Smyslov On the Rocks, Rolls Over Kotov

Vasily Smyslov was born in 1921 and was the World Chess Champion in 1957. Smyslov played the champion, Mikhail Botvinnik three matches for the title. In 1954, Botvinnik kept his title with a score of 12-12. In 1957, Smyslov won 12.5-9.5. Botvinnik won the return match in 1958 with a score of 12.5-10.5. Smyslov was able to challenge the best players from the 1940s to the 1980s. Alexander Kotov (1913-1981) was a world class grandmaster. Both Kotov and Smyslov wrote important chess books. In the following game, which Smyslov and Kotov contested in the Budapest Candidates Tournament of 1950, Smyslov was in trouble, but managed to escape with a win. Smyslov came in third place, behind Bronstein and Boleslavsky. When Smyslov won the Zurich Candidates Tournament of 1953, his only loss was to Kotov.