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Vasily Smyslov

XIV Schach-Olympiade Leipzig, 1960

VASILY SMYSLOV (born Mar-24-1921, died Mar-27-2010, 89 years old) Russia PRONUNCIATION: [what is this?] Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov was born in Moscow. His father Vasily Osipovich Smyslov was a strong amateur player. A talented singer, Smyslov narrowly missed joining the Bolshoi Opera. Opera's loss was the chess world's gain. He was awarded the Soviet Grandmaster title in 1941. He won the Moscow Championship in 1942 and 1944-45. He first beat Botvinnik at the 1943 Moscow Championship. Smyslov finished second to Botvinnik at the FIDE World Championship Tournament (1948). He shared first with David Bronstein at the USSR Championship (1949). He won the Chigorin Memorial (1951) by 1.5 points. Smyslov earned the right to challenge Botvinnik for the world championship by winning the Zuerich Candidates (1953), two points ahead of Bronstein, Samuel Reshevsky, and Paul Keres. He and Botvinnik tied the Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1954), which resulted in Botvinnik retaining the title. Smyslov shared first place with Keres at Hastings (1954/55). He tied for first with Efim Geller at the USSR Championship (1955), but lost the playoff. Smyslov won the Amsterdam Candidates (1956) by 1.5 points over Keres, thus again securing the right to challenge Botvinnik. He and Botvinnik shared first at the Alekhine Memorial (1956). Finally Smyslov wrested the world championship from Botvinnik, winning the Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1957) by three points. Under the then-existing rules, Botvinnik had the right to a rematch a year later. It proved a disaster for Smyslov. He lost the first three games of the Smyslov - Botvinnik World Championship Rematch (1958), and went on to lose the match, and the championship, by two points. Smyslov tied for first with Bronstein and the young superstar Boris Spassky at the Alekhine Memorial (1959). He was only able to finish fourth at the Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates (1959), won by the meteoric Mikhail Tal, who would go on to defeat Botvinnik for the championship. Smyslov shared first with Ratmir Kholmov at the Central Chess Club International (1960), and with Evgeni Vasiukov at the Central Chess Club International (1961). He won Moscow (1963), a point ahead of Tal. He won Stockholm (1963/64), half a point ahead of Isaac Boleslavsky. Smyslov once again put himself on the road to a potential world championship when he won the Amsterdam Interzonal (1964) (tied with Tal, Spassky, and the Dane Bent Larsen). He tied for first with Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany at the Capablanca Memorial (1964). He suffered a stinging defeat in the Geller - Smyslov Candidates Quarterfinal (1965), losing by three points. Smyslov won many more tournaments. He won Havana (1965), half a point ahead of Geller, Robert James Fischer, and Borislav Ivkov. He won Mar del Plata (1966), ahead of Leonid Stein. He won Monte Carlo 1969. In 1982 at the Las Palmas Interzonal Tournament, Smyslov finished second and qualified for the Candidates Matches, and at age 61 advanced past Robert Huebner in the quarter-finals (winning the spin of a roulette wheel to decide the tied match), then defeating Zoltan Ribli in the semi-final, before losing to challenger Garry Kasparov, just over a third his age, in the final. Smyslov crowned a remarkable career by becoming the first Senior World Champion at Bad Worishofen in 1991. Crosstables and other info can be found here: [rusbase-1] [rusbase-2] http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/48$... [rusbase-3] http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/525... http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/525... [rusbase-4] [rusbase-5] http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/555... [rusbase-6] http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/646... Smyslov Videos: Singing, playing piano, beating Botvinnik (1957) http://www.britishpathe.com/record.... Receiving World Championship Laurels (1957) http://www.britishpathe.com/record.... Walking with Keres in the Netherlands (1948) http://www.britishpathe.com/record.... Wikipedia article: Vasily Smyslov ############################## <Revision and Expansion> of this bio under construction by JFQ. Beginnings His father was an "Economic Engineer" working in the "Department for the Preparation of Securities" <125 Games, 1> Lived in a small flat in an old house on the outskirts of Moscow. Highlight of our life was a 'Schroeder' piano, on which my father used to play. He began teaching me piano and chess <125 Games, 2> Autumn 1938- 1st year student at the Moscow School of Aviation <Romanovsky xii> "Starting in 1948, I seriously studied singing under Professor Konstantin Zlobin, whom I met by chance in Leningrad in 1947, when I was playing in the 15th USSR Championship. For many years I took lessons from him, and even appeared in a singing competition in the Bolshoi Theatre. But, as in the life of my father, singing remained something for my own satisfaction." <125 Games, 17> Father Vasily Osipovich Smyslov taught him to play chess at age 7. <125 Games, 1> After winning a rook odds match against his Uncle Kirill, he was given Alekhine's "Best Games" as a prize. Inscription: 'To the winner of the match, to future champion Vasya Smyslov' <125 Games, 1> Soviet Grandmaster Summer of 1935 participated in 1st chess event. Unrated players in chess club of Gorky Park. He won this and two more, by the end of the summer he was 3d Category. <125 Games, 4-5> Fall 1935, joins the Moskvoretsky House of Pioneers. <125 Games, 5> "In 1936 he entered the second category, and in the autumn of the same year the first category." <Romanovsky, xi> In 1937- 1. <Moskvoretsky House of Pioneers Championship 1937> (Fall) 1st, 11-0. Had earned <1st Category rank> in autumn 1936 -<Smyslov> on his "happiest moment": At the championship of the Young Pioneers Stadium, where I won all 11 games, didn't give away a single draw, and there were strong players there, almost all of them became masters, I kept the tournament table from that event." <Sosonko> pp.126-27 Jan. 1938- Leningrad- Smyslov won the USSR under 18 Championship. <Averbakh p.34> Grigory Levenfish gave him 1st prize of an inscribed clock, which "continues to count out the time of my chess career.<125 Games, 9> Shared 1-3 places with Anatoly Ufimtsev and Mark Stolberg in the <Gorky National 1st Category Tournament 1938 (2d group)> [rusbase-7] This result earned him the Candidate Master title. <Romanovsky, xi> Shared 1st with Sergey Belavenets, ahead of Grandmaster Andre Lilienthal at <18th Moscow Championship 1938>, awarded Master Title. <125 Games, 9> <[rusbase-8]> Finished 3d in the USSR Championship (1940), Finished 3d in the USSR Absolute Championship (1941) "in accordance with the norms in existence, for these two successes I was awarded the title of USSR grandmaster." <125 Games, 9-10> 1st International tournament Groningen 1946. Groningen (1946) "third place... behind Mikhail Botvinnik and Max Euwe opened the way for my participation in the battle for the World Championship." <125 Games, 11> World Champion Smyslov's 2d in the <1948 WCC> seeded him into the <Budapest 1950 Candidates Tournament>. Budapest Candidates (1950) They were to be joined by the unsuccessful invitees to the 1948 Championship, but only Vasily Smyslov and Paul Keres took their places.<nescio> Smyslov: "3d place in the <Budapest 1950 Candidates Tournament> gave me the automatic right to a place in the next Candidates Tournament." <125 Games, 12> 1st in the <Zurich Candidates Tournament 1953> Zuerich Candidates (1953) 1954 <World Championship Match> Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1954) Drew Botvinnik, who retained championship on draw odds. Candidates Cycling Theoretical Contributions -<Grunfeld Defense, Smyslov variation (D99)> 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Bg4 8.Be3 <Nfd7> http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... This plan was developed in preparation for the <1948 WCC>. Smyslov: "The point of the plan, involving the transfer of the king's knight to b6, and the development of the other knight at c6, lies in piece pressure on White's pawn centre."> <125 Games, 11> === -<Ruy Lopez, Closed, Smyslov Defense (C93)> 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 <h6> http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... === -<Slav Defense: Smyslov Variation (D16)> 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 <Na6> === -<Ruy Lopez Fianchetto Defense (C60)> 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 Smyslov revived this line at <Szolnok 1975> === Treachery === Personality ############################# Sources [<1> Vasily Smyslov, "Smyslov's 125 Selected Games" Ken Neat transl. Cadogen, 1983 2 P.A. Romanovsky, "Vassily Vassilievitch Smyslov." Published in Vasily Smyslov, "My Best Games of Chess (1935-1957)" P.H. Clarke ed., transl. (Routledge and Kegan Paul 1958), pp. xi-xxvii (First published as "Izbrannie partii" in Russian in 1952) 3 P.H. Clarke, "V.V. Smyslov, 1952-57." Published in Vasily Smyslov, "My Best Games of Chess (1935-1957)" 4 Yuri Averbakh "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes" Steve Giddins transl. New in Chess, 2011 5 Genna Sosonko "The World Champions I Knew." New in Chess, 2013 6 Edward Winter, ed. "World Chess Champions." Pergamon Press, 1981 7 Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" McFarland, 1997 8 Harry Golombek "The World Chess Championships of 1957 and 1958" Hardinge Simpole, 1958 9 Smyslov Interview by Vladimir Anzikeev for "Shakhmatnaya Nedelia" (Chess Week). Translated by Zoya Vlassova. First appeared in "Chess Today" No. 1045. 10 Mikhail Botvinnik, "Botvinnik's Complete Games (1942-1956) and Selected Writings (Part 2)" Kean Neat ed., transl. Olomouc, 2012. -Originally published in Mikhail Botvinnik, "Match Botvinnik-Smyslov" (Fizkultura i sport, Moscow 1955) 11 Mikhail Botvinnik "Achieving the Aim" Bernard Cafferty, transl. Pergamon, 1981 12 Dmitry Plisetsky and Sergey Voronkov, "Russians vs. Fischer" Ken Neat transl. Everyman Chess, 2005 Tournament Sources [-<18th Moscow Championship 1938> <[rusbase-9]> -<Gorky National 1st Category Tournament 1938 (2d group)> <[rusbase-10]> ############################ Last updated: 2025-03-30 05:38:14

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page 1 of 113; games 1-25 of 2,820  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. K Gerasimov vs Smyslov 0-1 22 1935 Moscow Pioneer Home championsip D05 Queen's Pawn Game 2. G Dzagurov vs Smyslov   1-0 32 1935 Moscow Pioneer Home championship C29 Vienna Gambit 3. S Belavenets vs Smyslov   ½-½ 34 1937 Clock simul, 6b E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical 4. Smyslov vs Averbakh 1-0 24 1938 junior tt E17 Queen's Indian 5. Smyslov vs Rekach 1-0 23 1938 18th Ch Moscow (sf - 5) B10 Caro-Kann 6. N Zanozdra vs Smyslov 1-0 30 1938 Ch URS (juniors) B17 Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation 7. Smyslov vs V Zak 1-0 36 1938 All Union First Category A43 Old Benoni 8. Smyslov vs N Rudnev   1-0 43 1938 All Union First Category C10 French 9. Smyslov vs Lilienthal 1-0 56 1938 18th Ch Moscow C11 French 10. Smyslov vs A Chistiakov ½-½ 32 1938 18th Ch Moscow C12 French, McCutcheon 11. Smyslov vs M Yudovich Sr   1-0 49 1938 18th Ch Moscow B20 Sicilian 12. A S Sergeev vs Smyslov   1-0 64 1938 18th Ch Moscow A47 Queen's Indian 13. Smyslov vs S Kogan   ½-½ 37 1938 18th Ch Moscow C42 Petrov Defense 14. V Baturinsky vs Smyslov 0-1 34 1938 18th Ch Moscow C45 Scotch Game 15. Averbakh vs Smyslov 0-1 24 1939 19th Ch Moscow A06 Reti Opening 16. Smyslov vs Panov   0-1 43 1939 19th Ch Moscow C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed 17. Smyslov vs I Kan   ½-½ 31 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training C43 Petrov, Modern Attack 18. Smyslov vs A Konstantinopolsky 1-0 57 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training C77 Ruy Lopez 19. Alatortsev vs Smyslov 0-1 40 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training E47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 20. Smyslov vs V Makogonov ½-½ 49 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training B10 Caro-Kann 21. S Belavenets vs Smyslov 0-1 36 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training D02 Queen's Pawn Game 22. Smyslov vs Ragozin 0-1 35 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 23. Panov vs Smyslov ½-½ 42 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training C77 Ruy Lopez 24. Smyslov vs V Goglidze 1-0 80 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training B83 Sicilian 25. Reshevsky vs Smyslov 1-0 70 1939 Leningrad / Moscow training D51 Queen's Gambit Declined  page 1 of 113; games 1-25 of 2,820

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 51 OF 54 ·  Later Kibitzing> May-11-15    TheFocus: <Petrosianic> <TheFocus> <Speaking of that, we had a discussion a while back about the King's Gambit. You had made the point that the KG was a weak opening, because the threat it makes is illusory (White can't play 3. fxe5).> No, I never had this discussion. I don't play the KG and have no opinion about it either way. May-11-15    Petrosianic: Really? I thought it was with you. If not, then it must have been Sally Simpson. May-11-15    zanzibar: In some recent discussion of a game there was a reference to a <Boy's Life> article where Fischer claims that Smyslov used to sit on his hands to prevent himself from making an impulsive move. Is there another source for this? <So, if you feel you lack self-control you might try sitting on your hands as ex-world chess champion Smyslov of Russia used to do.> http://books.google.com/books?id=NR... May-11-15    A.T PhoneHome: <zanzibar> If true, then I hope that Smyslov's backside wasn't bony. May-11-15    TheFocus: I believe that it was Tarrasch who first recommended sitting on one's hands to prevent making hasty moves. May-11-15    A.T PhoneHome: I wonder what they recommended for those who wanted to make hasty moves. May-11-15    zanzibar: Well, I'm a bit skeptical that Fischer's statement is accurate. I'd like to see some other credible source, or a photograph. Everything I've found so far suggests Smyslov was one of the more composed players at the board. * * * * * But while looking around I found this quote from a 2006 85th b-day interview with Smyslov: <Here's a very telling story: I've adjourned a game against master Lev Aronin at the 1962 USSR Championship. My position was hopeless, I was going to call the arbiter and say that I gave up without continuing. But Nadezhda Andreevna, without even looking at the position, told me that I had to go and play. I went to the play-off and drew the game. In all fairness, I have to add that Lyova - a great and generous guy - went to the restaurant with friends to celebrate his win against a strong Grandmaster right after the adjournment. Also an instructive moment.> http://www.chess.com/blog/Spektrows... The trouble is, I can't find a <Smyslov // Aronin> game from 1962. And checking RUSbase: http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs.h... I can't seem to find Smyslov even playing the final in Everan: http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1... or any of the semi-finals. Did Smyslov have the year (decade?) wrong? What game is he referring to? May-11-15    A.T PhoneHome: <zanzibar> Judging by the kibitzing, maybe this one? Most likely year wrong in the interview: Aronin vs Smyslov, 1951 May-11-15    zanzibar: Thanks <ATPH>, sound right. I'll have to play the game over... May-11-15    A.T PhoneHome: My pleasure! Hope you enjoy the game mate. May-12-15    zanzibar: By the way, try as I might I couldn't find any photo or anecdote about Smyslov "sitting on his hands" during a game. But I did find this tidbit: <A Gentle Hand Smyslov had a remarkable chess career, spanning more than 60 years. At 86, he does not play anymore, but still visits major chess events in Moscow. Playing over his games, one has the impression that moves came to Smyslov easily. He credits his father for showing him simple positions demonstrating the power of individual pieces. "I just play by hand," Smyslov once jokingly described his intuitive style, based not so much on calculations as on a great understanding of the interaction between the pieces. It earned him the nickname "the Hand."> In a Washington Post piece (2007-07-16) Kavalek wrote: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy... Perhaps Fischer was aware of the nickname and invented the rest of the story? May-12-15    A.T PhoneHome: There is the quote where it is stated that after making a move, Smyslov would sometimes get up and walk with his hands folded behind his back. He probably had a few of said stand-ups during the games. Besides, I think Smyslov was very calm and able to avoid lapses. Had he been easily distracted, he might have had such tendency (sitting on his hands). May-13-15    zanzibar: <ATPH> If you could find such a reference about Smyslov having such a habit I'd be obliged. It's a small point of human interest, like knowing a player would often get up and chat to others like Najdorf did during his games, or stare into space while calculating, like Shirov. Knowing small facts like these makes chess a little more human. May-13-15    moronovich: I saw Smyslov play.And yes, he sometimes folded his hands behind his back when he walked around during the game. May-13-15    A.T PhoneHome: <Befitting his monumental stature and imposing appearance, he is what may be called a stately walker. He walks in slow and measured step, his hands invariably folded behind his broad back, and his magnificently large head slightly bent, as if he were deeply in thought (and he probably is). He never stirs very far from his board, hardly ever more than some twelve or fifteen measured paces, which he will slowly, very slowly, take to and fro, up and down. And no one has ever seen him hurry back if he happens to be at the far end when his opponent punches his clock. – Unknown Source (on Smyslov)> I know the source is unknown. I remembered I saw the quote in KingG's game collection of Smyslov games. It's there for the reading. While only proof of one situation, however, I might add this link; now, look at this game picture: Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1957 - Smyslov walking with his hands folded behind his back. May-13-15    zanzibar: Thanks very kindly <ATPH>, that's what the doctor ordered. When I have a little more time I'll try to hunt down the original source from there. <moronovich> and thanks for sharing your personal experience. Of course, I have to ask if you ever saw Smyslov sitting on his hands while at the board, or if you have any idea why Fischer may have written that? May-13-15    A.T PhoneHome: No problem, I was sleeping when you replied. :P looked up those when I had time. Najdorf also made a similar remark about Boris Spassky, that his hand did the thinking for him. I've been thinking if Fischer made up the story in reference to the games they played against each other. I mean, as a way to illustrate how Smyslov was afraid of making hasty moves against Fischer and therefore, sat on his hands (early Fischer-fear story). But that's probably not plausible. May-13-15    zanzibar: I found <AT>'s ref, still unsourced, here: http://www.pressreader.com/south-af... Funny that it seems to be so recent - 2015-04-30 May-13-15    A.T PhoneHome: Really? Odd because I remember reading the quote from KingG's game collection last year. That's interesting. May-13-15    zanzibar: <AT> I used the construct "your ref" for convenience. It seems that Mark Rubery (the SA <Daily News> Chess columnist) took the quote from <KingG>'s game collection (using the fact that Rubery cites it similarly as "unsourced", and <KingG>'s collection predates the article). Mark Rubery May-13-15    A.T PhoneHome: I knew it! Perhaps a reference to his play at 1953 or 1956 Candidates? I mean, he won those and it could've been a spectator or someone in awe or something. May-14-15    TheFocus: <In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent> - Vasily Smyslov. May-14-15    A.T PhoneHome: <In chess, as in life, no one can stop TheFocus from posting loads of quotes> - Unknown source May-14-15    TheFocus: <A.T PhoneHome> <In chess, as in life, no one can stop TheFocus from posting loads of quotes> - <Unknown source> No, that should be: <In chess, as in life, no one can stop TheFocus from posting loads of quotes> - TheFocus. May-14-15    A.T PhoneHome: How dare I even defy the Grandmaster of quotes? You're absolutely right! Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 54) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 51 OF 54 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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