{"id":2302,"date":"2023-05-02T17:33:56","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T17:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/?p=2302"},"modified":"2023-05-23T11:27:40","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T11:27:40","slug":"chess-world-champions-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/chess-world-champions-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"A Journey Back in Time: Chess World Champions Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Part Two of learning about Chess World Champions, we take a look at the Soviet Dominance on the World Championship throne, starting with Mikhail Botvinnik up until its disruption by Bobby Fischer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Mikhail Botvinnik<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Vasily Smyslov<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Mikhail Tal<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Tigran V. Petrosian<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Boris Spassky<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Bobby Fischer<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Mikhail Botvinnik<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1948-1957<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1958-1960<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1961-1963<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Botvinnik is considered to be one of the best players and influencers in chess, not only due to his long reign as World Champion, but also his mentorship and training of top players including the likes of Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Vladimir Kramnik. It is for this reason, and the fact that he paved the way for Soviet dominance in chess, that he was (and still is) known as the father of the Soviet Chess School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    His style can be categorized as scientific and meticulous, with a big emphasis on theoretical research which gave him an edge in the opening phase. Most probably his own harshest critic, Botvinnik would deeply study his own games and therefore understood the weaknesses and strengths in his play. Interestingly, he considered himself to be a universal player who could fine-tune his style according to who he was playing against. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By the late 1930s, it was clear that Botvinnik was ready to challenge Alekhine (the then World Champion) for the throne. However, due to multiple factors such as Alekhine’s refusal to play, and the outbreak of World War II, it would take many more years for this challenge to be realized. Finally, after the war, an agreement was made and an Alekhine-Botvinnik match was scheduled to take place. However, matters were only further complicated due to Alekhine’s unexpected death in 1946. As chaos and uncertainty unraveled, the chess world needed a champion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then, in 1948, a World Championship Match Tournament was set up between 5 of the top players at the time – Botvinnik, Euwe, Keres, Reshevsky, and Smyslov. Botvinnik triumphed in the tournament, winning all four matches against his esteemed opponents. He would go on to keep the title until 1963, losing it only briefly to Smyslov and Tal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here is a game annotated in Modern Chess: From Steinitz to the 21st Century<\/a> between Botvinnik and the former World Champion, Max Euwe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n

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