Find the Move — November 12, 2026

Tal at the 1959 Candidates (1959)

White to move. Find the best move.

From Mikhail Tal – Vasily Smyslov, Candidates, Bled 1959.

Yugoslavia, 1959. The Candidates Tournament, held in Bled, Zagreb and Belgrade, decided who would challenge world champion Botvinnik. Mikhail Tal, the 22-year-old 'Magician from Riga', won it and became world champion the next year. Against former champion Vasily Smyslov he played one of his typical games: material does not matter, initiative does. Black has grabbed pawns on the queenside; White's pieces are aimed at the king.