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Smyslov 
 
Vasily Smyslov
Number of games in database: 2,637
Years covered: 1935 to 2001
Current FIDE rating: 2494
Highest rating achieved in database: 2620
Overall record: +918 -312 =1388 (61.6%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
      Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
      19 exhibition games, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Sicilian (205) 
    B24 B40 B92 B58 B23
 English (129) 
    A15 A13 A14 A10 A17
 Ruy Lopez (108) 
    C77 C79 C97 C92 C75
 King's Indian (81) 
    E61 E60 E62 E66 E69
 Reti System (70) 
    A04 A05 A06
 English, 1 c4 c5 (69) 
    A30 A36 A33 A35 A39
With the Black pieces:
 Ruy Lopez (214) 
    C60 C76 C92 C69 C67
 Slav (145) 
    D19 D13 D11 D10 D15
 Nimzo Indian (125) 
    E54 E32 E41 E55 E34
 Ruy Lopez, Closed (91) 
    C92 C97 C93 C98 C84
 Grunfeld (75) 
    D94 D98 D85 D86 D99
 English, 1 c4 e5 (69) 
    A28 A21 A29 A22 A20
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1954 0-1
   Smyslov vs V Liberzon, 1968 1-0
   Smyslov vs Reshevsky, 1948 1-0
   Smyslov vs I Rudakovsky, 1945 1-0
   Smyslov vs Ribli, 1983 1-0
   Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1957 0-1
   K Gerassimov vs Smyslov, 1935 0-1
   Smyslov vs Karpov, 1971 1-0
   Smyslov vs Botvinnik, 1954 1-0
   Uhlmann vs Smyslov, 1956 0-1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
   FIDE World Championship Tournament (1948)
   Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Match (1954)
   Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Return Match (1957)
   Botvinnik-Smyslov World Championship Rematch (1958)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Match Smyslov! by amadeus
   Road to the Championship - Vasily Smyslov by suenteus po 147
   125 Selected Games by Vasily Smyslov by suenteus po 147
   Vasily Smyslov's Best Games by KingG
   Smyslov brevities by ughaibu
   Smyslov's Best Games of chess 1935-1957 by kashparov72c5
   Endgames World champions - part two by Alenrama
   WC-Botvinnik-Smyslov trio by kevin86
   WCC Index [Candidates Tournament 1959] by Resignation Trap
   WCC Index [Zurich 1953] by suenteus po 147
   USSR Championship 1955 by Phony Benoni
   Selected Games of V. V. Smyslov by Miachonzinho
   27_Random rook endgames II by whiteshark
   fav Smyslov & Petrosian games by guoduke

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Vasily Smyslov
Search Google® for Vasily Smyslov


VASILY SMYSLOV
(born Mar-24-1921) Russia

[what is this?]
Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov was born in Moscow on March 24, 1921. A talented singer, Smyslov narrowly missed joining the Bolshoi Opera. Opera's loss was the chess world's gain. He was awarded the Grandmaster title in 1941. Victories in Candidates Tournaments at Zurich 1953 and Amsterdam 1956 paved the way for Smyslov to become the 7th World Champion when he defeated Mikhail Botvinnik in 1957. The reign was short-lived as Botvinnik regained the title a year later. Smyslov would go on to many tournament victories such as Havana 1965 in front of Robert James Fischer, and Monte Carlo 1969. In 1982 at the Las Palmas Interzonal Tournament, Smyslov finished second and qualified for the Candidates Matches, and at age 61 advanced past Robert Huebner in the quarter-finals ( winning the spin of a roulette wheel to decide the tied match ), then defeating Zoltan Ribli in the semi-final, before losing to young challenger Garry Kasparov in the final. Vasily Smyslov crowned a remarkable career by becoming the first Senior World Champion at Bad Worishofen in 1991. Smyslov is currently the eldest living ex-world champion.

 page 1 of 106; games 1-25 of 2,637  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. K Gerassimov vs Smyslov 0-122 1935 MoscowD05 Queen's Pawn Game
2. V Baturinsky vs Smyslov 0-134 1938 MoskvaC45 Scotch Game
3. Smyslov vs V Zak 1-036 1938 MoscowA43 Old Benoni
4. Smyslov vs M Recash 1-023 1938 MoscowB10 Caro-Kann
5. Smyslov vs Lilienthal 1-056 1938 t MoscowC11 French
6. Smyslov vs Kan  ½-½31 1939 LeningradC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
7. Smyslov vs Konstantinopolsky 1-057 1939 02, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32C77 Ruy Lopez
8. Panov vs Smyslov ½-½42 1939 07, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32C77 Ruy Lopez
9. Smyslov vs Tolush 0-124 1939 10, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32C16 French, Winawer
10. Keres vs Smyslov 1-033 1939 Leningrad-Moskva (26.01.39)D55 Queen's Gambit Declined
11. Smyslov vs Goglidze 1-080 1939 08, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32B83 Sicilian
12. Bondarevsky vs Smyslov  1-026 1939 17, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32E85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
13. Smyslov vs I Rabinovich  ½-½31 1939 16, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32B77 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
14. Smyslov vs Ragozin 0-135 1939 Leningrad/MoscowC65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense
15. Smyslov vs Flohr  ½-½43 1939 14, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32C77 Ruy Lopez
16. S Belavenets vs Smyslov 0-136 1939 05, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32A48 King's Indian
17. Smyslov vs V Makogonov  ½-½49 1939 04, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32B10 Caro-Kann
18. P Romanovsky vs Smyslov  ½-½43 1939 11, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32D52 Queen's Gambit Declined
19. Lilienthal vs Smyslov  ½-½42 1939 Leningrad/Moscow ,HCL 32D51 Queen's Gambit Declined
20. Alatortsev vs Smyslov 0-140 1939 03, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32E47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3
21. Smyslov vs Levenfish  ½-½63 1939 12, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
22. Smyslov vs Ragozin 0-135 1939 Leningrad (Russia)C66 Ruy Lopez
23. Reshevsky vs Smyslov 1-070 1939 09, Leningrad/Moscow ;HCL 32D51 Queen's Gambit Declined
24. Averbakh vs Smyslov 0-124 1939 MoscowA06 Reti Opening
25. Smyslov vs Veresov 1-041 1940 14, Moscow URS chB51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack
 page 1 of 106; games 1-25 of 2,637  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Smyslov wins | Smyslov loses  
 

Behind the Scenes of the WCC

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 38 OF 38 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Mar-24-09   gus inn: Happy Birthday !

And thanks for the lessons you gave back in the 80ies !

Mar-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  suenteus po 147: Happy birthday, world champion Smyslov!
Mar-24-09   Cees Verhagen: Happy birthday mr Smyslov!!!
Mar-24-09   AnalyzeThis: Great endgame player! Happy Birthday!
Mar-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  whiteshark: Wishing you the very very best for your birthday, Vasily, and health.
Mar-24-09   TheChessGuy: Happy birthday, Vasily Vasilievich!!
Mar-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  paulalbert: Happy Birthday to one of the all time greats, both a chess artist and magnificent practical player. Paul Albert
Mar-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  talisman: Happy Birthday Vasily!
Mar-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  diagonal: "A virtuoso of the endgame" (Tal) with intuition and a sense of harmony, truly a fine universal player: happy birthday and good health, Mr. Smyslov.
Mar-25-09   stanleys: Happy birthday,Maestro!
Mar-25-09   Karnatakiaditya: Happy Birthday!!!
Jun-26-09   smyslovVchess: if ever a student wished too learn from one of the greatest chess masters of all time then if he God would allow him to teach me i gloriously accept
Jun-26-09   M.D. Wilson: Smyslov is one of the greatest. Superlative endgame technique.
Jun-27-09   wolfmaster: Happy 1/4 birthday!
Aug-24-09   VaselineTopLove: Why didn't they invite Smyslov to the Zurich congregation? Was he considered too old or too weak a player or is he not in good health?
Aug-26-09   wolfmaster: 88's pretty old.
Aug-26-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  AgentRgent: <VaselineTopLove: Why didn't they invite Smyslov to the Zurich congregation? Was he considered too old or too weak a player or is he not in good health?> I don't think it's that he's too weak. Last I heard he was still a very strong player even for his age. This probably has a lot to do with his style of play.

I suspect his health/age were the reason he didn't attend, I've heard that his eyesight is almost completely gone.

Sep-11-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  parisattack: <AgentRgent: <VaselineTopLove: Why didn't they invite Smyslov to the Zurich congregation? Was he considered too old or too weak a player or is he not in good health?> I don't think it's that he's too weak. Last I heard he was still a very strong player even for his age. This probably has a lot to do with his style of play. I suspect his health/age were the reason he didn't attend, I've heard that his eyesight is almost completely gone.>

When I first learned chess I did not know that there were many books on the game. My mother found 'World Champion Smyslov' at the state employees library. She must have checked it out 10 times for me over a several months! His endgames absolutely amazed me (still do). I also developed quite an affection for the Closed Sicilian with which I scored a win against a senior master. Cpoceba, Vasily!

Sep-11-09   TheChessGuy: He's almost totally blind, from what I've heard.
Oct-07-09   Everett: Besides his father, did Smyslov ever have a particular coach or mentor?
Oct-22-09   Plato: I've been analyzing the Tal-Smyslov games from the Candidates Tournament in Yugoslavia, 1959. Tal won the tournament in dominating fashion and won his mini-match vs Smyslov 2.5-1.5, with two wins, one loss and a draw. But it is noteworthy that Smyslov had completely winning positions in three out of four games.

In their first game from that tournament Smyslov (playing White) outplayed Tal from beginning to end as he grinded out a 65 move victory in his typical style.

In their second game Smyslov blundered on move 18 and lost a few moves later.

In their third game they agreed to a draw when the time control was reached but even at move 37 Smyslov had a completely winning position, blundered in time trouble on move 38 which allowed Tal to escape with a draw by perpetual check.

In their final game from that tournament Smyslov, as Black, had a completely winning position on move 39, blundered in time trouble on move 40 as the time control was reached, and resigned the next move.

Head-to-head Smyslov edged out Tal 4 games to 3 over their careers, though it is clear that Tal was the superior tournament player. Tal's enterprising style was better suited for beating the weaker opponents, whereas Smyslov drew against them more often. Going over their games, though, one gets the feeling that Smyslov was overall the more accurate player. This is not suprising, given their styles. Smyslov was a perfectionist while Tal was a player who made great practical decisions over the board, aiming for "messy" positions where he could usually outplay his opponents.

Nov-14-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Bjornemann: Best endgame player ever. A good way way to become better at chess endings is to study Smyslov's games.
Nov-19-09   KamikazeAttack: Can anyone please recommend Smyslov's games where he exhibited his renowned endgame skills?
Nov-19-09   Plato: <kamikazeattack> Here are three that received some praise here on chessgames:

Smyslov vs Larry Evans, 1952

Smyslov vs D E Rumens, 1976

Smyslov vs Filip, 1958

Nov-19-09   KamikazeAttack: Many thx Plato.
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