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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov
Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1954), Moscow URS, rd 20, May-04
King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation. Immediate Fianchetto (E60)  ·  0-1

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Given 23 times; par: 134 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-14-05  Backward Development: very nice finish by Smyslov. The continuation would be 73.Kd1 e3 74.Nc1 Rh1+ 75.Ke2<75.Kc2? changes nothing, in fact makes matters worse 75...Rxc1+! 76.Kxc1 e2 > 75...Rxc1 76.Rxe3+ Bxe3 77.Kxe3 Rxc5< > when the king and rook gobble all of the white pawns, and eventually the white king.
Jul-23-08  whiteshark: foreplay: Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1954
Apr-06-13  Garech: A Titanic struggle! It seems that Smyslov was virtually winning around move 35, and let his advantage slip. Botvinnik, however, never got equality back, and Smyslov fought hard enough to gain a second advantage and win.

Great Stuff!

Garech

Jun-24-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Botvinnik does not like his position after 32...♖a8-d8:


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He plays 33.Bxc5


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And now Botvinnik points out that 33...Bxc5 wins!

Jan-13-17  crwynn: I would assume the idea is 33...Bxc5 34.Qe1 (White must defend d2) 34...Qxc3! 35.Rxc3 Rdxd2+ 36.Kh1 Bf2 trapping White's queen.
Apr-04-20  joddon: Symslov must have been a superior on his clock, he must have had a lot of time on his clock as he was one fast calculator in his times I bet!!!...he sits very patiently to see his opponent make a mistake, very monstrous players only like me do this!!LOL!!
Feb-02-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: 9..Rb8 had been played in game 16 and White had gone on to win; 9..h5 was new and has never been repeated. 12 e4?! was an odd move weakening White's queenside pressure and was criticized by Botvinnik; better was 12 Rc2 followed by Rd1. 17 Qd2?! and 18 Rd1 planning Qd6 was met by 19..Qb4 when Black channels had the initiative; better was 17 Qc2. 20 Rb1..Qxc4 21 Rfc1..Qe6 22 Na4 was suggested as an improvement with White having decent counterplay for the pawn. After consistently outplaying Botvinnik through the first 32 moves Smyslov lost most of his advantage with 33..Qxc5?; Black would have had a decisive advantage after 33..Bxc5 34 Qxf6 (34 Qe2..Qxc3!) 34..Rxd2+ 35 Rxd2..Bg2..Bd4. Stronger would have been 51..Bxh5 52 Qxh5..Qd1 53 Qxd1 53 Re2..Rh8 54 Qg4+..Kf7 and ..Rh8) 53..Rxd1 54 Nc1..Kg6 with an extremely favorable endgame for Black. After patiently defending for 11 moves Botvinnik moved his rook off the f-file with 65 Rc3? allowing Black to make progress; instead had he played 65 Na5 he felt he should not lose.

THis win pulled Smyslov within 1 game of Botvinnik with 4 games to play.

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