Black to move. Botvinnik is threatening to trap the knight on h5. Tal found a knight sacrifice that blows the position wide open. Can you find the move that made him World Champion?
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Mikhail Tal
Why this game matters
Moscow, 1960. The 23-year-old 'Magician from Riga', Mikhail Tal, was challenging the great Mikhail Botvinnik for the world title. In Game 6, from the Black side of a King's Indian, Tal played one of the most famous moves ever: 21…Nf4!!, throwing a knight into the fire on pure intuition. The crowd was so loud the game had to be moved to a side room. Tal won, took the lead, and went on to become the youngest World Champion of his time.
The lesson
Some sacrifices can't be calculated to the end — they're played because the resulting attack is simply too strong to resist. Tal's 21…Nf4!! is the ultimate example of practical, intuitive sacrifice: rip open the position, seize the initiative, and trust that the defender will crack under the pressure of finding the only moves.
Move by move
7… e57…e5 — the heart of the King's Indian: Black accepts a cramped centre, planning to attack with …f5 and pieces.
15… Nh515…Nh5 heads for f4, eyeing the dark squares around White's king. Tal is already arranging an attack.
19… f519…f5! The thematic break. Tal opens lines toward the white king the moment Botvinnik looks slightly overextended.
21… Nf421…Nf4!! The immortal sacrifice. The knight cannot be left alone, but taking it (22.gxf4) wrecks White's king cover — Tal plays on intuition, not calculation.
22. gxf422.gxf4 exf4 — the pawns crash open and the dark squares around Botvinnik's king collapse.
23. Bd223.Bd2 Qxb2! Tal grabs material and keeps the initiative; the f-pawn is now a monster.
24… f324…f3! The passed pawn charges in, splitting White's position and forcing concessions.
25… fxe225…fxe2 — Black's pawn reaches the seventh, queening threats everywhere. The attack has become a material avalanche.
28… Bf428…Bf4 — the bishops dominate the dark squares; White is tied in knots untangling the mess.
34. Rxb734.Rxb7 — Botvinnik grabs pawns but Tal is simply up material with the safer king.
47. Rd7+47.Rd7+ — Botvinnik resigned. Tal's intuitive sacrifice carried the day; he went on to win the match and the title.
Frequently asked
Why is 21…Nf4 so famous?
It is one of the boldest sacrifices in World Championship history. The knight cannot be ignored, but capturing it shatters White's king position. Tal admitted he had not calculated everything — he trusted that the attack would be too strong, and it was.
What happened in the match?
Tal won Game 6 to take the lead and went on to win the 1960 match, becoming, at 23, the youngest World Champion up to that time. Botvinnik regained the title in the 1961 rematch.
Can I try the sacrifice myself?
Yes — take the board as Black at move 21 and try to find 21…Nf4 and the follow-up, or replay the whole game move by move, no sign-up.