Botvinnik-Smyslov:Part II

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

by Mikhail Botvinnik

Softback, p.287

New in Chess.2009

http://www.newinchess.com/

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

 

Ilya Kan was distressed. He was Botvinnik’s second for the 1954 Match. After the Match Botvinnik wrote, Smyslov had made ‘further progress in his preparation’, for three times he had refuted Botvinnik’s secret analyses, playing without hesitation.Poor Kan was unhappy because of the hidden allusion that he had colluded with the Smyslov camp. Botvinnik was a highly suspicious man, but in the present case he was sadly mistaken.In his annotations to the celebrated 14^th game of the Match Smyslov brushed aside Botvinnik’s insinuation, making it clear that it was against his principles to resort to such methods.The problem was more with Botvinnik's preparation.Smyslov was known to believe that the King’s Indian was not a correct defence.So when he played it here Botvinnik was completely taken by surprise and Smyslov won.As for the game, it turned out to be a classic that is remembered even today.By all reckoning Smyslov had proved himself to be Botvinnik's equal in the 1954 Match(12:12).

He qualified again from the Candidates’ Tournament, 1956, and the second duel between the two rivals turned out to be even more exciting than the first. Botvinnik had prepared conscientiously for this Match as revealed by his private Notebook. The fact that Smyslov outprepared him is only half of the story.He also proved to be Botvinnik's superior in other departments. He was good in both attack and defence.He saved many a poor position with imaginative counterattack. In the endgame he had no peers and proved to be Botvinnik's master in this match.Botvinnik tended to tire in the 5th hour of the game and could not bring his monumental strategy to the desired end.A case in point is the following encounter.Before this game Smyslov led by just 1 point(4½ -3½) and Botvinnik was determined to level the scores.There followed a terrific battle.

 

It's a pity that we saw this game only in the quiet of Botvinnik's study.Harry Golombek  describes those tense moments in the packed Tchaikowsky hall, with milling crowds outside watching demonstration boards:

"During the last half a dozen moves of the game Smyslov had been anxiously looking at his score to see when he could claim a draw by repetition of position.As it happens,the draw was agreed amidst tumultous applause from the spectators, who certainly had their full money's worth in thrills during this excting game. I noticed Mrs.Smyslov in the audience,smiling happily when the players shook hands.Obviously, she fully appreciated the importance of a draw to her husband at such a stage in the Match.Thus the score now stood at Smyslov 5, Botvinnik 4."

Thereafter Botvinnik fought in every game.He gave up the ghost only after the 18th game when he knew he could no longer save the match. After 7 weeks of high drama the Match came to an end on 27th April,1957 with Botvinnik proposing a draw in the 22nd game and his younger rival accepting the same.At last Smyslov was World Champion with the score of 12½-9½ (+6 -3 =13).

 

To be continued

 

Notes:Harry Golombek along with Gideon Stahlberg was the arbiter

         of the Match. He wrote books on both 1954 and 1957 Matches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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