Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Return Match (1957)

HISTORY OF THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

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Botvinnik vs Smyslov Return Match 1957
Moscow

At the 1956 Amsterdam Candidates Tournament, a ten player double round robin, Vasily Smyslov again emerged victorious +6 -1 =11, 1.5 points ahead of Keres.

Botvinnik Smyslov 1957
Vasily Smyslov
This earned Smyslov the right to challenge Mikhail Botvinnik for a second time. The title match was held at Moscow, March 1957.

In this match, and again in 1958, Botvinnik played without the use of a second. During the 1954 match, Botvinnik felt that Smyslov was too ready for prepared variations that he (Botvinnik) had never played before. Believing that his second was leaking information, and unwilling to trust anyone else, Botvinnik played the next two matches alone.¹

By the half way point, Smyslov had a two point lead. In 22 games, Smyslov achieved 12.5 points and became the 7th World Chess Champion.

click on a game number to replay game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Botvinnik 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½

Smyslov 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½

FINAL SCORE: Smyslov 12½; Botvinnik 9½
Reference: game collection WCC Index [Botvinnik-Smyslov 1957]

NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]

    · Game #17     Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1957     0-1
    · Game #6     Smyslov vs Botvinnik, 1957     1-0
    · Game #13     Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1957     1-0

¹ World Chess Championships by Graeme Cree

page 1 of 1; 3 games

Game Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening
1. Botvinnik vs Smyslov 0-1 41 1957 Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Return Match A16 English

2. Smyslov vs Botvinnik 0-1 41 1957 Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Return Match B62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer

3. Botvinnik vs Smyslov 0-1 69 1957 Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Return Match A15 English

REFINE SEARCH: White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)

Sep-18-06		Resignation Trap: Here's a photo of game 17 in progress: http://www.rebel.nl/smyslov/photo19... .

Sep-18-06		positionalgenius: <Resignation Trap>Thanks for the link,thats a cool photo.

Sep-19-06		Chess Classics: I wonder if you can contribute Botvinnik's collapse in this match to not having played with a second. On the other hand, he did win back the title 3 years later under the same circumstances. Regards, CC

Sep-19-06		Maatalkko: Botvinnik had good reason to be suspicious of his second. I remember one famous game that Kasparov had annotated, in which Smyslov as Black had very deep prep for a kind of KID that Botvinnik hadn't yet used. Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1954.

Oct-29-06		talisman: what was the second's name?

Dec-12-06		Ch3ckmate: what meaning or tasks does the "second" have?

Dec-12-06		code13: The second's main task was to help with analysis. In particular adjournment analysis.

Dec-12-06		Ch3ckmate: <code13> thanks for answering my questions

Feb-11-07		Open Defence: wow a lot of decisive games... for both sides....

Feb-11-07		talisman: <Open Defence> take a look at the 24th game from the 1st match.any idea why smyslov would offer draw? or agree to a draw?

Mar-19-08		Knight13: This match is really good.

Mar-20-08		positionalgenius: <Knight13> Yes- they are legends of the game...

Sep-30-08		Whitehat1963: In four of the five short "grandmaster" draws in this match, Botvinnik played white. I can only guess he was tired and needed a break and that Smyslov was happy to oblige. Are there other explanations?

Feb-07-09		bluberry66: wowww

Feb-07-09		bluberry66: people he was doing fine

Sep-17-09		Pawn and Two: In the above opening comments, it states that Botvinnik used no seconds for either the 1957 or 1958 title matches with Smyslov. However, in "The World Chess Championships of 1957 and 1958", by Harry Golombek, he states that Botvinniks's seconds for the 1957 match were Averbakh and Goldberg, and just Goldberg for the 1958 match. In addition to writing a book on these matches, Golombek was in attendance as an International Judge. Perhaps Averbakh and Goldberg were seconds in name only. Does anybody have additional information regarding Botvinnik's use or not use of seconds in the 1957 & 1958 title matches?

Sep-17-09		suenteus po 147: <<Ch3ckmate: what meaning or tasks does the "second" have?> code13: The second's main task was to help with analysis. In particular adjournment analysis.> Actually, the second's main task is to fetch cheese sandwiches and beer :)

Apr-05-10		thegoodanarchist: <suenteus po 147: Actually, the second's main task is to fetch cheese sandwiches and beer :)> Bent Larsen said, "Mayny people don't understand the role of a second. Their most important function is to bring their player milk and cheese sandwiches. This is what Edmonson did for Fischer". -- "How to Get Better at Chess: Chess Masters on Their Art", pp. 65-66

Apr-24-11		bronkenstein: <Their most important function is to bring their player milk and cheese sandwiches> :) BTW Botvinnik�s finest game of the match , in his opinnion , was 13th , and almost no kibitzing there ...? I tried to remember some of the comments on that one from his autobiography , and paraphrase them there atleast .

Jun-10-11		AVRO38: This was the first decisive title match in 20 years. Smyslov actually winning a title match before Botvinnik.

Jun-16-11		AVRO38: This is also the first World Championship match without a Queen's Gambit game!

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