BCC PRESENTS A SHOT FROM THE PAST: ST JOHN / NEW BRUNSWICK / CANADA // 1988 // WORLD BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP // FINAL GAME AND COMPUTER ANALYSIS // VAGANIAN VS TAL //

DEVELOPING A FORMAT 

FOR PRESENTING

CHESS GAME ANALYSIS

by Steve Stepak

THE SETTING:

St. John, New Brunswick, "World Chess Festival",

World Blitz Chess Championship, 1988.

Raphael Vaganian(2670) vs Mikhail Tal(2705), Round 5

[Penultimate Round]

(Tal easily drew Round 6 and won the title

ahead of Kasparov, Karpov and Vaganian.

He claimed the prize too: $37,500!)

Sky-view of the opening position.

Vaganian is slightly better, here.

Tal casts his spell.

Vaganian immerses himself in Tal's king position.

Tal silently provokes Vaganian's kingside assault.

Maestro Tal calmly considers his options.

Vaganian noticing Tal's a-pawn (in disbelief!) . . .

Note: Man behind Vaganian writing down the moves on a pad.

Critical Moment!

After thorough consideration of the position, Vaganian realizes

that he cannot stop Tal's a-pawn from queening. So he 

offered his hand in resignation.

Maestro

                                                                                                              Photo: Steve Stepak

Grandmaster Mikhail Tal, World Blitz Chess Champion, 1988,

at the Boylston Chess Club, Boston for 30 Board Simul.

(Boston is Tal's first US city visited in his entire life!)