Mikhail Tal, also known as 'The Magician from Riga', was a Latvian chess grandmaster and the eighth World Chess Champion. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time, and is renowned for his tactical brilliance and attacking style of play. Tal won the World Chess Championship in 1960 and held the title until 1961. He was also a prolific chess writer and author of several books on the game.