World Chess Championship 1957

The World Chess Championship 1957 was as a March 5, be transmitted to April 27, 1957 duel between the reigning world chess champion Mikhail Botvinnik and Vasily Smyslov his challenger for the world chess title the 20th World Chess Championship. After only 22 games scheduled on the 24 games duel was decided, as Smyslov had insurmountable lead and thus the 7th World Chess Champion. In the rematch in 1958, however, Botvinnik won the title back.

Venue and supporting program

As early as 1951 and 1954 the duel in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow took place. With a 12:12 draw Botvinnik would have successfully defended his world title. As a secondary Danten Igor Bondarewski and Grigory Goldberg were available. However, Botvinnik did not claim his secondary Danten loud Graeme Cree.

Tuesdays and Thursdays were in the downstairs foyer Grandmaster ready for simultaneous exhibitions. In the foyer of the second floor as well as other simultaneous exhibitions and the analysis of games and chess composition competitions were offered. For successful player and solver awards and prizes were awarded.

Prehistory

Botvinnik was World Chess Champion since 1948. Smyslov had qualified by winning the Amsterdam Candidates tournament in 1956 as opponents Botvinnik. Prior to the World Chess Championship 1957 Botvinnik and Smyslov had already played 47 games. Botvinnik led the balance with 15 wins, 22 draws and 10 defeats. 1951 Botvinnik had defended against Bronstein and 1954 against Smyslov his world championship title each with 12:12 points, Smyslov had at the beginning of 1954 brought a half a point from four games.

Course

Botvinnik was preparing especially on the train 1 d2 -d4, although Smyslov used to open with 1 e2- e4. On this train Botvinnik had prepared a variant of the Sicilian Defense with mutual chances, with whom he wanted to make the Smyslov Königsbauernzug ​​unpleasant. In competition this variant, however, Smyslov brought a advantageous position. In several games, Botvinnik was faced with problems, which is why he dodged to the French defense. Smyslows openings were solid, so that he as a black man a score of -2 2 = 7 and reached its greater number of white victories was decisive.

In the first game Botvinnik was a shortage of time undoing mistakes when he made ​​a positional error that justified his defeat. Smyslov thus led after the first game. The second game was again difficult for Botvinnik after opening a mistake, but he achieved a draw in the final. After another drawn game was once again on the opening of the second game on the plan for the Botvinnik However, instead of the faulty one other train had prepared. Smyslov lost in the middle game quality and the game. Thus, the score was balanced.

Botvinnik brought in the fifth game with positionellem game Smyslov in a difficult position and initially captured a pawn. The following train he missed a promising tactical strike and instead brought the point by improving its position securely.

In the sixth game Smyslov moved to Queen's Pawn Opening. Botvinnik then selected a sharp variation of the Grunfeld Indian Defense, which had been frequently played by Smyslov with black. Smyslov notes: ". Thus, in this section, the roles were reversed - I had to fight against my own theoretical weapon" After Botvinnik premature ladies exchanged, dubbed him Smyslov positionally, so the competition level was balanced again.

The seventh game ended in a draw soon, then in the eighth game again the Sicilian Defence has been tested in Smyslov after less than 20 trains reached significant advantage, and this realized. In the ninth game Smyslov was in turn dubbed, but Botvinnik missed several ways to win and had to settle for a draw.

The tenth game started again with the lift of the king's pawn, but this time Botvinnik chose the Spanish opening, in which Smyslov who knew well. This reached slight positional advantage, but Botvinnik built on a sure defense and kept upright counter opportunities. The match ended in a draw. In the eleventh game Botvinnik offered to a passive quality offerings, the Smyslov rejected, however, since it would have resulted in benefit to Botvinnik. Instead of this, this game ended in a draw. The twelfth game brought Smyslov, however early a material advantage, he could say. Some trains later, however, Smyslov sacrificed back to the farmers and thus received positional advantage. So could not be assumed a rook sacrifice, otherwise a pawn would have decided. But the game Smyslov episode brought another victory and thus an expansion of its projection on a two points.

Already in the next game it could Botvinnik, with positionellem game to halve the projection of the challenger. It decided its free peasants who were stronger than Smyslows Yeomanry already in the middle game. In the 14th game Smyslov initiated with a bold maneuvers a kingside attack, but never got beyond the stage, as the challenger had to defend his position elsewhere. Botvinnik achieved a good, but not obtained, the final. Smyslov defended himself to draw. The 15th game brought a sharp middle game with them, which eventually led to a won endgame for Botvinnik. However, this has squandered several good chances, reaching just another draw. Experts estimated later that a win in this game and thus the balance in the duel would revolutionize the flow of battle can.

The 16th game ended in a positionally advantageous position, Smyslov continually improved without leaving Botvinnik counterplay. Already, however, a train after the crash position Smyslov forgave his advantage. Some moves later it came to a draw by repetition.

In the 17th game Smyslov was slight advantage he saved the final. After an inaccuracy Botvinnik Smyslov won the game in the final. The 18th game was marked by two pawns Botvinnik, through which the world champion received attack against the white lady. After a combination he won back a farmer and received benefit. The endgame with opposite colored bishops finally rescued Smyslov with a highly accurate train ( see diagram). In the 19th game, however, a draw was agreed at an early stage. After Smyslov in the 20th game of a positional obesity received, which he slowly recovered to a full point, was with three points finished ahead of Smyslov the duel fact, since Botvinnik no longer struggled in the last two games and after 13 and 11 trains consented in the draw.

Vasily Smyslov was after the 22nd game of the 7th World Chess Champion in continuity since Wilhelm Steinitz.

Follow

Smyslov lost the title already in the rematch in 1958 again. Botvinnik held the title until 1960, when he defeated Mikhail Tal, but made ​​it back in 1961 again to recapture the title. Only Petrosian 1963 could finally win the title from Botvinnik. However, Botvinnik remained until around 1970, a strong tournament player, but then withdrew from the tournament chess back to promote chess talents and to develop a computer chess program. Among his students Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, who have also become world champion.

Smyslov long remained a top player who was taking part for the world championship title itself in 1983 at Candidates Tournament and was defeated Garry Kasparov in the first final student Botvinnik, who then himself world chess champion was in this cycle.

References and sources

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