Naturally, the psychological susceptibility of a match participant is significantly higher than a participant in a tournament, since each game substantially changes the over-all position.
Mikhail TalThe cherished dream of every chessplayer is to play a match with the World Champion. But here is the paradox: the closer you come to the realization of this goal, the less you think about it.
Mikhail TalIt's funny, but many people don't understand why I draw so many games nowadays. They think my style must have changed but this is not the case at all. The answer to this drawing disease is that my favorite squares are e6, f7, g7 and h7 and everyone now knows this. They protect these squares not once but four times!
Mikhail TalLater, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because I realized a very simple truth: not only was I worried, but also my opponent
Mikhail TalI have always thought it a matter of honour for every chess player to deserve the smile of fortune.
Mikhail TalJust as one's imagination is stirred by a girl's smile, so is one's imagination stirred by the possibilities of chess.
Mikhail TalWhen I asked Fischer why he had not played a certain move in our game, he replied: 'Well, you laughed when I wrote it down!'
Mikhail TalI believe most definitely that one must not only grapple with the problems on the board, one must also make every effort to combat the thoughts and will of the opponent.
Mikhail TalIn my games I have sometimes found a combination intuitively simply feeling that it must be there. Yet I was not able to translate my thought processes into normal human language.
Mikhail TalMany Chess players were surprised when after the game, Fischer quietly explained: 'I had already analyzed this possibility' in a position which I thought was not possible to foresee from the opening
Mikhail TalWithout technique it is impossible to reach the top in chess, and therefore we all try to borrow from Capablanca his wonderful, subtle technique.
Mikhail TalPlaying in your home city is very special. You feel the support and attention. When everything goes well, it's very great, but when it doesn't, you might as well turn off your phone: the advices seem endless.
Mikhail TalIf (Black) is going for victory, he is practically forced to allow his opponent to get some kind of well-known positional advantage.
Mikhail TalI can take care of myself! But the "external barriers", my opponents, do indeed concern me.
Mikhail TalYou must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one
Mikhail TalAs long as my opponent has not yet castled, on each move I seek a pretext for an offensive. Even when I realize that the king is not in danger.
Mikhail TalFor pleasure you can read the games collections of Andersson and Chigorin, but for benefit you should study Tarrasch, Keres and Bronstein.
Mikhail TalBotvinnik's right! When he says such things, then he's right. Usually, I prefer not to study chess but to play it. For me chess is more an art than a science. It's been said that Alekhine and I played similar chess, except that he studied more. Yes, perhaps, but I have to say that he played, too.
Mikhail TalOf course, errors are not good for a chess game, but errors are unavoidable and in any case, a game without ant errors, or as they say 'flawless game' is colorless.
Mikhail TalI will not hide the fact that I love to hear the spectators react after a sacrifice of a piece or pawn. I don't think that there is anything bad in such a feeling; no artist or musician is indifferent to the reactions of the public.
Mikhail TalI think that the FIDE leaders have to reconsider the current drawing rules - their advantages aren't very clear, but their shortcomings are obvious. Artificial drawing of the lots is detrimental for everyone.
Mikhail Tal