[blind-chess] Annotated Game #151: Vasily smyslov - Alexander Kotov, Moscow 1943
- From: "Roderick Macdonald" <rjmacdonald@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Blind-Chess Mailing List" <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 20:22:49 -1000
Annotated Game #151:
Vasily smyslov - Alexander Kotov, Moscow 1943
Adapted and Condensed from
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Contents:
++1. Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov
++1.A Early years
++1.B War years
++1.C World title challenger
++1.D World Champion
++1.E Later World Championships
++1.F Soviet Championships
++1.G Post-war tournament record
++1.H Team competition
++1.I Final years
++1.J Legacy
++1.K Opera singer
++1.L Notable chess games
++1.M Books by Smyslov
++2. Alexander Kotov
++2.A Early life
++2.B Grandmaster
++2.C Author
++2.D Playing style
++2.E Kotov syndrome
++2.F Notable chess games
++2.G Writings
++3. Vasily Smyslov - Alexander Kotov, Moscow 1943
++1. Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich (Vasilievich) Smyslov (March 24, 1921 - March
27, 2010) was a Russian and Soviet chess Grandmaster and was World
Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess
Championship on eight occasions (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959,
1965, 1983, and 1985). Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet
Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad
medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team
Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals. He remained active and
successful in competitive chess well into the 1960s and 1970s and
he qualified for the finals of the World Championship Candidates'
Matches as late as 1983. Despite failing eyesight, he remained
active in the occasional composition of chess problems and studies
until shortly before his death from heart failure.
++1.A Early years
Smyslov (pronounced "smis-LOFF") first became interested in chess
at the age of 6. His father, Vasily Osipovich Smyslov, worked as an
engineering technician and had represented the St. Petersburg
Technical Institute in intercollegiate chess competitions.
Smyslov's father had also studied chess for a time under the
tutelage of Mikhail Chigorin and the senior Smyslov became the
boy's first teacher. The elder Smyslov gave his son a copy of
Alexander Alekhine's book My Best Games of Chess 1908-1923 and the
future world champion would later write that this book became his
constant reference. He would also write that "...I was later to
read everything that my father had in his library: Dufresne's
handbook, separate numbers of the Soviet chess magazines Chess and
Chess Sheet, the text-books of Lasker and Capablanca, and the
collections of games of Soviet and international tournaments. The
games of the great Russian chess master M. I. Tchigorin made an
indelible impression on me; it was with interest that I read the
various declarations on questions of strategy by A. I. Nimzovitch;
I studied attentively the genius of prominent Soviet masters."
Smyslov's competitive chess experiences began at the age of 14,
when he started taking part in classification tournaments. In 1938,
at age 17, Smyslov won the USSR Junior Championship. That same
year, he tied for 1st-2nd places in the Moscow City Championship,
with 12.5/17. However, Smyslov's first attempt at adult competition
outside his own city fell short; he placed 12th-13th in the
Leningrad-Moscow International tournament of 1939 with 8/17 in an
exceptionally strong field. In the Moscow Championship of 1939-40
Smyslov placed 2nd-3rd with 9/13.
++1.B War years
In his first Soviet final, the 1940 USSR Championship (Moscow, 12th
USSR Championship), he performed exceptionally well for 3rd place
with 13/19, finishing ahead of the reigning champion Mikhail
Botvinnik. This tournament was the strongest Soviet final up to
that time, as it included several players, such as Paul Keres and
Vladas Mikenas, from countries annexed by the USSR, as part of the
Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939.
The Soviet Federation held a further tournament of the top six from
the 1940 event, and this was called the 1941 Absolute Championship
of the USSR, one of the strongest tournaments ever organized. The
format saw each player meet his opponents four times. The players
were Botvinnik, Keres, Smyslov, Isaac Boleslavsky, Igor
Bondarevsky, and Andor Lilienthal. Smyslov scored 10/20 for third
place, behind Botvinnik and Keres. This proved that Smyslov was of
genuine world-class Grandmaster strength at age 20, a very rare
achievement at that time.
The Second World War forced a halt to most international chess. But
several tournaments involving Soviet players only were still
organized. Smyslov won the 1942 Moscow Championship outright with
a powerful 12/15. At Kuibyshev 1942, he placed second with 8/11. In
a strong field at Sverdlovsk 1943, Smyslov tied for 3rd-4th places
with 8/14. In the 1943-44 Moscow Championship, Smyslov tied for
3rd-4th with 11.5/16. He finished second in the 1944 USSR
Championship at Moscow (13th USSR Championship) with 10.5/16. He
emerged as champion from the 1944-45 Moscow Championship with
13/16. By this juncture, Smyslov had advanced into the group of the
top three Soviet players, along with Botvinnik and Keres (who was
playing in Nazi-occupied Europe during the War).
As the war ended, organized chess picked up again. But Smyslov's
form hit a serious slump in the immediate post-war period. In the
1945 USSR Championship at Moscow (14th USSR Championship), Smyslov
was in the middle of the very powerful field with 8.5/17; the
winner was Botvinnik, with Boleslavsky and the new star David
Bronstein occupying second and third places. At Tallinn 1945,
Smyslov had the worst result of his career to date, scoring just
6.5/15 in a not especially strong field. It was little better in
the Moscow Championship of 1945-46, as he could only score 7.5/15
for a tie of 7th-11th places, as Bronstein won. Then in the Moscow
Championship of 1946, Smyslov scored just 8.5/15, for a tie of
3rd-6th places, as Bronstein won again. During this period he
scored just 31/62 in those four tournaments, for 50 per cent.
Nevertheless, Smyslov's earlier strong results secured him one of
the five Soviet places in the first really strong post-war
international tournament, at Groningen, Netherlands, in August
1946. This event, the Howard Staunton Memorial, was won by
Botvinnik with 14.5/19, half a point ahead of former World Champion
Max Euwe. Smyslov finished third with 12.5/19, and this confirmed
his status as one of the world's top players.
Smyslov found it tough going for the next while however, once he
was back playing in Soviet events. In the next Soviet Championship
(15th USSR Championship, Leningrad 1947), he tied for 3rd-4th
places with 12/19, as Keres won. At Parnu 1947, Smyslov scored 8/13
for a tied 4th-6th places, as Keres won again. At Warsaw 1947,
Smyslov scored 6/9 to tie for 2nd-5th places; the winner was
Svetozar Gligoric. In the Mikhail Chigorin Memorial tournament,
Moscow 1947, Smyslov tied for 3rd-4th places, with 10/15, as
Botvinnik won.
His results showed a consistent pattern of high finishes against
strong company, but with virtually no tournament championships.
Smyslov had never actually won an adult tournament other than the
Moscow City Championship, before he played in the 1948 World
Championship Tournament.
++1.C World title challenger
Smyslov was one of the five players selected to compete for the
1948 World Chess Championship tournament to determine who should
succeed the late Alexander Alekhine as champion. His selection was
questioned in some quarters, but this criticism was amply rebutted
when he finished second behind Mikhail Botvinnik, with a score of
11/20.
With his second-place finish from the 1948 World Championship,
Smyslov was exempt into the 1950 Budapest Candidates' tournament.
Smyslov scored 10/18 for third place, behind Bronstein and
Boleslavsky, who tied for first place. Smyslov's third place
exempted him into the next Candidates' tournament. He was awarded
the International Grandmaster title in 1950 by FIDE on its
inaugural list.
After winning the Candidates Tournament in Zurich 1953, with 18/28,
two points ahead of Keres, Bronstein, and Samuel Reshevsky, Smyslov
played a match with Botvinnik for the title the following year.
Sited at Moscow, the match ended in a draw, after 24 games (seven
wins each and ten draws), meaning that Botvinnik retained his
title.
++1.D World Champion
Smyslov had again won the Candidates' Tournament at Amsterdam in
1956, which led to another world championship match against
Botvinnik in 1957. Assisted by trainers Vladimir Makogonov and
Vladimir Simagin, Smyslov won by the score 12.5-9.5. The following
year, Botvinnik exercised his right to a rematch, and won the title
back with a final score of 12.5-10.5. Smyslov later said his health
suffered during the return match, as he came down with pneumonia,
but he also acknowledged that Botvinnik had prepared very
thoroughly. Over the course of the three World Championship
matches, Smyslov had won 18 games to Botvinnik's 17 (with 34
draws), and yet he was only champion for a year. Yet Smyslov was to
write in his autobiographical games collection Smyslov's Best
Games, "I have no reason to complain of my fate. I fulfilled my
dream and became the seventh world champion in the history of
chess."
++1.E Later World Championships
Smyslov did not qualify for another World Championship, but
continued to play in World Championship qualifying events. In 1959,
he was a Candidate, but finished fourth in the qualifying
tournament held in Yugoslavia, which was won by the rising
superstar Mikhail Tal. He missed out in 1962, but was back in 1964,
following a first-place tie at the Amsterdam Interzonal, with
17/23. However he lost his first-round match to Efim Geller.
In 1983, at the age of 62, he went through to the Candidates' Final
(the match to determine who plays the champion, in that case
Anatoly Karpov), losing 8.5-4.5 at Vilnius 1984 to Garry Kasparov,
who was 21 at the time, and who went on to beat Karpov to become
world champion in 1985. He had beaten Zoltan Ribli 6.5-4.5 in the
semifinal, but drew his quarter-final match against Robert Huebner
7-7, with the advancing player (Smyslov) determined only by the
spin of a roulette wheel. His final Candidates' appearance was the
Montpellier 1985 tournament, where he did not advance.
++1.F Soviet Championships
Smyslov was a frequent competitor at the Soviet Championships and
enjoyed some notable successes. In 1940, while still a teenager, he
finished third behind Bondarevsky and Lilienthal. At the 13th
Championship in 1944, he placed second behind Botvinnik and in
1947, shared third with Bondarevsky, after Keres and Boleslavsky.
He was a joint winner of the contest in 1949 and again in 1955
(with Bronstein and Geller respectively). Whilst the 1949 title was
shared, the 1955 title was awarded to Geller after a play-off.
Much later in his career he showed that he could still mount a
credible challenge; he took a share of third place in 1969 (behind
Petrosian and Polugaevsky) and in 1971, was joint runner-up with
Tal, after Savon.
++1.G Post-war tournament record
Smyslov maintained an active tournament schedule throughout the
1950s, 60s and 70s, registering many top three finishes in some of
the most prestigious tournaments of the period.
In 1950, he was second behind Kotov at Venice and in 1951, won The
Chigorin Memorial, held in Leningrad. He shared third place with
Botvinnik at Budapest (The Maroczy Memorial) in 1952, after Keres
and Geller. In 1953, he won a training tournament in Gagra and
finished third at Bucharest, behind Tolush and Petrosian. At the
1954-1955 edition of the Hastings Congress, he shared first place
with Keres. At Zagreb 1955, he was sole winner, two clear points
ahead of the field. He continued his winning streak at Moscow's
Alekhine Memorial in 1956, a victory shared with his constant
rival, Botvinnik. During this period, there were several triumphs
in his city of birth, when he shared first place with Bronstein and
Spassky in 1959, was a joint winner in both 1961 (with Kholmov) and
1962 (with Vasiukov), and won outright in 1963.
His good form continued throughout the sixties. There were shares
of second place at Dortmund 1961 (after Taimanov) and at Mar del
Plata 1962 (after Polugaevsky). He travelled again to Hastings at
the end of 1962 and registered third place behind Gligoric and
Kotov. In 1963, he was second at Sochi (The Chigorin Memorial)
after Polugaevsky. His visit to Havana's Capablanca Memorial in
1964 resulted in a share of first with the East German, Uhlmann. He
took outright first at the same tournament the following year. In
1966, there were victories at Mar del Plata and at The Rubinstein
Memorial in Polanica Zdroj. In 1967, he was second to Fischer at
Monte Carlo, won at Moscow and took second after Stein at the
city's Alekhine Memorial tournament. He placed third the same year
at The Capablanca Memorial in Havana (after Larsen and Taimanov)
and finished third again at Palma de Mallorca 1967 and Monte Carlo
1968, the latter two events both being headed by Larsen and
Botvinnik. This was also the year he repeated his previous success
at Polanica Zdroj, taking outright first. His next trip to Hastings
also ended in triumph, as he took clear first at the 1968/69
edition. The sixties drew to a close with victory at Monte Carlo
1969 (shared with Portisch) and a share of third place at Skopje
1969 (with Uhlmann and Kholmov, after Hort and Matulovic).
While less prolific than in previous decades, Smyslov played many
strong tournaments in the seventies and even into the eighties and
beyond. He was joint runner-up with Hort, Gligoric and Korchnoi at
Rovinj/Zagreb 1970, after Fischer. A winner at Amsterdam in 1971,
he came third at The Alekhine Memorial (Moscow) the same year,
after Karpov and Stein. At Las Palmas 1972, he was second equal
with Larsen, behind Portisch and in 1973, topped The Capablanca
Memorial in Cienfuegos. First place followed at Reykjavik in 1974
and at the Venice tournament of the same year, he finished second
behind Liberzon. There followed a second place at The Alexander
Memorial (Teesside) in 1975 (after Geller), a first place at
Szolnok (also 1975), and a multi-way share of second at the large
Lone Pine Open of 1976 (Petrosian won). He finished third behind
Romanishin and Tal at Leningrad in 1977, when all three eclipsed
the efforts of then world champion Anatoly Karpov. In 1978, he won
at Sao Paulo and finished with a share of second at Buenos Aires,
after Andersson. As the seventies ended, he took first place at
Berlin 1979, this time shared with Csom.
Notable outcomes for 1980 included joint first places at San Miguel
(with Browne, Panno, Emma) and at Copenhagen (the Politiken Cup,
with Mikhalchishin). The same year, he finished second at Bar,
after Petrosian and second at Baguio City, after Torre. At Moscow
1981, he joined Kasparov and Polugaevsky in second place, behind
Karpov. A further Hastings visit in 1981/82 resulted in a share of
second place, with Speelman, after Kupreichik. He was first at Graz
in 1984 and first equal at Copenhagen (Politiken Cup) 1986 with
Chernin, Pigusov and Cserna. He played at Reggio Emilia over the
New Year of 1986/87 and shared second spot with Hort, Chernin and
Spassky, after Ribli. At Hastings in 1988/89, he took a share of
third with Gulko and Speelman, behind Short and Korchnoi.
His tournament appearances were relatively more sparse in the
nineties, but results included a share of first at Buenos Aires
1990 and a share of second at Malmo (Sigeman) in 1997, after
Hellers.
++1.H Team competition
Smyslov and Yuri Averbach, 2002
Smyslov represented the Soviet Union a total of nine times at chess
Olympiads, from 1952 to 1972 inclusive, excepting only 1962 and
1966. He contributed mightily to team gold medal wins on each
occasion he played, winning a total of eight individual medals. His
total of 17 Olympiad medals won, including team and individual
medals, is an all-time Olympiad record, according to olimpbase.org.
At Helsinki 1952, he played second board, and won the individual
gold medal with 10.5/13. At Amsterdam 1954, he was again on second
board, scored 9/12, and took the individual bronze medal. At Moscow
1956, he scored 8.5/13 on second board, but failed to win a medal.
At Munich 1958, he made 9.5/13 on second board, good for the silver
individual medal. At Leipzig 1960, he was dropped to first reserve,
and made a great score of 11.5/13, which won the gold medal. After
missing out on selection in 1962, he returned for Tel Aviv 1964, on
third board, and won the gold medal with 11/13. He missed selection
in 1966, but returned with a vengeance for Lugano 1968, and made a
phenomenal 11/12 for another gold medal as second reserve. At
Siegen 1970, he was first reserve, and scored 8/11 for the bronze
medal. His final Olympiad was Skopje 1972, where at age 51 he
played third board and scored 11/14, good for the silver medal.
His overall Olympiad score is an imposing 90 points in 113 games
(+69 =42 -2), for 79.6 per cent. This performance is the fifth all-
time best for players participating in at least four olympiads
Smyslov also represented the USSR in five European Team
Championships, and emerged with a perfect medals' record: he won
five team gold medals and five board gold medals. His total score
in these events was (+19 =15 -1), for 75.7 per cent. From
olimpbase.org, here is his European teams' data.
* Vienna 1957: board 1, 3.5/6 (+2 =3 -1), board and team gold
medals;
* Oberhausen 1961: board 5, 9/9 (+7 =2 -0), board and team gold
medals;
* Hamburg 1965: board 4, 6/9 (+3 =6 -0), board and team gold
medals;
* Kapfenberg 1970: board 5, 5/6 (+4 =2 - 0), board and team gold
medals;
* Bath, Somerset 1973: board 6, 4/5 (+3 =2 - 0), board and team
gold medals.
Smyslov played for the USSR in both the 1970 and 1984 matches
against teams representing the Rest of the World. He was on board
six at Belgrade in 1970, and on board four at London in 1984, with
the Soviets winning both matches.
++1.I Final years
In 1991 Smyslov won the inaugural World Senior Chess Championship.
He played no competitive games after the 2001 Klompendans Veterans
versus Ladies tournament in Amsterdam. His Elo rating after this
event was 2494.
Smyslov died of heart failure in hospital in Moscow on the morning
of 27 March 2010, three days after his 89th
birthday.
++1.J Legacy
Vasily Smyslov congratulates Yuri Averbakh at his 80th birthday and
presents him with a book of his own chess studies.
Smyslov was known for his positional style, and, in particular, his
precise handling of the endgame, but many of his games featured
spectacular tactical shots as well. He made enormous contributions
to chess opening theory in many openings, including the English
Opening, Gruenfeld Defense, and the Sicilian Defense. He has a
variation of the Closed Ruy Lopez named for him: the line runs 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. Smyslov also successfully revived the Fianchetto
Defense to the Ruy Lopez (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6) in the
1970s. In the Slav Defense, the main line with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 is named the Czech or Smyslov
Variation.
Perhaps in tribute to his probing intellect, Stanley Kubrick named
a character after him in his film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
++1.K Opera singer
Smyslov was a fine baritone singer, who only positively decided
upon a chess career after a failed audition with the Bolshoi
Theatre in 1950. He once said, "I have always lived between chess
and music." On the occasion of a game against Mikhail Botvinnik, he
sang to an audience of thousands. He occasionally gave recitals
during chess tournaments, often accompanied by fellow Grandmaster
and concert pianist Mark Taimanov. Smyslov once wrote that he tried
to achieve harmony on the chess board, with each piece assisting
the others.
++1.L Notable chess games
* Tigran Petrosian vs Vasily Smyslov, USSR Championship, Moscow
1949, Sicilian Defense, Scheveningen Variation (B84), 0-1 The
first meeting of two future World Champions goes to Smyslov in
a precise positional performance.
* Vasily Smyslov vs Efim Geller, USSR Championship, Moscow 1951,
Sicilian Defense, Closed Variation (B26), 1-0 Smyslov used the
Closed Sicilian periodically throughout his life, and made
many important improvements.
* Paul Keres vs Vasily Smyslov, Zurich Candidates' Tournament
1953, English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. Hedgehog System
(A17) 0-1 In a vital late-tournament encounter, Smyslov fights
off Keres' very dangerous attack, to put himself in the
driver's seat towards winning the tournament.
* Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Botvinnik, World Championship Match,
Moscow 1954, game 9, French Defense, Winawer Variation (C17),
1-0 Smyslov blows up one of the World Champion's favourite
variations with a queen sacrifice to score a stunning win.
* Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov, World Championship Match,
Moscow 1954, game 14, King's Indian Defense, Fianchetto
Variation (E68), 0-1 With one of the deepest pre-game home
preparations ever seen, Smyslov unleashes a chain of tactical
wizardry, including a queen sacrifice, to record a beautiful
win which fundamentally changed the theory in this variation.
* Vasily Smyslov vs David Bronstein, Candidates' Tournament,
Amsterdam 1956, English Opening (A34), 1-0 The two players
were fighting for the right to qualify, late in the
tournament, and Smyslov finds a way to come out on top.
* Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Tal, Candidates' Tournament,
Yugoslavia 1959, Sicilian Defense, Najdorf / Opecensky
Variation (B92), 1-0 It was their first-ever meeting, and the
young star Tal gets a sharp lesson from the veteran.
* Robert Fischer vs Vasily Smyslov, Candidates' Tournament,
Yugoslavia 1959, Sicilian Defense, Fischer / Sozin Variation
(B86), 0-1 The 16-year-old Fischer had honed this opening line
into a formidable weapon, but here Smyslov shows him a few new
wrinkles.
* Vasily Smyslov vs Boris Spassky, Moscow vs Leningrad team
match 1960, Alekhine's Defense (B05), 1-0 Spassky tries the
unusual Alekhine's Defense and is beaten in fairly short
order.
* Vasily Smyslov vs Anatoly Karpov, USSR Championship, Leningrad
1971, English Opening / Queen's Gambit (A34), 1-0 Karpov was
the young rising star, but here he lasts for only 29 moves
against Smyslov, who is 30 years older.
* Vasily Smyslov vs Garry Kasparov, Soviet Olympiad Training
tournament (?) 1980, Sicilian Defense, Scheveningen Variation
(B84), 1-0 Smyslov spots the young Kasparov 42 years, but
shows chess is a game for all ages with a precise victory over
the future World Champion.
++1.M Books by Smyslov
* Vasily Smyslov (2003) Smyslov's Best Games, Volume 1:
1935-1957 (Moravian Chess Publishing House)
* Vasily Smyslov (2003) Smyslov's Best Games, Volume 2:
1958-1995 (Moravian Chess Publishing House)
* Vasily Smyslov (1997) Endgame Virtuoso (Cadogan)
* Vasily Smyslov (1995) Smyslov's 125 Selected Games (modern
edition published by Everyman Chess)
* Grigory Levenfish and Vasily Smyslov (1971) Rook Endings
(Batsford Edition)
++2. Alexander Kotov
Alexander Alexandrovich Kotov (August 12, 1913 - January 8, 1981)
was a Soviet chess grandmaster and author. He was a Soviet
champion, a two-time world title Candidate, and a prolific chess
author. Kotov served in high posts in the Soviet Chess Federation
and most of his books were written during the period of Cold War
between the US and the USSR. Therefore, his works tended to be
rather critical of (and occasionally somewhat dismissive toward)
American players. Russian players, on the other hand, were
presented and described in a particularly favorable light.
Kotov's books also included frequent praise for the Soviet system
in general. For example, the 1958 book, The Soviet School of Chess
(which he co-wrote with Mikhail Yudovich) stated that "The rise of
the Soviet school to the summit of world chess is a logical result
of socialist cultural development." At the time, statements such as
this were sufficiently controversial that Western publishers felt
compelled to include disclaimers in versions of his books that were
translated for distribution to English-speaking countries. Dover
Publications, Inc.'s 1961 paperback version of The Soviet School of
Chess was distributed primarily to Western countries and included
an introduction that stated "...literature of this type, though
helpful in our ultimate understanding of the game, is very often
riddled with distortion. The publishers of this Dover edition are
very much concerned that readers be aware of the propaganda
techniques employed, even in the history of chess, by the Soviet
Union."
Notwithstanding Kotov's forays into the political realm, his books
were insightful and informative and were written in a congenial
style. He often made his points by citing first-hand stories of
incidents involving famous grandmasters, most of whom he knew
personally. Such entertaining and enlightening personal accounts
helped to ensure that his books would remain popular among chess
players of widely varying nationalities and playing strengths.
++2.A Early life
Kotov was born in Tula, which was part of the Russian Empire, to a
large working class family. He moved to Moscow in 1939 to study
engineering, and during this time studied chess a great deal.
++2.B Grandmaster
While best remembered today as an author, Kotov also had a number
of good results as a player. One of his best early results was his
second place finish in the 1939 USSR Championship, just missing out
to Mikhail Botvinnik in the final round. This result won him the
Soviet Grandmaster title, the third Soviet player to hold the title
after Botvinnik and Grigory Levenfish. Kotov was Moscow champion in
1941. He won the Soviet title jointly with David Bronstein in 1948,
and won at Venice in 1950, ahead of Vasily Smyslov.
He was granted the title of International Grandmaster in 1951 by
the World Chess Federation. At this time, Kotov also held high
posts in the Soviet Chess Federation.
In the first ever Candidates Tournament of 1950 (the tournament to
determine who challenges the World Champion, who at the time was
Botvinnik) held in Budapest, he scored 8.5/18. He had qualified for
the event by finishing fourth in the 1948 Interzonal Tournament in
Stockholm, scoring 11.5/19.
Perhaps his best result came at the 1952 Saltsjvbaden Interzonal,
which he won with a score of 16.5/20, three clear points ahead of
Tigran Petrosian and Mark Taimanov in second place, and without
losing a game. In the following Candidates Tournament in Zurich, he
scored 14/28, and was the only person to win a game against the
tournament's winner, Smyslov.
Kotov played for the USSR at the Chess Olympiads of 1952 and 1954,
contributing to team gold medal victories. He was the second
reserve board both times; at Helsinki 1952 he scored 2/3, while at
Amsterdam 1954, he made 4/6. After 1960, all the tournaments he
took part in were outside the USSR. They included a shared first
place with Svetozar Gligoric at Hastings in 1962, half a point
ahead of Smyslov. He played in very few tournaments in his later
years.
++2.C Author
Kotov was a great admirer of World Champion Alexander Alekhine, and
wrote a comprehensive four-volume biographical series of books on
his life and career, which were published between 1953 and 1958.
The work significantly contributed to Alekhine's rehabilitation in
the Soviet Union.
His trilogy of books Think Like a Grandmaster, Play Like a
Grandmaster, and Train Like a Grandmaster, are his best known, with
Think Like a Grandmaster, which was translated from the Russian by
Bernard Cafferty, and published by Batsford in 1971 being
particularly famous. The book is not concerned with advising where
pieces should be placed on the board, or tactical motifs, but
rather with the method of thinking that should be employed during
a game. Kotov's advice to identify candidate moves and methodically
examine them to build up an "analysis tree" remains well known
today.
Kotov contributed to the Yugoslav series Encyclopedia of Chess
Openings (ECO), which began in 1974, and to the associated games
book series Chess Informator as an analyst.
The importance and breadth of Kotov's work as a chess author ranks
him among the all-time greats in this field.
++2.D Playing style
Kotov developed a sharp style, was definitely not afraid of
complications on the chessboard, and willingly entered into them
against even the greatest of opponents. He favoured the closed
openings with White, and was a terror with the Sicilian Defense as
Black.
++2.E Kotov syndrome
In Kotov's 1971 book Think Like a Grandmaster, he described a
situation when a player thinks very hard for a long time in a
complicated position but does not find a clear path, then running
low on time quickly makes a poor move, often a blunder. The term
has been applied to similar non-chess situations, and is the title
of a song on the album Appeal to Reason (October 7, 2008) by the
punk rock band Rise Against.
++2.F Notable chess games
* Alexander Kotov vs Alexander Tolush, Leningrad Championship
1938, Neo-Grunfeld Defense (D76), 1-0 Tolush was a dangerous
attacker, but he is the one subdued here.
* Alexander Kotov vs Tigran Petrosian, USSR Championship, Moscow
1949, Queen's Gambit, Exchange Variation (D36), 1-0 Petrosian,
later World Champion, loses a game he would never forget,
falling into an opening trap and resigning in only 13 moves.
* Alexander Kotov vs Paul Keres, Budapest Candidates Tournament
1950, Nimzo-Indian Defense, Saemisch Variation (E24), 1-0
Kotov was near the peak of his form, and dealt Keres a costly
loss.
* Yuri Averbakh vs Alexander Kotov, Zurich Candidates Tournament
1953, Old Indian Defense (A55), 0-1 Kotov's most famous game
is one of the all-time greats of sacrificial chess, as Black
gives up his Queen for long-term pressure which eventually
leads to a mating finish.
++2.G Writings
* Alexander Alekhine by Alexander Kotov, four volumes, Moscow,
1953-1958.
* The Art of the Middle Game, by Paul Keres and Alexander Kotov
(translated from the Russian by Harry Golombek), London, Dover
1962, ISBN 0486261549.
* Think Like a Grandmaster, by Alexander Kotov (translated from
the Russian by Bernard Cafferty), London, Batsford 1971,
(Algebraic Edition 2003) ISBN 0713478853.
* Play Like a Grandmaster, by Alexander Kotov (translated from
the Russian by Bernard Cafferty), London, Batsford 1973,
(Algebraic Edition 2003) ISBN 0713418079.
* World Championship Interzonals: Leningrad--Petropolis 1973, by
R.G. Wade, L.S. Blackstock, and Alexander Kotov, New York, RHM
Chess Publishing 1974, ISBN 0213428512.
* Train Like a Grandmaster, by Alexander Kotov (translated from
the Russian by Bernard Cafferty), London, Batsford 1981, ISBN
0713436099.
* Chess Tactics, by Alexander Kotov (translated from the Russian
and edited by John Littlewood), London, Batsford 1983, ISBN
0713425628.
* Grandmaster at Work, by Alexander Kotov (first English
edition), Macon, American Chess Promotions 1990, ISBN
0939298864.
* The Soviet School of Chess, by Alexander Kotov and Mikhail
Yudovich, Los Angeles, University Press of the Pacific 2001,
ISBN 0898754151.
++3. Vasily Smyslov - Alexander Kotov, Moscow 1943
Moscow Championship, Moscow 1943
White: Vasily Smyslov
Black: Alexander Kotov
Result: 1-0
ECO: B25 - Sicilian Defense, Closed Variation
Notes by R.J. Macdonald
1. e4 c5
(The Sicilian Defense.)
2. Nc3
(The Closed Variation.)
2. ... Nc6
(White retains a slight advantage after (a) 2. ... g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5.
Bb5 Nc6 6. Bxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Nh5 8. Nf3 Qb6 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. Be3 Ba6; (b) 2. ...
d6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7; or (c) 2. ... e6 3. Nf3 d6 4.
d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Be3 Be7 7. Qf3 0-0 8. Be2 Nc6 9. 0-0-0 Qa5.)
3. g3 g6
4. Bg2 Bg7
5. d3 d6
6. Nf3
(More often played here are 6. Be3, 6. f4, or 6. Nge2.)
6. ... e6
7. Bg5!?
(7. 0-0 is the logical alternative.)
7. ... Nge7
8. Qd2 h6
(8. ... Nd4 9. h4 h6 10. Be3 e5 (10. ... Nce6 equalizes) 11. Nh2 (11. Rb1 Be6
12. 0-0 Qd7 13. Nh2 g5 14. hxg5 hxg5 15. Bxg5 Bh3 16. f3 f6 17. Be3 0-0-0 18.
g4 Rh4 19. Bf2 Rh7 20. Bg3 Rdh8 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. exd5 Bh6 23. Qf2 Bf4 24. Bxf4
exf4 25. c3 Bxg2 0-1 in 41 moves, as in the game V. Samolins (2256) - H.
Simonsen (2295), Turin 2006) 11. ... Be6 12. f4 h5 13. 0-0 exf4 14. Bxf4 0-0
15. Nd1 d5 16. c3 Ndc6 17. Nf2 Qd7 18. Nf3 dxe4 19. Nxe4 b6 20. Nfg5 Bg4 21.
Nd6 Rad8 22. Ngxf7 Rxf7 23. Nxf7 1/2-1/2 in 62 moves, as in the game D. Norwood
(2515) - K. Hulak (2560), Marseille 1990.)
9. Be3 e5
(9. ... Nd4 10. 0-0 e5 (10. ... Nec6 11. Ne1 Qa5 12. Nd1 Qa6 13. a3 b5 14. Rb1
Bb7 15. h3 Kf8 16. f4 f5 17. g4 Kg8 18. c3 Nb3 19. Qc2 Nca5 20. exf5 gxf5 21.
gxf5 exf5 22. Bf2 b4 23. Ne3 Rf8 24. axb4 cxb4 25. d4 1-0 in 38 moves, as in
the game A. Kogan (2500) - M. Ashley (2445), Budapest 1997) 11. Ne1 Be6 12. Nd5
Nxd5 13. exd5 Bd7 14. c3 Nf5 15. Nc2 0-0 16. h3 Rc8 17. a4 b6 18. Kh2 Rc7 19.
g4 Nxe3 20. fxe3 c4 21. Nb4 cxd3 22. Qxd3 Qh4 23. Qe4 h5 24. gxh5 0-1 in 71
moves, as in the game J. Raphael (2220) - J. Garcia (2315), Elista 1998.)
10. 0-0 Be6
(10. ... Nd4 11. h4 offers equal chances.)
11. Ne1
(Without f4 White has no chance to get the initiative. 11. a4 Nd4 leads to
equality.)
11. ... Qd7
(11. ... g5 12. Nd5 offers equal chances.)
12. a3
(This consolidates b4. 12. Nd5 g5 offers equal chances.)
12. ... Bh3
(12. ... Nd4 13. Rb1 leads to equality. An interesting possibility is 12. ...
g5!?, which leads to an unclear position: 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. exd5 Nd4 15. Rb1.
(M. Calle Soto (2091) - N. Agababean (2353), Bled 2002 led to a draw after 37
moves.))
13. f4
(13. Bxh3 Qxh3 14. b4 b6 offers equal chances.)
13. ... Nd4
(13. ... exf4 14. Bxh3 Qxh3 15. Bxf4 is slightly better for black.)
14. Rb1
(14. Bxh3 Qxh3 15. fxe5 dxe5 offers equal chances.)
14. ... exf4
(14. ... Bxg2 15. Nxg2 Rd8 16. Rf2 leads to equality.)
15. Bxf4
(15. Bxh3 Qxh3 16. Bxf4 Qd7 leads to equality.)
15. ... Bxg2
16. Qxg2
(Now, White is ready for the attack on the kingside.)
16. ... 0-0
(16. ... g5 17. Bd2 gives black a slight edge.)
17. g4
(17. Nf3 Rae8 offers equal chances.)
17. ... Rad8
(17. ... b5 18. g5 hxg5 19. Bxg5 gives black a slight advantage.)
18. Kh1
(18. Nf3 Ne6 19. Bg3 b5 gives black a slight advantage.)
18. ... Ne6
(18. ... g5 19. Be3 gives black a slight advantage.)
19. Bd2 d5
20. Nf3 d4?!
(Black threatens to win material: d4xc3. Black has blocked the position in the
center, which suited white. Better was 20. ... dxe4 21. Nxe4 Nd5. {Also
interesting is 20. ... c4!?.)
21. Ne2 Nc6
(21. ... c4!? looks like a viable alternative with a slight edge for black.)
22. Qh3
(White now has a slight advantage.)
22. ... Kh7
23. Ng3 f6
(This secures e5+g5.)
Key Move Diagram:
3r1r2/
pp1q2bk/
2n1nppp/
2p5/
3pP1P1/
P2P1NNQ/
1PPB3P/
1R3R1K
Position after black's 23rd move.
24. Nf5!
(A deep positional piece sacrifice. However, the idea of this sacrifice in this
case is not to regain the piece immediately but to increase the attack by
exerting pressure. Here, one should not calculate variations but play according
to general principal evaluation of position. The pressure on h6 grows.)
24. ... gxf5
(If Black rejects the sacrifice with 24. ... g5, white will have a clear
advantage due to his well placed knight on f5.)
25. gxf5
(Black wins a piece, but...)
25. ... Nc7
(Inferior is 25. ... Ng5 26. Bxg5 fxg5 27. Nxg5+ Kh8 (27. ... Kg8 28. Ne6 is
very strong for white) 28. Ne6 Rde8 29. Nxg7 Qxg7 30. Rg1 Qh7 (30. ... Qd7 31.
Rg6 Rf7 32. Rbg1 Rh7 33. Qh4 is very strong for white) 31. Rg6 Qxg6 32. fxg6
Kg7 33. b4 is very strong for white.)
26. Rg1
(White threatens: 27. Rxg7+ Kxg7 28. Rg1+ Kf7 29. Qh5+ Ke7 30. Rg7+ with a very
strong position for white. White also threatens 27. Bxh6 Bxh6 28. Rg6 Qg7 29.
Rxg7+ Kxg7 30. Rg1+ Kf7 31. Qxh6, again with a very strong position for white.)
Key Move Diagram:
3r1r2/
ppnq2bk/
2n2p1p/
2p2P2/
3pP3/
P2P1N1Q/
1PPB3P/
1R4RK
Position after white's 26th move.
26. ... Ne8??
(26. ... Rf7 27. Nh4 would leave white with only a slight advantage.)
27. Rg6?!
(Better is 27. Bxh6 Kg8 28. Bxg7 Nxg7 with a very strong position for white.
Also winning for white is 27. Rg4 h5 (27. ... Rh8 28. Bxh6 Kg8 29. Rbg1 Qf7 30.
Rh4 is very strong for white) 28. Qxh5+ Kg8 29. Rbg1 Rf7 30. Bh6.)
Key Move Diagram:
3rnr2/
pp1q2bk/
2n2pRp/
2p2P2/
3pP3/
P2P1N1Q/
1PPB3P/
1R5K
Position after white's 27th move.
27. ... Rf7??
(Better is 27. ... Rh8! 28. Bxh6 Kg8 29. Rbg1 Rh7 30. Qh4 Qf7 (30. ... Kf7 31.
R1g5 gives white a moderate advantage) 31. Bxg7 Rxh4 (31. ... Nxg7? 32. Qxf6)
32. Bxf6+ Kf8 33. Bxh4 Rd6 34. Ng5 Rxg6 35. Nxf7 Rxg1+ 36. Kxg1 Kxf7 37. Bg3,
where White has somewhat better chances in this ending.)
28. Rbg1
(White increases the pressure on the g-file and threatens Rxh6-h8. Interesting
is 28. Bxh6!? Kg8 29. Rbg1 Ne7 30. Bxg7 Rxg7 31. Rxg7+ Nxg7 32. Qh6 Nexf5 33.
exf5 Rf8 34. Nd2 with a very strong position for white. White is a pawn up and
has a strong attack.)
28. ... Kg8
29. Rxh6 Kf8
(29. ... Rf8 30. Qh5.)
30. Rh7 Ke7
(30. ... Rc8 31. Bh6 Ke7 32. Rgxg7 (weaker is 32. Bxg7 Kd8, though still very
strong for white; 32. Rhxg7?! Nxg7 33. Bxg7 Qd6 is also very strong for white)
32. ... Nxg7 33. Bxg7 gives white a very strong advantage. 33. Rxg7?! Rxg7 34.
Bxg7 Qe8 gives white only a slight advantage.)
Key Move Diagram:
3rn3/
pp1qkrbR/
2n2p2/
2p2P2/
3pP3/
P2P1N1Q/
1PPB3P/
6RK w
Position after black's 30th move.
31. Qh5!
(31. Rg6 Rc8 32. Ng5 Ne5 (32. ... fxg5?? 33. Bxg5+ Bf6 34. Rxf6 Nxf6 35. Bxf6+
Kxf6 36. Qh4+ Ke5 37. Qg3+ Kf6 38. Qg6+ Ke5 39. Rxf7 Qxf7 40. Qxf7 is decisive
for white) 33. Nxf7 Nxg6 34. fxg6 Qxh3 35. Rxh3 c4 is very strong for white.)
Key Move Diagram:
3rn3/
pp1qkrbR/
2n2p2/
2p2P1Q/
3pP3/
P2P1N2/
1PPB3P/
6RK
Position after white's 31st move.
31. ... Kd6??
(Black crumbles in a dire situation. 31. ... Rc8 32. Ng5! (Pinning f6) 32. ...
fxg5 33. Bxg5+ Kd6 34. Bf4+ Ke7 35. f6+ Nxf6 (35. ... Kxf6 36. Rg6+ Ke7 37.
Bg5+ Nf6 38. Rxf6 Rxf6 39. Rxg7+ Kd8 40. Bxf6+ Kc7 41. Rxd7+ Kxd7 42. Qf7+ Kd6
43. e5+ Nxe5 44. Qe7+ Kc6 45. Qe6+ Kc7 46. Bxe5+ Kd8 47. Bd6 Rc7 48. Qf6+ Kd7
49. Qe7+ Kc6 50. Qxc7+ Kd5 51. Qd7 c4 52. Bb8+ Kc5 53. a4 cxd3 54. Qb5#) 36.
Rgxg7 Nxh5 37. Rxf7+ Ke6 38. Rxd7 Nxf4 39. Rxb7 Rg8 is decisive for white.)
32. Bf4+ Ne5
(32. ... Ke7 doesn't improve anything after 33. Rg6 Rc8 34. Ng5 with a decisive
advantage for white.)
33. Bxe5+ fxe5
Key Move Diagram:
3rn3/
pp1q1rbR/
3k4/
2p1pP1Q/
3pP3/
P2P1N2/
1PP4P/
6RK
Position after black's 33rd move.
34. f6!!
(With this nice tactical attack white wins the game.)
34. ... Nxf6
(34. ... Nxf6 35. Qxe5+ with a discovered attack.)
35. Qxe5+ Kc6
Key Move Diagram:
3r4/
pp1q1rbR/
2k2n2/
2p1Q3/
3pP3/
P2P1N2/
1PP4P/
6RK
Position after black's 35th move.
36. Rhxg7!
(Deflection: g7.)
36. ... Kb5
(If 36. ... Rxg7 37. Qxf6+ with a double attack.)
Key Move Diagram:
3r4/
pp1q1rR1/
5n2/
1kp1Q3/
3pP3/
P2P1N2/
1PP4P/
6RK
Position after black's 36th move.
37. Nxd4+! Kb6
(37. ... Qxd4 38. c4+ with a double attack.)
38. b4
(38. Rxf7 might be the shorter path: 38. ... Qxf7 39. Rg6 Rxd4 is decisive for
white. Weaker is 39. ... Qxg6 40. Qe6+ Kc7 41. Nb5+ Kb8 42. Qe5+ Ka8 43. Nc7+
Kb8 44. Na6+ Ka8 45. Qb8+ Rxb8 46. Nc7#.)
38. ... Rc8
(38. ... Qxd4 is the last chance for counterplay: 39. Qxd4 Rxd4 40. Rxf7 Ne8 is
still very strong for white.)
39. Rxf7 Qxf7
40. Qd6+ Rc6
41. Nxc6 Nxe4
42. bxc5+
(Black resigned in view of 42. bxc5+ Ka6 43. Nb8+ Ka5 44. Qd8+ b6 45. Nc6+ Kb5
46. Nd4+ Ka6 47. dxe4 Ka5 48. cxb6 a6 49. b7+ Ka4 50. b8=Q Qc4 51. Ra1 Qb5 52.
Qxb5+ axb5 53. Qa8#. 42. dxe4?! allows 42. ... Qf3+ 43. Rg2 Qf1+ 44. Rg1 Qf3+
45. Rg2 Qf1+ 46. Rg1 Qf3+ with3 3-fold repetition.)
1-0
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