Mikhail Tal

Grandmaster Mikhail Tal (1936-1992) rocketed through the Soviet chess elite in his early 20s, winning the Soviet Championship, the Interzonal and Candidate Tournaments and finally the World Championship in 1960. 
Tal’s frail health, raw appetite for life and remorseless risk taking, combined with his romantic approach to chess, have made him a perennial favourite among the chess World Champions to this day.