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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov
Smyslov - Botvinnik World Championship Rematch (1958), Moscow URS, rd 12, Apr-03
Reti Opening: Anglo-Slav Variation. London Defensive System (A12)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-09-08  Tomlinsky: There is a wonderful flow and rhythm to this game. Smyslov's manouvre starting with 23...Kf8 24...Bg8 25...f6 and ending with 30...e5 31...d4 is very eye pleasing. Botvinnik has the passed pawn but Smyslov has the dark squares and appears to have everything under control.

It's a pity, strange even, that after 38.f4 he completely misses the importance of the knight eyeing the e5 square and immediately guns for the LSB with 38...Ne3??. It appears that he overlooked the queen coming back to e4 with pin. Wrong knight, wrong plan. 38...Nc3 is an easy draw with the losing move and idea looking very strange given the precision of play that had preceded it.

I hope Botvinnik included this game in his 'Best Games' collection for its aesthetic value as he didn't outplay Smyslov by any stretch of the imagination on this outing.

Jul-09-11  Albanius: Smyslov resigns up a piece for a P
because the N falls after 41..Ne3 42 Bxd4,
eg 42..Nc4 43 Nxc4 dis ch.
or 42..Nd1 43 Qc2, either Nb2 or c3
43 BxN NxB 44 QxN
continuing to protect the Ne5.
Jul-09-11  Albanius: If 19..Bxb4 20 Ncd4 recovers the P.
Sep-20-13  zydeco: <Albanius> Or 19....Bxb4? 20.Bxf6
Sep-20-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Botvinnik avoided a repetition at move 35, so perhaps Smyslov was short of time.
Sep-21-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: zydeco: <Albanius> Or 19....Bxb4? 20.Bxf6>

Or 20.Qd4.

Jan-16-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: A great game. Superb flow and rhythm, as Tomlinsky observed.
Mar-07-17  Toribio3: The king of Smyslov is exposed at the center. Botvinnik is in full control of the center!
Nov-07-20  Albanius: The opening is correctly classified here as Reti Opening, London system, indeed a textbook example of the line. But in it is wrongly listed "English with b3" on the chessgames.com page for the match: Smyslov - Botvinnik World Championship Rematch (1958)
Nov-08-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  fredthebear: Thanks for the opening classification <Albanius>. The ECO code A games are all too often misclassified. Move orders can vary greatly.

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