Botvinnik-Smyslov:Part I

Botvinnik-Smyslov:Three World Chess Championship Matches, 1954, 1957, 1958

by Mikhail Botvinnik

Softback, p.287

New in Chess.2009

http://www.newinchess.com/

 

The second half of the 20^th Century saw two epic contests: Botvinnik-Smyslov and Karpov-Kasparov. The first of them is seen in this work. Before we examine its contents let me clarify the confusion surrounding the title. As a matter of fact, this is a compilation of three books. Botvinnik wrote the Russian book of the 1954 Match soon after the event. But if you read his commentary here, you would find references to Kasparov’s games as well. A case of clairvoyance!? Hans Ree wrote an interesting piece, Enthralling battles on this book, in New in Chess Magazine (4/2008).In the article he says, he asked Botvinnik’s nephew, Igor, the Editor of the original Russian version about this and drew a blank. Igor denied that he had added anything to Botvinnik’s writing. So when did Botvinnik revise his annotations and why, asks Ree. The answer is  to be found in his 4-volume Russian work, Analiticheskie i kriticheski raboti (Analytical and Critical works) published in 1980s. Here Botvinnik has updated analysis of his games played over half a century. Dr.Ken Neat, who also translated 3 volumes of this work for Moravian Press, has used the revised annotations for this book.

Understandably, Botvinnik did not write the book of the 1957 Match. He had lost the match, and the painful memories lingered. Besides, it is a cruel world. Who wants to listen to the plaintive cries of the loser, even it happens to be the great Botvinnik? In his Foreword here Smyslov writes, until now no book of the 1957 Match has ever ever been published at least not in Russian. That’s right. But there is a book in English authored by Harry Golombek published soon after the match, World Chess Championship 1957. Who wrote the foreword to this book? Vassily Smyslov who had just been crowned the world champion!The great man cannot be expected to remember, though.It was 50 years ago.

The games  of the 1957 Match in this book are annotated by various hands, Botvinnik, Smyslov and other grandmasters. There is also a bonus.Botvinnik’s private Notebook on the match, with  his secret plans of preparation.He tried to be thorough and still he lost!

Botvinnik did write the book of the 1958 Match. He had won, you see! Here again we see the skilled hand of Dr.Ken Neat, using his annotations from the later Russian title, Analiticheskie i kriticheski raboti (Analytical and Critical works). At the end of the book, we find Botvinnik’s private Notebook on the match and also his conclusions on regaining the title.

Overall, two out of three matches are seen  here through Botvinnik's eyes.He does take into account analysis of other masters who commented on the games during the match.But what about Smyslov? He did annotate ten of these games in his own book, Smyslov's Best Games.

It would be good to compare both and see how the great rivals differed in their outlook.In the Foreword to this book Smyslov says that he and Botvinnik saw chess not merely as a sport,but also as an art.With all respect to both players, I would beg to differ. For Botvinnik chess was a science, and for Smyslov it was an art.One saw it as a laboratory, and the other saw it as a concert.

The Botvinnik-Smyslov rivalry goes back to 1940s. When Botvinnik became the World Champion in 1948, young Smyslov was second, outdistancing more experienced players, Keres, Reshevsky and Euwe.Smyslov missed the next chance to become a challenger as Bronstein  qualified ahead of him in the Candidates" Tournament, 1950. He had to fight his way through the Candidates' Tournament, 1953 to become a challenger.Smyslov prepared with meticuous care for the duel with Botvinnik.It speaks for his dedication that he wrote out some 800 of Botvinnik's games and analysed them with comment on each phase of the game.

The 1954 Match ran an exciting course.After the four games the score was 3½-½.Botvinnik had scored 3 wins and a draw.Then Smyslov fought back,with 4 wins and 3 draws even took the lead.But Botvinnik was not to be denied.He won the 12th game in classic style.The score after the first half of the match was 6:6.In the second half of the match Botvinnik took lead with 3 wins and only one loss.But the younger man survived the onslaught and hit back in the 20th game. When the two met in the  23rd game, Botvinnik was still leading by 1 point.Here is what happened: 

After this surprise victory by Smyslov, only the 24th game remained to be played.Both the players were exhausted after battling over two months.So this was a short draw.The match ended with the score 12:12 and Botvinnik retained the title.

Links:

1)Two more games of this match may be found here:

http://www.chessville.com/instruction/Annotated_Games/Botvinnik_Smyslov_1954WorldCh10.htm

http://products.convekta.com/reviews/prf_havanur/MikhailBotvinnik.htm

2)The second  and third parts of the review are here:

http://www.chess.com/article/view/botvinnik-smyslovpart-ii

http://www.chess.com/article/view/botvinnik-smyslovpart-iii

 

 

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