chess-The Oxford Companion to Chess - First Edition by David Hooper & Kenneth Whyld

,16 BOT\INNI(
Bolesl!vsky- BRo""sr.r\, and Smrslovi Groningen
(Nethcnand, 1946 (+13=3 3) ahead of Euwe-
Smyslov. N^rDoRF. and Boleslalskyiand Moscow
19.17 (+8=6 1) ahead or Smrslov and ktRrs. In
1945 Botvinrik had re.ewed negotiations pirh
Alekhinc. which ended with Ihe laLt€is death in
Mar. 1946. FIDE organizing a mlch tournrocnt,
'fhe IIague Nloscow 19,18, ro tilllh.vacanttitleof
worlrl chanpion. Botvinnik aon decisively
(+10=8 2) ahead olSmydov. Keres. Reshelsky,
and EuNe. His sclcn successive wins in major
lournamcnrsirom l94l ro 1948indic.re rhathesas
thc Norldt best player in tbe 1940s. and it was hn
misiortutre lhar the title olqorldchampion leu lo
bid onl, !.wards thc end ofthe decade.
tsotrinnik thcn took a brenl lron chess to eain
his do.lonte oI technical science. ln 1951 he dreN
a matcb wirh hn 0rst challcnger Bronstein
(+5=14 5). lnd i. 195.1 he dreN with SDyslot
(+7=10 ?), borh times retaining the titlc in
accordaDce wilh FIDE nrles. M.anwhilc hc came
6Er (+9=9 1) equal sith rArMANov in lhe USSR
Chdnpionship ol 1952 and Mn lhe playoll
(+2=l-l). At Moscow 1956 he camc liNt
(+8=6 1) equal Nilh Smyslov: thn \ras Botlin
dik\ only fi.st place in a major imernltion.l
rournaDenr durinShis chanpionshit years Hc lost
his rnle to Snyslov in 1957 and rcgaiEd il nr lhe
rerum match of 1958 (+?=i1 5).loslittoralin
1959 and reeainedit lronbinin 1160 (+10=6 5).
Iwo years late. he was deleaied by p.rRosyA\.
Resentiul thatFIDE had abolishcdthe p vilegeol
a rerurn march Botvinnik madeno alrenpt to enter
the iists aeain. Belorehisrelirementiron competi
tive chess in 1970 be competed in scvcral touflra-
nenN, achieving his besl resull, +6:9 and ashare
ol list prize, al Wijk aan Zee 1969. Rclernng Io
the tines qhen hc was champion Borvinnik
descnbed hirNcll as fiBt anong equals: morc
preciscly. he was one ot the bcst lour playen.
Botvnrnik\ slyle sas characterized by good
ruDaEMENr. lhorough adjournment an.lysis, cxcelle.l
,NDcAv! technique, ind, sbovc all. b)
lhorough preparadon. Ask.d nr 1947 vhy hesPenl
so much lime nudyi.g cndgames thal rarely
o.mrred. he repliedthat ifhe sere tobechampion
he bad to be maste. of erery kind of cndeame.
Ap.F lron, rhe up