Botvinnik-Smyslov:Part III

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

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

 

They had written off Botvinnik.Now he was no more than former world champion, and quite a few wished him "happy retirement".But he was of a different opinion, having studied the causes of his defeat.

Botvinnik:"In the summer of 1957 a large group of sportsmen was awarded decorations. The awards were given out in the Kremlin by K.E.Voroshilov. He had a few words for each of those to receive the awards.  He said to me, “You are famous throughout the world” (by my gestures and look on the face I convey that I do not agree, and I have my doubts about this) “Now you have lost (I bow my head) but there is no reason to be distressed. You lost to a remarkable fellow (at this point my face expressed disagreement). He fell silent and seeing that I did not concur with him, added in a conciliatory and friendly fashion, “Possibly you will win again? “Possibly,” was my swift reply. Several of the staff standing behind Voroshilov laughed in unison."

Botvinnik, however, believed in himself and exercised his right to return match.

The third duel turned out to be the last between the rivals.The Match had an inauspicious start for Smyslov.Botvinnik surprised him with Cao-Kann in the very first game. He repeated the same opening in the third game.In both games he was better prepared against his opponent who was expecting the French that Botvinnik had played throughout his career. The second game was a King’s Indian, and Botvinnik played the aggressive Saemisch Variation:

While Botvinnik’s victories were well-deserved, it should not be forgotten that Smyslov fell ill right at the beginning of the Match.Although he fought well in the rest of the Match, there was no way in which he could overcome the handicap of Botvinnik's 3-point lead.But the Match was not without its miracles.The 15th game was adjourned in a won position for Botvinnik.When the game resumed, Botvinnik committed an oversight, and absorbed in his thoughts, lost on time in a position that was still won for him!It was a Match of fluctuating fortunes, with only the 3-pont lead remaining constant in favour of Botvinnik.The 23rd game was adjourned in a poor position for Smyslov and there was no way of saving the Match. He sent word through the arbiter proposing a draw.Botvinnik accepted the offer, and the Match came to an end after two months of bitter struggle.Botvinnik regained the title with the score, 12½-10½ (+7 -5 =11).

It only remains to sum up the merits of the book.There is a lot of opening analysis in Botvinnik's secret Notebooks, and it can still be used with discrimination after checking  the present status of theory.What is more, this book is a treasuretrove for connoisseurs of the endings.Both Botvinnik and Smyslov were great masters of the final phase of the game.As for Botvinnik's annotations, they offer an insight into the mind of a great player.There is some editorial intervention by way of footnotes.I would have liked to see more of these corrections by Dr.Ken Neat and Steve Giddins.Outside of this book I have been able to trace only 10 games of these matches with Smyslov's annotations.I think they should not be missed when one goes through Botvinnik's commentary.As I mentioned before, we see the games of these matches either on the stage or in the quiet of Botvinnik's study.But the tumultuous atmosphere surrounding these great events is  missing.Nevertheless, this book offers a unique perspective of an epic contest that should not be missed.

 

Recommended

 

Notes:

 

1)The meeting with Voroshilov is desribed in Botvinnik's autobiography,

   Achieving the Aim (Pergamon Press.1981)

 

2)Smyslov's annotations to ten games from these matches may be found in Volume I of

   the book, Smyslov's Best games (Moravian Chess:http://moravian-chess.cz/)

 

3)Harry Golombek who was the arbiter of these Matches along with Gideon Stahlberg,

   wrote two books, The World Chess Championship Match 1954 and

   The World Chess Championship 1957.He did not write a book on the 1958 Match.

   But he annotated the games in his reports to the British Chess Magazine.

   They have been collated together by Hardinge Simpole Publishing:

   http://www.hardingesimpole.co.uk/series/hardinge_simpole_chess_classics.htm

 

These are wonderful accounts of the Botvinnik-Smyslov contest, but some times Golombek does not follow the thought and motivation that lay behind the moves.Then it is the player who knows best.Therein lies the value of this book.

 

4)In all Botvinnik and Smyslov played 69 games in these 3 matches.

   The final score was 18 wins, 17 losses and 34 draws.

   It was a close contest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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