The Hypnotist's Gaze, Part 1

Don't worry! That's not a mad scientist, nor is he a sorcerer. That's just Mikhail Tal, the eighth champion of the world. Well, to be honest some people said he was a sorcerer, but they were probably just joking.

You see, Tal had the habit of playing the most complicated and amazing games. Sometimes he sacrificed pieces, and later people discovered that the sacrifice was incorrect. However, in such complicated positions even the best players were not able to find the best moves, and Tal's attack usually broke through.

That's why they said he was a hypnotist, who could convince even the best to make mistakes. In reality, though, it was his great imagination which allowed him to create a position which confused everyone!

In these articles we are going to see a game he played against grandmaster Bukhuti Gurgenidze, where "the Magician from Riga" (as Tal was known) showed his knack for taking control of the game in an audacious manner. Check it out!

Here is where we leave off for today:

White has more space, but Black has very active pieces - his bishop on g7 is strong, the knight is causing danger, and the queen is ready to come over to the kingside. However, White threatened the knight by his last move. What would you do about it? Retreat the knight, or...?