| Zuerich Candidates (1953) |
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This event was played in Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Zürich. 1 These are the games in order according to David Bronstein's excellent book, Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953. He participated in the tournament with the strongest players in the world at that time in a candidates match to determine the next challenger to world champion Mikhail Botvinnik. 2, 3 Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Zürich, Switzerland, 30 August - 24 October 1953 1 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts
1 Vasily Smyslov ** ½½ ½1 11 ½½ ½½ 11 ½0 ½½ ½½ ½½ ½½ 1½ 11 1½ 18
=2 David Bronstein ½½ ** 11 1½ ½½ ½½ ½0 ½½ 1½ ½½ ½½ 01 1½ ½½ ½½ 16
=2 Samuel Reshevsky ½0 00 ** ½½ ½½ ½½ ½½ 10 ½½ ½1 ½1 1½ ½1 11 1½ 16
=2 Paul Keres 00 0½ ½½ ** ½1 ½½ ½1 ½½ ½½ 0½ 11 1½ ½1 ½½ 11 16
5 Tigran Petrosian ½½ ½½ ½½ ½0 ** 0½ ½½ ½½ 00 ½½ ½½ 11 ½1 1½ 11 15
=6 Miguel Najdorf ½½ ½½ ½½ ½½ 1½ ** 00 1½ 1½ ½0 ½½ ½½ ½½ 0½ 11 14½
=6 Efim Geller 00 ½1 ½½ ½0 ½½ 11 ** ½0 01 ½½ 01 1½ ½1 01 ½½ 14½
=8 Alexander Kotov ½1 ½½ 01 ½½ ½½ 0½ ½1 ** 10 1½ 00 10 1½ 0½ 01 14
=8 Mark Taimanov ½½ 0½ ½½ ½½ 11 0½ 10 01 ** 10 ½½ ½½ ½0 0½ 11 14
=10 Yuri Averbakh ½½ ½½ ½0 1½ ½½ ½1 ½½ 0½ 01 ** ½½ ½½ 0½ 11 00 13½
=10 Isaac Boleslavsky ½½ ½½ ½0 00 ½½ ½½ 10 11 ½½ ½½ ** ½0 ½½ ½1 ½½ 13½
12 Laszlo Szabo ½½ 10 0½ 0½ 00 ½½ 0½ 01 ½½ ½½ ½1 ** 1½ ½½ 1½ 13
13 Svetozar Gligoric 0½ 0½ ½0 ½0 ½0 ½½ ½0 0½ ½1 1½ ½½ 0½ ** ½1 11 12½
14 Max Euwe 00 ½½ 00 ½½ 0½ 1½ 10 1½ 1½ 00 ½0 ½½ ½0 ** 1½ 11½
15 Gideon Stahlberg 0½ ½½ 0½ 00 00 00 ½½ 10 00 11 ½½ 0½ 00 0½ ** 8
The Swiss Chess Federation spent 100,000 Swiss francs in order to stage the event, which was one of the reasons they insisted that host countries pay the travel expenses for their respective players. Prize money for first place was 5,000 Swiss francs. Alois Nagler was tournament director. 1 All contestants brought a second except for Bronstein and Reshevsky: Petar Trifunovic (Gligoric), Salomon Flohr (Taimanov), Julio Bolbochan (Najdorf), Andre Lilienthal (Petrosian), Mikhail Beilin (Averbakh), Carel Benjamin van den Berg (Euwe), Kristian Skold (Stahlberg), Tibor Florian (Szabó), Alexey Sokolsky (Boleslavsky), Viktor Moiseev (Kotov), Igor Bondarevsky (Geller), Vladimir Simagin (Smyslov), and Alexander Tolush (Keres). 1The opening banquet featured speeches by FIDE President Folke Rogard, Mark Taimanov, and Miguel Najdorf. Smyslov sang an aria from Italian opera and Taimanov played piano compositions by Tchaikovsky and Chopin. 1 The players and their seconds stayed at the Bellevue Hotel in the beautiful resort town of Neuhausen am Rheinfall. 4 Play began on Sunday 30 August in the spacious Kirchgemeindehaus (Parish Hall), which would host the first eight rounds. 1, 5 A local factory had pledged a gold watch to whoever led after Round 7, which turned out to be both Smyslov and Reshevsky. Both got a watch. 6 In Round 9 play began in the Kongresshaus (Salon of Music in the House of Parliament) in Zürich, which would host the rest of the tournament. 7, 8, 9 From rounds 9-11 Reshevsky led, only to be overtaken by Smyslov in round 12. At the conclusion of the first half of the tournament, Smyslov was the only undefeated player, leading Reshevsky and Bronstein by a point. The American kept pace with Smyslov, sharing the lead by Round 21. The stage was set for a showdown in Round 25, with Reshevsky just a half point behind Smyslov and facing him in their second meeting of the tournament- Smyslov vs Reshevsky, 1953. Smyslov obtained an advantage out of the opening and began inexorably to restrict black's activity. According to Smyslov, the first critical moment came when Reshevsky made a "reckless attempt to complicate matters" with <33...f5> (see diagram). 10 
click for larger viewSmyslov judged that "objectively, this move should be condemned, since it makes it easier for White to attack." 10 Reshevsky resigned after 56 moves, giving Smyslov a 1 1/2 point lead over him with five rounds to go. Smyslov finished with a winning margin of two points, thereby earning the right to play Mikhail Botvinnik in a match for the world championship: Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1954). The Budapest Candidates (1950) tournament and the Amsterdam Candidates (1956) tournament were the previous and next qualification events in the FIDE cycle to select a challenger for a World Chess Championship match. Notes
1 Miguel Najdorf, Zürich 1953, Taylor Kingsford transl. (Russell Enterprises 2012), pp. 14-17.
2 Gino Di Felice, Chess Results 1951-1955, p. 268.
3 David Bronstein, Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953, 2nd Edition, Jim Marfia transl. (Dover 1979), pp. xvii-xvii.
4 Baruch Harold Wood, World Championship Candidates' Tournament Switzerland 1953 (Hardinge Simpole 2003), p. 3.
5 Najdorf, p. 116.
6 Najdorf, p. 107.
7 Chess Review, Vol. 21, No 11, Nov. 1953, p. 321.
8 Najdorf, p. 124.
9 http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/525....
10 Vassily Smyslov, Smyslov's 125 Selected Games, Kenneth Neat transl.(Cadogan 1983), p. 81. Original collection: Game Collection: WCC Index (Zurich 1953), by User: suenteus po 147; Introduction written and sourced by User: WCC Editing Project. The round numbers for the original games collection were supplied by User: marekg248 from the "Fritz 8 Database": David Bronstein (kibitz #183).
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| page 1 of 9; games 1-25 of 210 |
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| Game |
| Result | Moves |
Year | Event/Locale | Opening |
| 1. Taimanov vs Bronstein |
  | 0-1 | 42 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | A56 Benoni Defense |
| 2. Euwe vs Kotov |
| 1-0 | 39 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | A64 Benoni, Fianchetto, 11...Re8 |
| 3. Petrosian vs Keres |
| ½-½ | 41 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | A32 English, Symmetrical Variation |
| 4. Najdorf vs Reshevsky |
| ½-½ | 24 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E59 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line |
| 5. Averbakh vs Smyslov |
| ½-½ | 32 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | C97 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin |
| 6. Szabo vs Geller |
| 0-1 | 59 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E02 Catalan, Open, 5.Qa4 |
| 7. Stahlberg vs Boleslavsky |
| ½-½ | 48 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E68 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Variation, 8.e4 |
| 8. Bronstein vs Najdorf |
| ½-½ | 41 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E70 King's Indian |
| 9. Geller vs Euwe |
| 0-1 | 26 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E26 Nimzo-Indian, Samisch |
| 10. Keres vs Averbakh |
| 0-1 | 41 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E58 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...Bxc3 |
| 11. Kotov vs Stahlberg |
| 0-1 | 41 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | D37 Queen's Gambit Declined |
| 12. Reshevsky vs Petrosian |
| ½-½ | 41 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E58 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...Bxc3 |
| 13. Smyslov vs Szabo |
| ½-½ | 46 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | A15 English |
| 14. Gligoric vs Taimanov |
| ½-½ | 32 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights |
| 15. Petrosian vs Bronstein |
| ½-½ | 17 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3 |
| 16. Euwe vs Smyslov |
| 0-1 | 58 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | D72 Neo-Grunfeld, 5.cd, Main line |
| 17. Stahlberg vs Geller |
| ½-½ | 54 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | A49 King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4 |
| 18. Szabo vs Keres |
| 0-1 | 41 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | D24 Queen's Gambit Accepted |
| 19. Boleslavsky vs Kotov |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | D28 Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical |
| 20. Najdorf vs Gligoric |
| ½-½ | 20 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E60 King's Indian Defense |
| 21. Averbakh vs Reshevsky |
| ½-½ | 33 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E59 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line |
| 22. Bronstein vs Averbakh |
| ½-½ | 26 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E46 Nimzo-Indian |
| 23. Keres vs Euwe |
| ½-½ | 34 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E53 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 |
| 24. Geller vs Boleslavsky |
| 0-1 | 44 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E12 Queen's Indian |
| 25. Taimanov vs Najdorf |
| 0-1 | 43 | 1953 | Zuerich Candidates | E99 King's Indian, Orthodox, Taimanov |
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| page 1 of 9; games 1-25 of 210 |
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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·
Later Kibitzing> |
| Aug-21-13 | | Karpova: Najdorf, Miguel 'Zürich 1953 - 15 Contenders for the World Chess Championship', 2012, Milford CT USA Indeed an excellent book which by no means needs to hide itself from the other two classics on this tournament. Sadly, the editing was done poorly and often* the game scores are partly incomplete. So I had to reconstruct some of the game scores myself (if only a few moves were missing, this is possible by looking at later moves or diagrams) but in some cases this was not possible with too many moves missing so I had to look it up elsewhere. That's a serious objection, but apart from that the book is so outstanding that not even this can be considered a reason not to recommend it. You have a preface by Averbakh, biographhies of the players, Najdorf's great annotations and supplementary material by Taylor Kingston. *I can't give numbers, but much too often for my taste as a game collection should be authoritative on the game scores in my opinion. |
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| Jan-29-14 | | thomastonk: I just enjoyed this gallery: http://www.zurich-cc.com/photos1953..., though I had seen it some time before. |
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Mar-17-14
 | | WCC Editing Project:
Both <Boleslavsky> and <Smyslov> were seeded directly into this tournament due to their results at the Budapest Candidates (1950): Boleslavsky 2d place, Smyslov 3d place. Smyslov:
<"3d place in the <<<Budapest 1950 Candidates Tournament>>> gave me the automatic right to a place in the next Candidates Tournament."> -Vasily Smyslov, "Smyslov's 125 Selected Games" Ken Neat transl. (Cadogen 1983), p.125 |
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Mar-17-14
 | | perfidious: <thomastonk> Thanks for posting that excellent gallery! |
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| Mar-17-14 | | zanzibar: I've tried to identify all the people pictured in the group photograph (3/63). Standing: left-to-right
1. Petrosian 2. Kotov 3. Gligoric 4. Geller 5. Averbakh 6. Smyslov 7. Boleslavsky 8. Taimanov 9. Bronstein 10. Keres 11. Nadjorf Seated: left-to-right
1. Dmitri Postnikof (USSR chess chief) 2. Szabo 3. Euwe 4. Folke Rogard (FIDE President) 5. Reshevsky 6. Stahlberg There is likely a couple of mistakes. Corrections/affirmations appreciated. |
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| Mar-18-14 | | ozmikey: <zanzibar> I think No.3 in the top row is Szabo, not Gligoric. In fact, I don't think anyone in the front row is a competitor at the event (it's clearly not the full photo). |
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| Mar-18-14 | | Olavi: <ozmikey: <zanzibar> I think No.3 in the top row is Szabo, not Gligoric. In fact> Correct. 2nd left seated is Ari Ilmakunnas. |
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| Mar-18-14 | | zanzibar: Thanks, <ozmikey> and <Olavi>. We'll hash it out. I had trouble with several of them. But all the fifteen participants are there according to the caption: << Folke Rogard, FIDE-PresidentDmitri Postnikof (first row l), Folke Rogard (first row, 4th from left) and the 15 tournament participants > > (That makes 3 certain identifications - since I'm only 100% sure I got Petrosian right!) |
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| Mar-21-14 | | zanzibar: Here's my guess with the suggestion of Szabo. It's a bit like musical chairs, permutating the candidates around: Standing L-R:
1. Petrosian 2. Kotov 3. Szabo 4. Geller 5. Averbakh 6. Smyslov 7. Boleslavsky 8. Taimanov 9. Bronstein 10. Keres 11. Nadjorf Sitted L-R:
1. Dmitri Postnikof (USSR chess chief) 2. Stahlberg 3. Gligoric 4. Folke Rogard (FIDE President) 5. Reshevsky 6. Euwe I think it's right, with a measure of uncertainty for the following 3 pairs: Geller and Taimanov look very similar to me, but I think I got that right. Gligoric's should have been easier to identify, but I thought his hair wasn't right. But given Szabo placement, where else can he be? Strahlberg was unknown to me, and so difficult. Euwe apparently was a larger man than I originally thought. |
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Jun-19-14
 | | offramp: <thomastonk: I just enjoyed this gallery: http://www.zurich-cc.com/photos1953..., though I had seen it some time before.> Thanks for that gallery!
In this picture, http://www.zurich-cc.com/img_zu/pla... Smyslov is holding one of those resiny fake-bronze trophies available at any cobbler/key-cutter for a tenner; in fact the man on the top of the trophy has a tennis racquet in his hand! |
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Jun-19-14
| | offramp: Some other great pictures!
http://www.zurich-cc.com/db_admin/i...
Taimanov's trousers are the eighth wonder of the world! Undoubtedly he has a miniature version of UNIVAC sellotaped to his shins. http://www.zurich-cc.com/db_admin/i...
The players are standing along that thin harbour wall exactly according to their tournament standing! http://www.zurich-cc.com/db_admin/i... I wonder what are the medals worn by Averbakh & Keres but not by Smyslov? |
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Jun-19-14
| | offramp: <offramp: Some other great pictures!
http://www.zurich-cc.com/db_admin/i... Taimanov's trousers are the eighth wonder of the world! Undoubtedly he has a miniature version of UNIVAC sellotaped to his shins. http://www.zurich-cc.com/db_admin/i... The players are standing along that thin harbour wall exactly according to their tournament standing! http://www.zurich-cc.com/db_admin/i... I wonder what are the medals worn by Averbakh & Keres but not by Smyslov?> Sorry - those links don't seem to work; but if you go through the pictures you'll see the ones I mean. |
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| Dec-01-15 | | siggemannen: the photos are relocated to http://www.zurich-cc.com/zurich-195... nice ones, especially Geller looks pretty sharp =) |
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| Jan-06-18 | | Marmot PFL: Two different tournaments for Euwe: +1 the first half and -6 in the second. |
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| Jun-08-18 | | OrangeTulip: Euwe scored 7.5 out of the first rounds. And than only 4 out of the last rounds.
What happened with him in this 1953 Canidates and the 1948 tournament? Poor health, poor condition, or? |
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| Jun-08-18 | | Howard: Age may very well have been a factor. He was almost certainly the oldest player in the event, at 51. |
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Jun-09-18
 | | HeMateMe: maybe the most famous tournament book ever. |
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Jun-09-18
 | | MissScarlett: <maybe the most famous tournament book ever.> #redundancy #ifnothingtosaysaynothing #jogon |
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Jun-09-18
| | HeMateMe: are you and Harry still blowing people? I mean blowing kisses, as was described yesterday? |
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May-08-19
 | | dkappe1: My favorite tournamentlich. Now with leela annotations. https://lczero.libertymedia.io//201... |
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| May-09-19 | | JimNorCal: Photos moved ... again.
http://www.zurich-cc.com/en/zurich-... |
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| May-09-19 | | JimNorCal: Taimanov's trousers, noted by <offramp>, are extraordinary. |
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May-09-19
| | MissScarlett: You say that, but if he wasn't wearing them, you'd be even more shocked. |
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| May-10-19 | | JimNorCal: As long as he was wearing SOME trousers I'd be OK.
No trousers: yes, shocked.
THOSE trousers: astonished |
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May-02-21
 | | Messiah: Terrible trousers, indeed! |
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