Chess classics: Mikhail Tal v Alexander Koblents, Riga, 1961
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Tal and love for Queens (and Queen sac) is very well-known. Most of his famous games are remembered for immaculate positional play, while others are celebrated for a single brilliant combination. Then there are games that seem to defy convention altogether. When one queen wasn't enough, this crazy Najdorf Sicilian gameplay produced one of the most entertaining tactical battles imaginable, featuring attacks, daring sacrifices, exposed kings, and the extraordinary sight of two separate pawn promotions by the same player.
Fun fact: this was a practice game between a master and his protege. Yes, Tal was playing against his lifelong coach Alexander Koblents in this game. It is not known whether it was a preparation for any future games but the battles between them were worth watching not once but on repeat.
The battle begins in the ever-combative Najdorf Sicilian, one of chess's most celebrated openings. Both Tal and Koblents follow established plans: Tal, playing as White, adopts the aggressive English Attack setup with opposite-side castling, while Koblents, as Black,expands on the queenside with the expected 11...b5.
Tal, then, kicks off the fun with 12. e5!, a thematic pawn thrust that disrupts Black's coordination in the center.
A Queen sacrifice, followed by a double queen promotion
After capturing a knight with 13. exf6, Tal allows ...BxQf3, sacrificing a queen as we enter the middlegame in exchange for a Knight and Bishop gaining attacking chances. From that moment onward, material takes a back seat as both players fight for the initiative.
The game's defining phase begins with the courageous 15. Nxe6!, sacrificing further material to open up Black's kingside. The follow-up sequence of Bh5+,g6, Bxg6+, and Kf8 followed by fxe7+ keeps Black's king under pressure while creating a passed pawn.
To Koblent's credit, the defense is equally impressive. The crucial defensive resource 24...QxRe6 neutralizes much of White's attacking momentum. Yet the battle is far from over.
What follows is one of the most memorable sequences of the game. White first promotes a pawn with 29. exf8=Q, only to see the newly crowned queen disappear immediately. Remarkably, another passed pawn is pushed, advancing to 31. exf8=Q+ and producing a second queen just two moves later, which also ultimately gets captured as well. And, ultimately black resigned. Such a sequence is extraordinarily rare and perfectly captures the tactical madness that Tal can create.