7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qg8+ Ke7 Nf5+ Kf6.

    Moves 19-22 — the king huntThe checks 19.Qg8+, 20.Nf5+ and 22.Qxg7+ send the king through e7 and f6 to e6. White's queen, bishop and knight all take part in the pursuit.
  18. 19...Ke7 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from f8 to e7; from e7 it attacks White's bishop on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ke7 Nf5+.

  19. 20.Nf5+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the knight from h4 to f5; the move checks Black's king; from f5 it attacks Black's pawn on g7 and Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf5+ Kf6 dxe5+ Nxe5.

  20. 20...Kf6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from e7 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's bishop on e6 and White's knight on f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kf6.

  21. 21.dxe5+ Capture with check on e5

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the knight on e5; the move checks Black's king; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxe5+ Nxe5 Qxg7+ Kxe6.

  22. 21...Nxe5 Recapture on e5

    Board fact: Black's knight recaptures the pawn on e5; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe5 Qxg7+.

  23. 22.Qxg7+ Capture with check on g7

    Board fact: White's queen takes the pawn on g7; the move checks Black's king; from g7 it attacks Black's bishop on b7 and Black's pawn on h6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxg7+ Kxe6 Nd4+ Kd6.

  24. 22...Kxe6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black's king takes the bishop on e6; from e6 it attacks White's knight on f5; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kxe6 Nd4+.

  25. 23.Nd4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f5 to d4; the move checks Black's king; from there it controls c6, e6 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd4+ Kd6 Qxb7 Qd7.

    Move 23 — Nd4+ keeps the initiative23.Nd4+ Kd6 brings the knight into the attack with tempo. Tal still has work to do: Bf4 and Re1 join later, and the king is driven as far as c5 before the final checks.
  26. 23...Kd6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from e6 to d6; from there it controls d5, e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kd6 Qxb7 Qd7 Qa6.

  27. 24.Bf4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to f4; from f4 it attacks Black's knight on e5 and Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bf4 Qd7.

  28. 24...Bd5 Create pressure on g2

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from b7 to d5; from d5 it attacks White's pawn on g2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd5 Re1 Kc5 Rxe5.

  29. 25.Re1 Rook on the open e-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from a1 to e1; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e1 it attacks Black's knight on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re1 Kc5 Rxe5 Kc4.

  30. 25...Kc5 Create pressure on d4

    Board fact: Black moves the king from d6 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's knight on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kc5 Rxe5 Rxe5 Bxe5.

  31. 26.Rxe5 Exchange on e5

    Board fact: White's rook takes the knight on e5; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e5 it attacks Black's rook on e8 and Black's bishop on d5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxe5 Kc4 Qg4 Rxe5.

  32. 26...Rxe5 Recapture on e5

    Board fact: Black's rook recaptures the rook on e5; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e5 it reinforces the bishop on d5; black is ahead by 5 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxe5 Bxe5 Kc4 Qg4.

  33. 27.Qxe5 Recapture on e5

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the rook on e5; from e5 it attacks Black's bishop on d5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Bxe5 ranked higher · Qxe5 Qd7.

  34. 27...Qd7 Reposition the queen

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to d7; from there it controls d5, c6 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd7 Nc2.

  35. 28.Nc2 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d4 to c2; from there it controls d4 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc2 Re8 Qd4+ Kc6.

  36. 28...Re8 Rook on the open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from a8 to e8; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e8 it attacks White's queen on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re8 Qd4+ Kc6 c4.

  37. 29.Qd4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from e5 to d4; the move checks Black's king; from d4 it attacks Black's bishop on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd4+ Kc6 c4 Be6.

  38. 29...Kc6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from c5 to c6; from there it controls d5, c5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kc6 c4 Be6 Qe4+.

  39. 30.c4 Create pressure on d5

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from c3 to c4; from c4 it attacks Black's bishop on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c4 Be6 Qe4+ Kc5.

  40. 30...Be6 Create pressure on c4

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from d5 to e6; from e6 it attacks White's pawn on c4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be6 Qe4+.

  41. 31.Qe4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d4 to e4; the move checks Black's king; from e4 it attacks Black's bishop on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qe4+ Kc5 h3 Bxh3.

  42. 31...Kc5 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from c6 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's pawn on c4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kc5 h3 Bxh3 Be3+.

  43. 32.h3 Advance the h-pawn

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

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · h3 Bg8 Be3+ Kd6.

  44. 32...Bf5 Create pressure on e4

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from e6 to f5; from f5 it attacks White's queen on e4 and White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Bxh3 ranked higher · Bf5 Be3+ Kd6 Qf4+.

  45. 33.Be3+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from f4 to e3; the move checks Black's king; from e3 it attacks Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be3+ Kd6 Qf4+ Ke7.

  46. 33...Kd6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from c5 to d6; from there it controls d5, e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kd6 Qf4+ Ke7 Nd4.

  47. 34.Qf4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from e4 to f4; the move checks Black's king; from f4 it attacks Black's bishop on f5 and Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf4+ Ke7 Nd4 Bg6.

PGN

[Event "Nice olm prel"] [Site "?"] [Date "1974.??.??"] [White "Tal, Mikhail"] [Black "Myagmarsuren, Lhamsuren"] [Result "1-0"] 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4 Ne7 5. e3 c5 6. Bd3 Nbc6 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 O-O 9. a3 cxd4 10. exd4 Bxc3 11. bxc3 b6 12. Qd3 Bb7 13. Re1 h6 14. Ba2 Re8 15. Rxe6 fxe6 16. Bxe6+ Kf8 17. Nh4 Ne5 18. Qh7 N7c6 19. Qg8+ Ke7 20. Nf5+ Kf6 21. dxe5+ Nxe5 22. Qxg7+ Kxe6 23. Nd4+ Kd6 24. Bf4 Bd5 25. Re1 Kc5 26. Rxe5 Rxe5 27. Qxe5 Qd7 28. Nc2 Re8 29. Qd4+ Kc6 30. c4 Be6 31. Qe4+ Kc5 32. h3 Bf5 33. Be3+ Kd6 34. Qf4+ 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:dbbefc31e3f6548b0c352d279d8b51c0a26ea0cd28448f4d5565e0dd6e9ba36c and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Tal, Mihail"; Black="Myagmarsuren, Lhamsuren"; Event="Nice ol (Men) qual-A"; Date="1974.06.11"; Result="1-0".
Reviewed display mapping: white Tal, Mihail → Tal, Mikhail; event Nice ol (Men) qual-A → Nice olm prel. 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 or a substitute for the authored notes. No termination is inferred where the imported score does not preserve one.

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