Mikhail Tal, renowned as the 8th world chess champion for his aggressive gameplay, found himself in a perplexing situation during a chess match against GM Vasiukov in the USSR Chess Championship. Struggling to formulate an escape plan, even his legendary prowess seemed futile. However, his predicament wasn't due to a real-life crisis but rather an imaginative one involving a hypothetical hippopotamus stuck in a marsh.
This whimsical distraction stemmed from Tal's fond memories of reading Korney Chukovsky's works to his young son. As he pondered the chessboard, his mind wandered to the whimsical verse: "Oh, what a difficult job it was, to drag the hippopotamus out of the marsh." Despite appearing engrossed in the game, Tal's thoughts were fixated on rescuing the fictitious hippo.
Amidst considerations of using jacks, levers, and even a helicopter, Tal struggled to find a solution. Eventually, frustrated, he concluded, "Well, just let it drown!" Remarkably, as his imaginary hippo vanished, clarity emerged on the chessboard. Tal recognized the necessity of sacrificing a knight, a move that led to victory.
This anecdote offers insight into Tal's unconventional thinking process and the whimsical influences that shaped his legendary chess career.
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