Introduction

This match, held in May 1940 in Leningrad, was integral to Mikhail Botvinnik 's preparations to be recognized as the principal Soviet player. He would succeed in achieving this and would receive the support necessary to contest a world championship match with Alexander Alekhine.

The players

Botvinnik

Botvinnik was widely seen as <the> up-and-coming Soviet player. He had been the Soviet champion three times, in 1931, 1933, and 1939. He had shared first place in the extremely strong Nottingham (1936) with Jose Raul Capablanca. Then he had come third at the strongest tournament yet to be held, AVRO (1938). Whilst he defeated Alekhine and Capablanca he was placed behind the emerging and younger Estonian Keres and American Fine.

To the surprise of the Soviet authorities, Botvinnik then decided to concentrate on his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering rather than chess. He did not play in the USSR Championship (1937) and the 48-year-old Grigory Levenfish became Soviet champion. Levenfish had also shared the USSR Championship (1934/35) with Ilya Rabinovich, another championship in which Botvinnik had not participated.

The apparat wanted a representative of the new generation of "Soviet Man" who would show the superiority of their culture to represent the Soviet Union internationally. Botvinnik (born in 1911) had won the USSR Championship (1933) was a leading contender for this position.

The Soviet authorities consequently decided to clarify the situation clearer by organizing a match with the pre-revolutionary Levenfish - Botvinnik - Levenfish (1937). This thirteen-game match ended in a tie (+5 -5 =3) so resolving nothing.

Botvinnik's claim to first place was in danger of losing momentum, but the decision was made to send Botvinnik rather than Levenfisch to represent the Soviet Union at AVRO (1938). Botvinnik came third in an exceptionally strong field, a point behind Reuben Fine and Paul Keres (who had the superior Sonneborn–Berger score).

This was an endorsement that Botvinnik would be supported as the next challenger for Alekhine's world championship crown. Botvinnik stated he had received a telegram from Vyacheslav Molotov (who at the time was Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars from 1930 to 1941, and effectively second in the political hierarchy to Stalin).

"If you decide to challenge the chess player Alekhine to a match, we wish you complete success. The rest is not too difficult to provide". (1)

Botvinnik won the 11th USSR Championship final took place in April in Leningrad from 15th April to 16th May 1939. Even so, Snegiryov, the chairman of the Physical Culture Committee, remained cautious and slow in approaching Alekine to arrange a match. Snegov had to negotiate the political minefield of a Soviet player consorting with a political renegade the exiled aristocrat Alekhine. The possibility of defeat was politically intolerable and probably deadly. (2)

But by summer 1939, prolonged negotiations finally led to an agreement to play a match, half in Moscow and half in London. Botvinnik was given the resources to prepare thoroughly.

"In the summer of 1939, the Council of People's Commissars awarded me a stipend of 1,000 rubles a month - an exceptional act...." (3).

In May 1940, Chessmetrics estimates Botvinnik (aged 28) to have been the strongest active player in the world. Alekhine was fourth behind Reuben Fine and Samuel Reshevsky.

http://www.chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/...

This match, played in May 1940 in Moscow, was integral to this state-sponsored preparation for a world championship match.

Ragozin

Viacheslav Ragozin achieved an eighth equal place in the extremely strong Moscow (1935) and had won the Leningrad Championship in 1936. He would come second in the USSR Championship (1937) with Alexander Konstantinopolsky behind Grigory Levenfish

He was given the rare opportunity to represent the Soviet Union at Semmering/Baden (1937), but his result, equal sixth, was disappointing.

In May 1940, Chessmetrics estimates Ragozin (aged 31) to have been the 20th strongest active player in the world.

http://www.chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/...

Ragozin was a regular training partner and second for Botvinnik. They had played training matches in 1938 and 1939, and together they had analyzed thirty games of the USSR Championship (1939) for the tournament book. Ragozin, along with Salomon Flohr, would be Botvinnik's seconds at FIDE World Championship Tournament (1948) and Botvinnik - Bronstein World Championship Match (1951). In 1950, FIDE awarded him the grandmaster title.

Progress of the match

At first glance, Botvinnik dominated the match, he was never behind and scored five wins to none. The bald score does not reflect that Ragozin could have been two games up at the beginning of the match. In games 1,2, and 9, Ragozin had winning positions, but each time he dissipated his advantage.

Ragozin also suffered two knockouts from poorly played openings (on both sides of the Gruenfeld defence) in Games 3 and 8.

Capablanca's observation from 1935 seemed to still apply, "In certain games Ragozin played with great vigour, but at critical moments he makes mistakes." (4)

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 
Botvinnik   ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1  ½  ½ 8½
Ragozin     ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0  ½  ½ 3½

           1 2 3 4  5  6 7  8  9  10 11 12
Botvinnik  ½ 1 2 2½ 3½ 4 4½ 5½ 6½ 7½  8 8½
Ragozin    ½ 1 1 1½ 1½ 2 2½ 2½ 2½ 2½  3 3½

Ragozin scored 1.5/6 with the White pieces and 2/6 with the Black pieces.

The games

Game 1

This was a hard-fought start to the match. Ragozin outplayed Botvinnik in the middle game, but hesitation frittered his advantage away and a draw ensued.

With <35...h4!>, Ragozin could have broken through advantageously on the king-side with his rooks.

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35...h4 36.Rg1 Rh8 37.Kd3 hxg3 38.hxg3 Rdh7 39.Ba3 Rh1

Game 2

For the second time, Ragozin outplayed Botvinnik, but once again he could not convert his advantage into a win. Botvinnik's pieces were pinned down as Ragozin built up pressure against his opponent's king on the queenside.

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<31.Ra5!> would have been best.

As in Game 1, the quality of Ragozin's play towards the time control deteriorated and he lost a piece for two pawns.

Thus instead of Ragozin being two games up, the match score remained tied.

Game 3

Botvinnik hit his stride with an efficient win straight out of the opening. Playing against a variation of the Gruenfeld Defence with which he was not familiar (Grunfeld (D94)), Ragozin quickly went wrong by playing <12...c5?>

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Ragozin allowed Botvinnik to establish a strong pawn on <d6> which crippled his opponent's game. After three games, had a one-point advantage. (5)

Game 4

Botvinnik defended with a Nimzo-Indian Defence. Ragozin played the solid Classical variation, traded pieces, and neither player secured an advantage. The game was drawn without incident in 27 moves.

Game 5

Botvinnik employed the English Opening for the first time in the match. Botvinnik played dynamically, he offered his <e> pawn as a sacrifice for a King's side attack. Ragozin's king's defences were compromised and his position quickly disintegrated. Botvinnik was now two games up in the match.

Game 6

This was the first <e> pawn opening of the match, albeit arrived at by transposition from a <d> pawn opening into the closed Tarrasch variation of the French Defence (French, Tarrasch (C05)).

Ragozin was unable to use his space advantage to create an attack. It is interesting to compare his handling of the White pieces with Botvinnik's own Botvinnik vs Petrov, 1940 at the later Twelfth Soviet Chess Championship (September 5th to October 3rd, 1940).

Game 7

Botvinnik opened with <e4> for the first time in the match. He played a slow Ruy Lopez with an early <d6>. Both players were accurate and careful; Ragozin neutralizing Botvinnik's slow advance to secure a draw.

Game 8

Despite having the White pieces against his opponent's Gruenfeld defence, Ragozin was soon in trouble and he was never able to recover the game. (6)

By playing <9.Qa4?!>, Ragozin allowed the manoeuver:

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9...Ne4! and <10...Bxc3!>

This game was the start of a three-game run of wins in which Botvinnik put the match result beyond doubt.

Game 9

Botvinnik played the English opening, and Ragozin replied with a Dutch set up which equalized. Botvinnik allowed his opponent to seize the initiative in the centre and on the queenside.

If Ragozin had taken the exchange rather than the <d> pawn, later analysis suggests that he would have had a winning position.

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43... Nxe2 44.Qe2 Rfe8 45.e6 Qd6+ 46.f4 (46. Kg2 Rxe6!) 46...Qxf4+ 47. Kh1 c4 or;
44...Qxh4 45. e6 Qf4+ 46. Kg1 Rd6

After <44.f4!> Botvinnik's pieces became active. Ragozin still had some advantage, but blundered it away and lost.

Game 10

Ragozin played a Ruy Lopez and Botvinnik defended with a mainline Chigorin closed defence (Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd (C99)). This line was not part of his regular repertoire, but he went on to use it in the next USSR Championship - Smyslov vs Botvinnik, 1940

Botvinnik showed his ability to both calculate long and accurately in taking Ragozin's <a> pawn to reach a winning endgame. (7)

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Game 11

Ragozin defended with a Slav defence with which he initially equalized. Botvinnik's play in this game was extremely accurate and he had some advantage when a draw was agreed on move 29.

Game 12

The final game, with Ragozin having the white pieces, was another Gruenfeld defence. It was quickly drawn, with both players missing an opportunity for an advantage.

Notes

(1). "Botvinnik's complete games 1957-1970 and Selected Writings (Part 3)", p.55-56.

(2). Ibid, p.55-56.

(3). Ibid, p.69.

(4). From the Russian Bulletin of the event (special issue of "64"), No. 20, 13 June 1936. Quoted in Edward Winter, "Capablanca: a compendium 1888-1942.", p.275

(5). This game is Game 65 in 'Botvinnik: One Hundred Selected Games'.

(6). This game is Game 67 in 'Botvinnik: One Hundred Selected Games'.

(7). This game is Game 68 in 'Botvinnik: One Hundred Selected Games'.

This text and original research by User: Chessical.