Tal’s Rxf7+ Breaks Korchnoi’s Defense | A Long Forced Checkmate

This game from Reykjavik 1987 shows Mikhail Tal at his most persistent and precise.
Out of a classical Ruy Lopez, the position quickly becomes tense in the center. Korchnoi defends accurately and reaches a playable middlegame, but Tal keeps increasing pressure, improving piece coordination and slowly restricting Black’s king.
The critical moment comes with 36.Rxf7+.
This exchange sacrifice is not a gamble — it is a calculated decision to expose the king and remove the last defensive barriers. After accepting the sacrifice, Black’s king is forced into the open, and from that moment on, the game becomes a long, forced chase.
What makes this game special is not just the sacrifice itself, but the conversion. Tal methodically pushes pawns, activates his queen and rooks, and denies escape squares. Even when material is simplified, the attack never disappears. The passed a-pawn becomes decisive, and the king hunt continues until the final mating net.
Instructive points for beginners:
A sacrifice is justified when it exposes the king permanently.
Passed pawns can be as strong as pieces.
Do not rush mate — restrict first, then finish.

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