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Botvinnik books - 100 games vs half a century of chess

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dubrovnikchessset2

One Hundred Selected Games: https://www.amazon.com/Botvinnik-One-Hundred-Selected-Games/dp/0486206203

vs

Half a Century of Chess: https://www.amazon.com/Half-Century-Chess-Mikhail-Botvinnik/dp/1857441222

Of these two books which one is better in your opinion and why?

100 games is a classic, while half a century was written in the 90s and includes some more recent(relatively) games

StevieG65

There is a three-volume best games collection from Moravian Chess and a further three volume complete games and analytical works. The former is the best. Both books mentioned in the original post are subsets of these, mostly the best games collection. They are equally good, but the 100 games is a better produced book.

dubrovnikchessset2

thanks for the info

 

Would you say one has better annotations than the other?

 

Part of the selling point for half a century of chess was that he analyzed the games again at a later point in his life and was therefore more objective but I wouldn’t know not having read both.

 

 

 

 

StevieG65
The games in common to both books have the same annotations, though a different translation. I really think the annotations are equally good. Perhaps the earlier games have more mainstream openings, e.g. classic games in the QGD and Panov-Botvinnik Attack that everyone should know. The later ones have more experimental stuff, like King's Indian Attacks and Modern Defences.
BonTheCat
dubrovnikchessset2 wrote:

thanks for the info

 

Would you say one has better annotations than the other?

 

Part of the selling point for half a century of chess was that he analyzed the games again at a later point in his life and was therefore more objective but I wouldn’t know not having read both.

 

 

 

 

In general, Botvinnik did a lot of revision of his annotations and analyses throughout his career, and in my view, there's every reason to get the full six volume set from Moravia Publishing. They're rather pricey and the production quality leaves quite a lot to be desired, but they will give you all his games (including many annotated games not included in the first three volumes - originally entitled 'Analytical and Critical Works' in Russian, and not 'Best Games'). Botvinnik is without a doubt one of the most underrated world champions we've had. Together with Rubinstein, Botvinnik's annotated games, are a great school of positional chess. Botvinnik's annotations are also very honest, if he's overlooked something, he tells you so, he doesn't skate over it or provide some feeble excuse, nor does he claim to have seen everything from point A to B (unless he actually did).