"At the closing ceremony in 1960, Botvinnik looked old, worn out, unable to even think of wanting a return. This year on the stage where I lost the title, he looked to me like a giant". Mikhail Tal on the Return Match in 1961.

The solution to Friday's puzzle: 1.f8N!,Bf8: 2. Nh1! with the threat 3.g3+ and stalemate. After 2.-,Rf5+ 3.gf5:,d4 4.g4 a draw is inevitable. Not 1.f8Q? because of 1.-,d2! and Black wins.

Mate in 3.

"In positions where everything is forced- one move,one answer-I can calculate something between ten and fifteen moves ahead. But that happens very rarely". Garry Kasparov in 1989.

The solution to Friday's problem: 1.Qh6!,gh6: 2.d8N! and mate on f7.

White to play and win.

"I regretted not having drunk at all during the second match with Alekhine. Actually,Alekhine's walk was not steady because he did not see well but did not like to wear glasses. So many people thought he was drunk because of the way he walked". Max Euwe

White to play and win.

"I believed in victory, even in the penultimate 20th game". Boris Spassky on his match against Fischer, Reykjavik 1972

Friday's puzzle was the final part of a study by Mark Liburkin.The solution: 1. Nc5!,e2+ 2.Kd2,Nf1+ 3.Kc1!,Ke1: 4. Nd3#. Or 3.-,Ke3 4.Kc2,Nh2 5.Nd3,Nf3 6.Rb1 with a slow win.

White to play and win.Hint: Black can play for stalemate.

'"After victories which did not leave a shadow of doubt about the correctness of what had occurred, the necessity of once again measuring up to Botvinnik was perceived as a vexing misunderstanding". Tigran Petrosian on Botvinnik's revenge matches against Smyslov and Tal.

Friday's puzzle was the final part of a study by Yochanan Afek. The solution: 1.Nd7, Be2! 2.Be2:,Rb8+ 3. Bb5+!!,Rb5:+ 4.Ka2 and wins. The Black rook has no good squares.

White to play and win.

"A chess player's path on earth is often strewn with trouble and grief. The joy of victory is transitory and brief, while it is in the midst of our happiness that we are bound to be struck by horror". J.H. Donner

the solution to Friday's puzzle: 1.e4!, Be4: 2.Bd5, Bd5: 3.cd5:,Ne3 4.a7, Nd5: 5.a8R! and wins.

White to play and win.

"The chess player rejects life with its painful lack of transparency and its hopeless insolubility, and chooses and has chosen what seems transparent and soluble." J.H. Donner

The solution to Friday's puzzle: 1.Kb1!, b4 2.Kb2 and Black is in zugzwang. Or 1.-,Rb3+2.Ka2,Rh3:3.gh3:, Kb4 4.h4,Kc3 5.h5,Kc2 6.Ka3!, Kc3 7.h6,b4+ 8.Ka4,b3 9.h7,b2 10.h8Q+ and wins. Or 2.-,Rb4 3.Ra3#