Smyslov Defeats Botvinnik

Vasily Smyslov was born in Moscow, Russia in 1921. He learned to play chess at the age of 6 and became one of the greatest players of all time. Beside playing chess, Smyslov was also an accomplished opera singer. He became World Champion in 1957 by defeating his Soviet counterpart Mikhail Botvinnik, but lost the title a year later to Botvinnik in the rematch. Below is a beautiful game between these giants, played in Moscow in 1954 during a prior World Championship contest. Black exchanged his Queen for two Bishops and a Rook, after which White secured a dangerous passed a-Pawn. Stopping that Pawn at all cost to secure a nice victory became Black's top priority.