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Classic game replay

Mikhail Tal vs Alexander N Zaitsev, 1969

This replay preserves the complete 41-ply score of Tal playing White across 21 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
Alexander N Zaitsev
Event
URS-ch37
Year
1969
Result
1-0
Opening
C09 French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Main Line

Opening reference: French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Main Line (C09).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 21 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 14 captures and 4 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 38 legal choices. The source score ends after 21.Rfe1+ 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.Bb5 — Develop the bishop6.Bb5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 13.cxd5 — Exchange on d513.cxd5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 15.Qxg7 — Exchange on g715.Qxg7 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.

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Mikhail Tal vs Alexander N Zaitsev, 1969

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.e4 to 10...a6

  1. 1.e4 Claim central space

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e2 to e4; from there it controls d5 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6.

  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 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 e5 c5.

  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 e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d5 e5 c5 c3.

  5. 3.Nd2 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from b1 to d2; from there it controls e4, c4 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd2 c5 Ngf3 cxd4.

  6. 3...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 Ngf3 cxd4 Nxd4.

  7. 4.Ngf3 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 · Ngf3 cxd4 Nxd4 Nc6.

  8. 4...Nc6 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 · Nc6 Bb5 cxd4 O-O.

  9. 5.exd5 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 knight on c6 and Black's pawn on e6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exd5 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 Bb5.

  11. 6.Bb5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to b5; from b5 it attacks Black's knight on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb5 Qe7+ Be2 cxd4.

  12. 6...Qe7+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to e7; the move checks White's king; from there it controls e4, e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qe7+ Be2 Qc7 O-O.

  13. 7.Be2 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the bishop from b5 to e2; from there it controls c4, d3 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be2 Qc7 O-O cxd4.

  14. 7...Qc7 Create pressure on h2

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from e7 to c7; from c7 it attacks White's pawn on h2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc7 O-O.

  15. 8.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 cxd4 Nb3 Nf6.

  16. 8...cxd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the d-file; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · cxd4 Re1 Bd6 Nb3.

  17. 9.Nb3 Create pressure on d4

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d2 to b3; from b3 it attacks Black's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nb3 Nf6 Nbxd4 Be7.

  18. 9...Bd6 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to d6; from d6 it attacks White's pawn on h2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bd6.

  19. 10.Nbxd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: White's knight takes the pawn on d4; from d4 it attacks Black's knight on c6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nbxd4 a6 c4 Nge7.

  20. 10...a6 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from a7 to a6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · a6 c4.

Middlegame · 11.c4 to 21.Rfe1+

  1. 11.c4 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from c2 to c4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c4 it attacks Black's pawn on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c4 Nge7 cxd5 Nb4.

  2. 11...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 Ne4 Be3.

  3. 12.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 dxc4.

  4. 12...Ne4 Create pressure on g5

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from f6 to e4; from e4 it attacks White's bishop on g5 and White's pawn on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ne4 cxd5 Nxg5 dxc6.

  5. 13.cxd5 Exchange on d5

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on d5; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d5 it attacks Black's knight on c6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · cxd5 Nxd4 Qxd4 Nxg5.

  6. 13...Nxd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the knight on d4; from d4 it attacks White's bishop on e2 and White's knight on f3; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nxg5 ranked higher · Nxd4.

  7. 14.Qxd4 Recapture on d4

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the knight on d4; from d4 it attacks Black's knight on e4 and Black's pawn on g7; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxd4 Nxg5 Qxg7 Nxf3+.

  8. 14...Nxg5 Exchange on g5

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the bishop on g5; from g5 it attacks White's knight on f3; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxg5 Qxg7.

  9. 15.Qxg7 Exchange on g7

    Board fact: White's queen takes the pawn on g7; from g7 it attacks Black's rook on h8 and Black's knight on g5; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxg7 Nxf3+ Bxf3 Rf8.

  10. 15...Nxf3+ Capture with check on f3

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the knight on f3; the move checks White's king; from f3 it attacks White's pawn on h2; black is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxf3+ Bxf3 Rf8 Rfe1+.

  11. 16.Bxf3 Recapture on f3

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the knight on f3; from f3 it reinforces the pawn on d5; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf3 Rf8 Rfe1+ Kd8.

  12. 16...Rf8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from h8 to f8; from f8 it reinforces the pawn on f7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rf8 Rfe1+ Kd8 Rac1.

  13. 17.Rac1 Rook on the open c-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from a1 to c1; the rook now occupies the open c-file; from c1 it attacks Black's queen on c7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rac1 Bxh2+ Kh1 Qd6.

  14. 17...Bxh2+ Capture with check on h2

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the pawn on h2; the move checks White's king; from h2 it reinforces the queen on c7; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxh2+ Kh1.

  15. 18.Kh1 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from g1 to h1; from h1 it attacks Black's bishop on h2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh1 Qd6 g3 Bxg3.

  16. 18...Qd6 Create pressure on d5

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from c7 to d6; from d6 it attacks White's pawn on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd6 g3.

  17. 19.g3 Advance the g-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from g2 to g3; from there it controls f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · g3 Bxg3 fxg3 Bd7.

  18. 19...Bxg3 Exchange on g3

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the pawn on g3; from g3 it attacks White's pawn on f2; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxg3 fxg3 Bd7 Rc7.

  19. 20.fxg3 Recapture on g3

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the bishop on g3; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · fxg3 Bd7 Rc7 Kd8.

  20. 20...Bf5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to f5; from there it controls e4, d3 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Bd7 ranked higher · Bf5 Bg2.

  21. 21.Rfe1+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f1 to e1; the move checks Black's king; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from there it controls e4, e5 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Rce1+ ranked higher · Rfe1+ Kd7 Bg4 Bxg4.

PGN

[Event "URS-ch37"] [Site "?"] [Date "1969.??.??"] [White "Tal, Mikhail"] [Black "Zaitsev, Alexander N"] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nc6 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bb5 Qe7+ 7. Be2 Qc7 8. O-O cxd4 9. Nb3 Bd6 10. Nbxd4 a6 11. c4 Nf6 12. Bg5 Ne4 13. cxd5 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 Nxg5 15. Qxg7 Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Rf8 17. Rac1 Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Qd6 19. g3 Bxg3 20. fxg3 Bf5 21. Rfe1+ 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 sha256:34975c121f7fcc2cc7c07248fec2481dc54a8eee6fa3dbc5b33dd2d10e1a1088 and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Tal, Mihail"; Black="Zaitsev, Alexander N"; Event="URS-ch37"; Date="1969.10.01"; 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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