Richard Cribb
He does monologues
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2003
- Messages
- 4,291
Ex-World champion Vasily Smyslov died last night, 89 years old. He will go over in history as one of the all-time greatest.
Smyslov was only world champion for a year, but remained a dominating force in the chess world for decades. As late as 1983 he advanced to the final in the candidate's tournament, losing only to no less than Gary Kasparov.
He was a particulary fine positional player with an extraordinary endgame technique, who was just as skillful in attack as in defence. He also contributed substantially to opening theory.
I am going to write a memorial article about him for a magazine, and might post that here too provided there is any interest for it. Right now I will just give a win from the match that gave him the title of world champion. It is typical for Smyslov's style, and impressive both from a technical point of view, as well as from a competitive one.
Vasily Smyslov - Mikhail Botvinnik, World Championship Match Moscow 1957, 20th game.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7 7.Qg4
f6?!
Not one of Botvinnik's most successful innovations, but it might have been motivated by the fact that he was behind in the match and needed a win. The normal moves 7...f5 or 7...Ne7 are better.
8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Qg3! Qf7 10.dxc5!! A surprising, non-stereotypic idea that secures White's advantage.Usually one is advised to refrain from such moves, but great players know when to break the rules. This tripled pawn is very strong, since it cramps Black's game. Besides, White can now play Bd3 without having to be bothered with c5-c4. Also don't forget that it is an extra pawn. Nge7 11.Bd3 fxe5 A better idea might be 11...Bd7 with the idea 12...0-0-0, but I don't think that equalises either. 12.Nxe5 Nxe5
13.Qxe5 O-O 14.O-O Nc6 15.Qg3 e5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Rab1 Bxd3 Straightens out white's pawn, but 17...Rab8 is very passive and doesn't solve Black's problem.
18.cxd3 Rae8 19.f4! Qc7 19...e4 might be a better practical chance, but white remains much on top with the simple 20.dxe4 Rxe4 21.f5 with f6 to follow. 20.fxe5 Rxf1+ 21.Rxf1 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5
23.Rd1 This endgame is won, which Smyslov convincingly demonstrates.Kf7 24.h3 Nc6 25.Bf4 Re7 26.Bd6 Rd7 27.Rf1+ Ke6 28.Re1+
Kf7 29.Kf2 b6 30.Rb1 Ke6 31.Rb5! d4 32.c4 bxc5 33.Bh2! Decisive. Weaker is 33.Bxc5? Rf7+ 34.Ke2 Rf5. Rf7+
34.Ke2 Re7 Now however, 34...Rf5 is met with 35.g4 Rg5 36.Bf4 Rg6 36.Rxc5 35.Rxc5 Kd7 36.Kd2 Re6 37.Rg5 g6 38.Rd5+ Kc8 39.Bg1
Rf6 40.Bxd4 Nxd4 41.Rxd4 Rf2+ 42.Kc3 The game was adjourned here, but Botvinnik resigned it, and thereby in effect the match, without any further play. After 42...Rxg2 White wins easily with 43.Rf4 h5 44.Rf7 Kb8
45.c5 Rg3 46.Rg7 1-0
RIP Maestro.
Smyslov was only world champion for a year, but remained a dominating force in the chess world for decades. As late as 1983 he advanced to the final in the candidate's tournament, losing only to no less than Gary Kasparov.
He was a particulary fine positional player with an extraordinary endgame technique, who was just as skillful in attack as in defence. He also contributed substantially to opening theory.
I am going to write a memorial article about him for a magazine, and might post that here too provided there is any interest for it. Right now I will just give a win from the match that gave him the title of world champion. It is typical for Smyslov's style, and impressive both from a technical point of view, as well as from a competitive one.
Vasily Smyslov - Mikhail Botvinnik, World Championship Match Moscow 1957, 20th game.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7 7.Qg4
f6?!
Not one of Botvinnik's most successful innovations, but it might have been motivated by the fact that he was behind in the match and needed a win. The normal moves 7...f5 or 7...Ne7 are better.
8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Qg3! Qf7 10.dxc5!! A surprising, non-stereotypic idea that secures White's advantage.Usually one is advised to refrain from such moves, but great players know when to break the rules. This tripled pawn is very strong, since it cramps Black's game. Besides, White can now play Bd3 without having to be bothered with c5-c4. Also don't forget that it is an extra pawn. Nge7 11.Bd3 fxe5 A better idea might be 11...Bd7 with the idea 12...0-0-0, but I don't think that equalises either. 12.Nxe5 Nxe5
13.Qxe5 O-O 14.O-O Nc6 15.Qg3 e5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Rab1 Bxd3 Straightens out white's pawn, but 17...Rab8 is very passive and doesn't solve Black's problem.
18.cxd3 Rae8 19.f4! Qc7 19...e4 might be a better practical chance, but white remains much on top with the simple 20.dxe4 Rxe4 21.f5 with f6 to follow. 20.fxe5 Rxf1+ 21.Rxf1 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5
23.Rd1 This endgame is won, which Smyslov convincingly demonstrates.Kf7 24.h3 Nc6 25.Bf4 Re7 26.Bd6 Rd7 27.Rf1+ Ke6 28.Re1+
Kf7 29.Kf2 b6 30.Rb1 Ke6 31.Rb5! d4 32.c4 bxc5 33.Bh2! Decisive. Weaker is 33.Bxc5? Rf7+ 34.Ke2 Rf5. Rf7+
34.Ke2 Re7 Now however, 34...Rf5 is met with 35.g4 Rg5 36.Bf4 Rg6 36.Rxc5 35.Rxc5 Kd7 36.Kd2 Re6 37.Rg5 g6 38.Rd5+ Kc8 39.Bg1
Rf6 40.Bxd4 Nxd4 41.Rxd4 Rf2+ 42.Kc3 The game was adjourned here, but Botvinnik resigned it, and thereby in effect the match, without any further play. After 42...Rxg2 White wins easily with 43.Rf4 h5 44.Rf7 Kb8
45.c5 Rg3 46.Rg7 1-0
RIP Maestro.
