In 1960, on his very first attempt, 23-year-old Mikhail Tal became the youngest chess champion in history. No one has yet surpassed his extraordinary tactical ability. This exceptional manual, first published in the early 1980s, is based on diaries kept by Tal's coach and includes a fully revised algebraic version of the classic text. It shows how Tal achieved his greatness and gives modern readers a glimpse of the development of a true chess genius.