One of the greatest books ever written about a world championship match. In 1960 Mikhail Botvinnik was the pillar of "scientific " chess and the ironwilled champion of the world. The young attacking genius Mihail Tal, the "Wizard of Riga," put the magic back into the game by defeating Botvinnik with spectacular tactics in one of the most dramatic and celebrated world championship matches of all time. This is Tal's own classic work on the contest. In it he sets the stage and explains every one of the 21 games, telling both the on- and off-the-board story of this tatanic clash of styles and thought. Take a trip with the Magician from Riga as he invites you to share his thoughts and feelings as he does battle for the world title. "Mikhail Tal's splendid account of his world championship match victory is one of the masterpieces of the golden age of annotation - before insights and feelings and flashes of genius were reduced to mere moves and Informant symbols. This is simply the best book written about a world championship match by a contestant. That shouldn't be a surprise because Tal was the finest writer to become world champion." - From the Foreword by International Grandmaster Andy Soltis

Mikhail Tal, the 'magician from Riga,' was the greatest attacking World Champion of them all, and this enchanting autobiography chronicles his extraordinary career with charm and humor. Dazzling games are interspersed throughout with anecdotes and witty self-interviews, and in typically objective fashion he related both the downs and ups of his encounters. An inveterate smoker and drinker, Tal's life on the circuit was punctuated by bouts in the hospital with kidney problems, but nothing could dull his love for chess and his sheer genius on the chessboard. His illustrious tournament record, up to his death in 1992, is included here in full, along with 100 complete games and nearly as many positions. Tal's annotations in this book are a world apart from ordinary games collections. No reader could fail to be swept along by his passion and vitality as he sets the scene for an encounter and then recounts every psychological twist and turn.

This book is a fascinating account of several important themes on Tal geography, history, agriculture, religion, arts, culture, science, and technology. Several experts from various academic disciplines contributed to this work, adding to its fascination and strength. The main researcher, Gideon Baklit, and his colleague, the late Charles C. Jacobs, are well-known scholars. The former is a geographer, while the latter was a historian with training in social anthropology. The two have blended together to produce a pioneering study of the cultural ecology of Tal society through time in a thrilling and captivating manner.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Foreword: A Neglected Dimension of the Middle Eastern (and World) Dilemma -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- ONE: Introduction: Talking about Demography in Israel -- TWO: Of Pollution, Paucity, and Population Pressures -- THREE: Of Impaired Public Services, Poverty, and Population Pressures -- FOUR: The Rise and Fall of Aliyah: A Brief History of Immigration to Israel -- FIVE: Blessed with Children: From Dogma to Subsidies -- SIX: Women's Reproductive Rights: Abortion, Birth Control, and Fertility Policies in Israel

Name of the Wind meets Witcher! The legend of Tal Harrenfel is sung across the Westreach-and with each telling, the tales grow taller. But he's never claimed to be more than a man... When Tal receives a mysterious visitor, he becomes embroiled in the plots of monarchs and an ancient war with a fabled sorcerer... Can Tal live up to his legend?

Mikhail Tal was one of the greatest geniuses of chess history. The magician from Riga, as he was known because of his dazzling attacking games, took the chess world by storm and in 1961, at the age of twenty-three, he won the world championship. His sacrificial style made Tal immensely popular with chess players all over the world. In this book Grandmaster Karsten Muller and chess journalist Raymund Stolze have created an instructional chess tactics guide by investigating and explaining the secrets of his breathtaking combinations. Moreover, the authors have selected from the games Tal played one hundred exercises which will teach amateurs how they can finish a game with a stunning sacrifice.

Mikhail Tal is a true legend of chess. He was the World Champion and also holds the world record for the longest unbeaten run in competitive chess. Tal is widely regarded to be the greatest attacking player of all time. Nicknamed ‘the magician from Riga’, Tal was a creative genius who made it look as though absolutely anything was possible over the chessboard. He excelled in confusing his opponents in chaotic positions, and even the best defenders of his time were unable to withstand his blistering attacks. Tal’s many brilliant games have inspired generations of chess players who admire his play without ever being able to convincingly reproduce it. In this book, former American Open Champion Cyrus Lakdawala selects and examines his favourite Tal games, from the beginning to the end of his exceptional career. Lakdawala shows how we can all improve our chess by learning from Tal’s masterpieces. Cyrus Lakdawala examines his favourite games of the chess legend Mikhail Tal, a World Champion who is widely regarded to be the greatest attacking player of all time. Move by Move provides an ideal platform to study chess. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to improve your chess skills and knowledge. Learn from the games of a World ChampionImportant ideas absorbed by continued practiceUtilizes an ideal approach to chess study