OK, I have no explanation for my Don King hairdo. Hey, if it works for Don King …. Actually, it was a statement that I wanted to make when I was exposed to a number of racist comments made by some Europeans about Africans. I am always outraged when people are being judged merely based on their race, religion or skin colors.
Anyway, meeting and playing against Tal was one of the highlights of my chess career. He’s a very kind and gracious World Champion. I will always treasure that meeting.
I met him the first time back when I just turned 12. It was around my birthday. He was playing in a tournament in Moscow. I was too shy to talk to him. So my mother came up to him to introduce herself and told him about me. She said it’s my dream to be able to play him a game. He knew who I was and what he did next was just simply incredible!
A short moment after their conversation, Tal went back to his game and offered a draw to his opponent, super GM Vaganian, so he can play some blitz games with me. Imagine how I felt at that time. A great World Champion like Tal took a draw in his tournament game to play Blitz with me! We drew the first game and I would cherrish that game forever. Not only he’s a great World Champion, he’s a wonderful person.
I remember how he made me feel with his kindness. It made a positive impact on me for the rest of my life. That is why I always try my best to make young players feel special every time I have a chance. I learned from one of the best!
This picture was taken at a tournament in San Francisco in 1991 when I first played Tal in a tournament game. We also drew.
Amazing story! Just simply amazing!
Tal is my absolute fav! His imagination had found the perfect canvas on the chess board. It is a shame that he had health complications, else he would have achieved even greater heights.
Wow! What a story!
What a wonderful story! Thank you very much, Susan, for your fantastic blog!
I love Tal as well. His famous game against Simagin where he threw away a rook for a position advantage was just incredible.
Susan, this blog really is cool. Thank you for all that you do!
Wow, what a guy! A master who is in it for the game rather than the rating.
Thank you Susan for telling us your fond recollections of “the great man”. I have admired Tal for his brilliant and sensational games, and have read much that has been written about him by his contemporaries and many friends. Sadly he was dogged by ill health, but to his credit he never ever used this as an excuse whenever he suffered defeat. He was a man who enjoyed life to the full, and his fun loving attitude is IMHO reflected in the way he played his chess.
You look like Harpo Marx
@xargon – greater heighs? he managed it to become CHESS WORLD CHAMPION (to be honest – which heighs else a chess player can achieve?)
To me, other than Aljechin and Fischer, Mikhail Tal is the most fascinating, inspiring and admirable chess player THIS world has ever seen!
A friend of mine met him – already death marked – in one of his last public appearances in germany – even famous grandmasters – my friend told me – fell into tears whilst experiencing Tal’s wit and anbowed groove in contrary to his constitution…
Tal is unforgettable … and dateless!
“the winner is always right!” (Mikhail Tal)
sincerly, Vohaul
Thanx 4 sharing. His book on the 1961 match vs Botvinnik when he became World Champion is THE BEST book ever written by one of the participants in the match. He was so honest and down to earth. He freely admitted what he was thinking at board unlike some who try to appear in their notes like they know all and see all (Kasparov).