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jay@tweekco.ness.com (Jay Whitley) 

Re: Botvinnik dies

Mon, 08 May 95 02:34:36 PDT Tweek-Com Systems BBS, Moraga, CA (510) 631-0615 

Newsgroups: 
   rec.games.chess 

Here are some additional quotes about Botvinnik:
 
Botvinnik has said that each world championship match has cost
him a year of his life.  He may have meant by this that the
necessary preparation for such a match took a year, but it is
still more likely that he meant the anguish and the pain caused
by the whole contest shortened his life expectation by one year.
- -Harry Golombek, Chess Life, May 1963
 
Botvinnik's secret weapon was his capacity for hard work.
Every game he played used to be scrutinized for hours on end,
as he was his most severe critic.  His theoretical knowledge
was phenomenal.  He advocated that chess tournament preparation
should include physical as well as mental exercises. ...
Botvinnik has always been a firm believer that a computer can
become World Champion.
- -George Koltanowski, CHESSNICDOTES II, 1981


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jay@tweekco.ness.com (Jay Whitley) 

Re: Botvinnik dies

Mon, 08 May 95 02:35:24 PDT Tweek-Com Systems BBS, Moraga, CA (510) 631-0615 

Newsgroups: 
   rec.games.chess 

As an unscientific glimpse into some of Botvinnik's contributions
to opening theory, a quick scan through ECO DeLuxe posted by Franz
Hemmer to r.g.c. yielded Botvinnik's name in the following lines:
(granted the name attachment itself isn't particularly telling,
and there are probably many more noteworthy opening lines
attributable to Botvinnik):
 
 
A26 English: Botvinnik system
1.c2c4 e7e5 b1c3 b8c6 g2g3 g7g6 f1g2 f8g7 d2d3 d7d6 e2e4
 
A36 English: symmetrical, Botvinnik system reversed
1.c2c4 c7c5 b1c3 b8c6 g2g3 g7g6 f1g2 f8g7 e2e3 e7e5
A36 English: symmetrical, Botvinnik system
1.c2c4 c7c5 b1c3 b8c6 g2g3 g7g6 f1g2 f8g7 e2e4
 
A37 English: symmetrical, Botvinnik system reversed
1.c2c4 c7c5 b1c3 b8c6 g2g3 g7g6 f1g2 f8g7 g1f3 e7e5
 
A93 Dutch: stonewall, Botwinnik variation
1.d2d4 f7f5 c2c4 g8f6 g2g3 e7e6 f1g2 f8e7 g1f3 e8g8 e1g1 d7d5 b2b3
 
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik attack
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik, Gunderam attack
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 c4c5
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik attack
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik, Herzog defence
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3 b8c6 c1g5 d5c4 d4d5 c6a5
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik, normal variation
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3 b8c6 c1g5 e7e6
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik, Czerniak variation
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3 b8c6 c1g5 d8a5
B13 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik, Reifir (Spielmann) variation
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3 b8c6 c1g5 d8b6
 
B14 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik attack, 5...e6
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3 e7e6
B14 Caro-Kann: Panov-Botvinnik attack, 5...g6
1.e2e4 c7c6 d2d4 d7d5 e4d5 c6d5 c2c4 g8f6 b1c3 g7g6
 
B25 Sicilian: closed, 6.Ne2 e5 (Botvinnik)
1.e2e4 c7c5 b1c3 b8c6 g2g3 g7g6 f1g2 f8g7 d2d3 d7d6 g1e2 e7e5
B25 Sicilian: closed, 6.f4 e5 (Botvinnik)
1.e2e4 c7c5 b1c3 b8c6 g2g3 g7g6 f1g2 f8g7 d2d3 d7d6 f2f4 e7e5
 
C05 French: Tarrasch, Botvinnik variation
1.e2e4 e7e6 d2d4 d7d5 b1d2 g8f6 e4e5 f6d7 f1d3 c7c5 c2c3 b7b6
 
C36 KGA: Abbazia defence, Botvinnik variation
1.e2e4 e7e5 f2f4 e5f4 g1f3 d7d5 e4d5 g8f6 f1b5 c7c6 d5c6 b7c6 b5c4 f6d5
 
D44 QGD semi-Slav: Botvinnik system (anti-Meran)
1.d2d4 d7d5 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 g8f6 g1f3 c7c6 c1g5 d5c4 e2e4
 
D60 QGD: Orthodox defence, Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 d7d5 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 g8f6 c1g5 f8e7 e2e3 e8g8 g1f3 b8d7 f1d3
 
D83 Gruenfeld: Gruenfeld gambit, Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 g7g6 b1c3 d7d5 c1f4 f8g7 e2e3 e8g8 a1c1 c7c5 d4c5 c8e6
 
D95 Gruenfeld: Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 g7g6 b1c3 d7d5 g1f3 f8g7 e2e3 e8g8 d1b3 e7e6
 
E07 Catalan: closed, Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 e7e6 g2g3 d7d5 f1g2 f8e7 g1f3 e8g8 e1g1 b8d7 b1c3 c7c6
 d1d3
 
E12 Queen's Indian: 4.Nc3, Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 e7e6 g1f3 b7b6 b1c3 c8b7 c1g5 h7h6 g5h4 g7g5 h4g3 f6h5
 
E24 Nimzo-Indian: Saemisch, Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 f8b4 a2a3 b4c3 b2c3 c7c5 f2f3 d7d5 e2e3 e8g8
 c4d5 f6d5
 
E36 Nimzo-Indian: classical, Botvinnik variation
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 f8b4 d1c2 d7d5 a2a3 b4c3 c2c3 b8c6
 
E49 Nimzo-Indian: 4.e3, Botvinnik system
1.d2d4 g8f6 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 f8b4 e2e3 e8g8 f1d3 d7d5 a2a3 b4c3 b2c3
 
 
The Oxford Companion to Chess alludes to "Botvinnik Variations"
within many openings including: the English Opening, the
Blumenfeld Variation in the Meran Variation, the QGD, the Dutch
Defence, the Nimzo-Indian Defence, the QID, the Catalan Opening,
the Gruenfeld Defence, the Sicilian Defence, the Caro-Kann
Defence, the King's Gambit Accepted, the French Defence, the
Anti-Meran Gambit, and the Russian Variation of the KID.  That
is certainly quite a variety of openings containing a Botvinnik-
named variation!


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Bit of a puritan, it seems.  "Last time I played blitz was in 1929 on
a train."

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M.D.Crowther@bradford.ac.uk 

THE WEEK IN CHESS 31. Botwinnik is dead.

7 May 1995 14:47:15 -0500 UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway 

Newsgroups: 
   rec.games.chess 

THE WEEK IN CHESS 31            07/05/95        Mark Crowther   
- --------------------------------------------------------------

Part 1

This is a special issue of TWIC to mark the death on Friday
of Mikhail Botwinnik. I have tried to cover the extensive
life of Botwinnik fully. In three areas I haven't done as
much as I would like. The first in the area of his contribution
to chess theory. This is too complicated to do, and probably
beyond my capabilities. The second is an analysis of his style
throughout his career, for which I have the same problem.
I have added 263 games to the end of the posting. I would 
have liked more time to make a proper choice. I hope this is
a fitting tribute to Botwinnik and that it properly reflects
his career.

TWIC 32 will appear as normal next week.

Mark Crowther.

Mikhail Moiseyevich Botwinnik 17th August 1911 - 5th May 1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------

World Chess Champion 1948-1957, 1958-1960, 1961-1963
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

Born in Finland at the seaside resort of Kuokkala (where his parents
were on holiday), died in Moscow. He lived in his formative years in
Leningrad. 

Almost the last link with top class pre-war chess World died on Friday
5th May. Those who saw him recently in Moscow had commented that he was
not looking well, this after many years of relative health. (although
his eyesight, always poor, was deteriorating). His wife died around 10
years ago, and this seemed to spur him to greater mainstream activity
than for many years, he became involved in the experts commission of the
GMA and his views were still sought until recently. 

He attended the Central Chess Club on Gogol Boulevard almost every day,
aided by his nephew Igor Botwinnik and supervised the work on his chess
playing program. 

This Chess Club had recently become the subject of a dispute in which
Botwinnik was involved, almost as a sitting tenant. There were two chess
federations claiming to have the ownership of this now valuable real
estate. Some sources gave this as the reason for the sponsorship of the
Olympiad in Moscow. Sadly he was, along with Karpov, virtually persona
non grata at the FIDE Olympiad. (he was not invited to the opening
ceremony and although he did attend one of the sessions of the FIDE
Congress he didn't speak the following day as he had indicated he
would.)

Since he retired he has devoted himself to computer chess. He wrote an
important early work on computer chess but his contributions were of
less importance in recent times. (Others will be able to speak more
authoritatively upon this. However my feeling, I'm open to correction,
is that his contributions have been meagre.)

He lived quite close to Vassily Smyslov in the last years of his life
and they spoke on the phone almost every day. Indeed Botwinnik quite
frequently spoke to Smyslov's wife, taking her advice on decisions that
he had to make. 

His career, contributions, method, writings and school. Controversy.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------

His Chess Career
- -----------------

Tournaments before becoming World Champion
- ------------------------------------------

Botwinnik's progress, although hardly meteoric by modern standards was
still that of a youthful star of exceptional standard. He learnt chess
at the age of 12 and he made fast progress, so that by the age of 16 he
was already good enough to qualify for the final league of the Soviet
Championships in 1927. This clearly marked him out as the potential
World Champion that the Soviets were seeking, all the other leading
players of the time, Bogatyrtschuk (who later emigrated to Canada and
was simply not mentioned for many years by Soviet historians),
Romanovsky, Dus-Chotimirski and Levenfish for instance were players who
learnt their chess in pre-Revolutionary times. The Soviets had been hit
by the loss of Alekhine (no great surprise, but he did win the first
Soviet Championships) and more bitterly by the defection the previous
year of the Champion of 1924 and 1925 Bogolubov. Botwinnik's
5th= at the age of 16 made him a very obvious candidate for future 
development. This completed what Botwinnik referred to as the first
stage of his development. (the acquiring of elementary knowledge
and technique.) 

In Odessa 1929 he finished 3rd= in the semi-final league of the
Championship, a modest performance. He was also continuing his higher
education at the time, gaining qualifications in Engineering. In 1931 he
won the 7th Soviet Championship at the age of 20 by 2 clear points above
Ryumin, Alatzorzew and Bogatyrtschuk amongst others, and in 1933 he won
again, this time by a single point above a similarly representative
Soviet field. He speaks of the years 1927-33 as the second stage of his
development, one of playing masters who are well trained and
experienced. It concluded with his first International experience when
he contested a match with Flohr in November and December of this year. 

Flohr was a Czech born player who first earned his reputation at the
Carlsbad Tournament of 1929. (He didn't play I hear you say! He attended
as a journalist and at the end of the event almost all the players owed
him money from playing him in the Cafe's surrounding the event. He then
got invitations on the strength of this and won in Hastings 1931-32
above Euwe and Kashdan and in Sliac 1932 level with Vidmar. He was
regarded as one of the rising stars along with Kashdan, but below the
royalty of Alekhine, Capablanca, Bogolubov, Nimzowitch, Speelman and
Lasker. (Euwe was just starting to make his move to the top here too,
although I don't think he was taken too seriously). There had been a ban
on foreign travel and contact since the defection of Bogolubov and this
match was important (at least in Botwinnik's eyes) for further contacts
necessary for his improvement. However the match in modern terms looks
quite modest. Botwinnik had a bad start in the first half of the match
(held in Moscow) losing in the first and sixth games. The second half
was held in his native Leningrad and Botwinnik hauled himself back into
the match winning the 9th and 10th games. The 12 game match was drawn.
After the match finished a book appeared, annotated by Botwinnik on the
games from this match. The reason was that most of the players of
influence were against the match taking place. Krylenko, an important
figure outside of chess and head of the chess section sanctioned the
match. He was relieved at the result and wanted as quickly as possible
to spread the results, and so Botwinnik was commissioned to write the
book as quickly as possible. This was the first of many occasions,
where, even with a little luck, Botwinnik delivered under pressure. At
any time in the 1930's foreign contact could have been stopped,
Botwinnik's ability to produce results when they mattered was of supreme
importance. Up to the arrival of Smyslov, Botwinnik had no rival in the
Soviet Union who was capable of producing results at the very highest
level. 

Shortly after this Euwe and Kmoch were invited to an event in Moscow
too. This gave the second real indication of Soviet Chess strength after
the years of isolation when Euwe and Kmoch finished nowhere in a 12 man
tournament which Botwinnik again won. (remember that the following year
Euwe was World Champion)

After this Botwinnik played his first event abroad at Hastings. His
international career had begun and the long road to the World
Championship started. This period of international chess is one of the
most fascinating of all periods. There were many young players around,
and they met the older generation of masters at this time. (To my mind
this period, the early 1950s and the present day represent three great
periods of chess. Years of stagnation where young talent, and few great
players emerge, suddenly end, the older players meet true new talent and
the results are unpredictable. The new players who reach the top don't
surrender that position for many years.)

Botwinnik, now clearly favoured above all other Soviet Chess players,
was sent to Hastings for the 1934-5 tournament. This event was a triumph
for Sir George Thomas, he came first equal with Euwe and Flohr (6.5),
Capablanca 5.5 and Botwinnik and Lilienthal 5 (Incidentally Lilienthal
must be the oldest top class GM left now. He and Eliskasis only player
to have played Lasker, and one of the few left to have played
Capablanca). Botwinnik (a man always ready with a good excuse) always
claimed that it was the fact he arrived in Hastings two hours before the
event that caused him to lose points early in the event. ("a mistake
which I have never committed again.") However he was only two short
months from becoming a recognised potential challenger for the World
Title.... 

Although the Soviets (although there are rumours they eventually tried
to get him to return) clearly couldn't invite Alekhine, the World
Champion to their return to International chess, they could however grab
all the attention they needed by inviting Capablanca and the newly
returned Lasker to their events. They placed their faith in Botwinnik to
hold out against these two and young Western talents such as Lilienthal
and especially Flohr. Players such as Vera Menchik, Stahlberg and
Spielmann I'm sure they knew they could handle. (Incidentally I see that
Lasker is down as being from London in the tournament book, he
transferred himself to Moscow for a brief period after this event.) The
event turned out to be a straight race between Botwinnik and Flohr. 
Flohr caught Botwinnik in the 16th round, they both drew the event out,
including a 27 move draw in the 18th round. I believe the story goes
that Botwinnik was told that he wouldn't have any problem winning in the
last round against Rabinowich but that he told them that any monkey
business and he would resign the game. Neither player tried very hard in
the last round with Flohr drawing in 23 against Alatorzev and Botwinnik
in 24 moves. (this was the round of Lasker 1-0 Pirc for those who
remember the classics) Final scores:  Botwinnik, Flohr 13, Lasker 12.5,
Capablanca 12 and Spielmann 11 (20 players)

This was an age where if you got it wrong in a top event there wasn't
another in a fortnight to revenge yourself in. Botwinnik had won and the
Soviets could organise another serious event to help their top players.
Botwinnik didn't play a serious event at all between this event in March
1935 until May 1936 when the 3rd Soviet Moscow International Tournament
was played. This event invited the top finishers from the previous
edition to a double round contest. Here Flohr didn't challenge for the
lead and from early on it was a battle between Botwinnik and Capablanca.
Botwinnik played a beautiful game against Capablanca in the 7th round,
and then in timetrouble played a series of absolutely gruesome mistakes
and went on to lose. This proved to be the only difference between the
players at the end and Capablanca scored his finest triumph for a number
of years. 

1. Capablanca 13 2. Botwinnik 12 3. Flohr 9 4. Lilienthal 9

According to the tournament book introduction (by Levenfish) this result
was regarded as a failure by some. (one rectified shortly after) This
gives one an idea of the pressure he was under. 

Almost directly after this result Botwinnik was allowed abroad for the
second time. This time he would play the World Champion Euwe, and the
hero/traitor of Soviet Chess, Alekhine. 

The Nottingham 1936 tournament was the meeting of the generations. The
tournament regulars of the 1920's, all living World Champions, and the
elite of the younger generation came together for a festival of chess in
August. 

This was a close battle with only 1.5 points separating 1st from 8th.
Capablanca and Botwinnik shared first place on ten points. Botwinnik
being undefeated. He was ruthless against the tailenders and drew
against the next 7 players in the table. This victory was important. On
a World stage, with no players missing (Keres was to establish his
reputation within a few months.) he had won. The results here formed the
basis of the invitations issued for the AVRO tournament two years later. 

Having reached such an exalted level there were mutterings about his
non-participation in purely Russian events. (he claims that his Post
Grad work stopped him playing in the 10th Championship (1937) in
Tiblisi. He clearly felt he needed the title of Soviet Champion to
maintain his political position and to this end the winner of the 10th
Soviet Championship Levenfish was required to defend his title in a
match against Botwinnik later in the year. However Botwinnik had to win
the match to take the title. Levenfish playing the best chess of his
career, almost won the match but in the end Botwinnik pulled back to
draw the match. (He claimed that his Ph.D. and poor form cost him the
match). 

However in the close of this year AVRO started signing up the players
for a tournament the following year. The last great pre-war tournament
it probably had the strongest 8 players of the time in its line-up.
Botwinnik played in the Semi-Finals of the Soviet Championships before
setting off and playing in this event. 

Unfortunately the event was one of the least satisfactory, in terms of
organisation, in chess history. It moved from town to town as a roadshow
and travelling was done on the same day as the rounds. This made it
extremely exhausting to play in. Botwinnik complains about this in his
autobiography but in fact the oldest players, Alekhine and Capablanca
had the most to complain about. (indeed Capablanca is said to have
suffered a mild stroke during this event and went on to the worst result
in his career). Not surprisingly, given the closeness in standard of the
players, two of the youngest, Fine and Keres won the event. Botwinnik
came a point behind, a satisfactory result. At that time it was clear to
most that one of these players would take the World Title. The event
showed that Flohr (who was favoured for many years, even though his form
had dipped) no longer was the obvious challenger for Alekhine's title. 

1. Keres, Fine 8.5 
3. Botwinnik 7.5 
4. Alekhine, Euwe, Reshevsky 7 
7. Capablanca 6 
8. Flohr 4.5

However due to the Second World War the interesting battle at the top of
World Chess was suspended for 8 years, and it was another 10 years
before an event of similar calibre. That event saw Botwinnik take the
World Title. At some time in the intervening years (probably starting in
1941) Botwinnik became the best player in the World. In the same period,
the first wave of what we would recognise as the true Soviet School of
chess arrived. When Fine toured Russia in 1937 he met many top class
players. Although their styles were energetic and creative, there was a
streak of unsoundness that typified their play. (Botwinnik reported on,
but didn't play against Fine on this tour. "he continually complained
that my play was very bad, which convinced me that he regarded me as a
very dangerous opponent" said Fine.) However he was more impressed by
the general standard of the players he met in simultaneous exhibitions.
He comments that the young stars Alatortzev, Kan, Belavientz,
Bondarevsky, Panov and Yudovitch had all but disappeared from top class
play within ten years. This I believe was because of the arrival of a
new generation of players, that we now recognise as forming the basis
for the Soviet domination of chess. We recognise names in the 1940
Soviet Championship (where Botwinnik did relatively poorly) who did well
for many years. From now on Botwinnik's performances at home were
against the virtual elite of chess. The Westerners didn't have this
luxury in the war years, the balance is just starting to be redressed
now.... 

Botwinnik won the 11th Soviet Championship in 1939, he was pushed hard
by Kotov, a challenge only silenced by a win against him in the last
round when they were level. Tolush was 16th. 

1. Botwinnik 12.5/17 
2. Kotov 11.5

In 1940 the Russians had control of the Baltic Nations and the Soviet
Championship starts to have a familiar feel. The 12th Championship was
his last poor tournament for many, many years. Botwinnik doesn't have a
real excuse for this in his book, he came 5th = and his position as the
leader of Soviet Chess was under threat. He mentions not rigorous enough
application of his methods. I don't know, what I do believe is that
after this, his strength of play climbed markedly and although his
Western Challengers couldn't be played, he climbed to World number one
from here. 

12th Soviet Championships
- ---------------------------------------------
1. Bonderevsky, Lilienthal      13.5
3. Smyslov                      13
4. Keres                        12
5. Boleslavsky, Botwinnik       11.5

The figleaf to cover his embarrassment was the tie between Bondarevsky
and Lilienthal meant that there needed to be a tie-break. Botwinnik
managed to persuade the authorities that a match tournament (quadruple
round) between the 6 was the best way of settling who was Champion. To
be fair this was a high risk strategy as with the youngsters still
improving and Keres being dangerous, Botwinnik wasn't assured of
anything. However having carried Soviet Chess through those early
tournaments (if you look back he wasn't supported by good finishes from
any other Soviet player) his nerve and strength weren't in doubt. He
scored a convincing victory to prove he was still the best and get in
poll position for later. 

Absolute Championships 1941
- -----------------------------------------------

1. Botwinnik            13.5/20
2. Keres                11
3. Smyslov              10
4, Boleslavsky          9
5. Lilienthal           8.5
6. Bonderevsky          8

He spent his war years as an engineer servicing power stations in the
Urals. Only when the Germans were on the retreat did he take up chess
again, at some time in 1943. In his first event he lost to Smyslov in
the Moscow Championships of 1943 but managed to win the event. 

In 1944 he took the Soviet Championships above Smyslov. Bronstein
finished low down, playing for the first time in the Soviet
Championships (and beating Botwinnik!). 

1. Botwinnik            12.5/16
2. Smyslov              10.5
3. Boleslavsky          10

In 1945 he took it again:

1. Botwinnik    15/17
2. Boleslavsky  12
3. Bronstein    10

To celebrate the end of the war there was a Radio Match in 1945 between
the US and USSR. Botwinnik defeated Denker twice and the USSR won 15.5 -
4.5. The trend that had been on for many years had been exaggerated by
the war, and now the best players were all Soviet. 

The first major post-war tournament was also won by Botwinnik. This was
only after a major struggle with Euwe and with both obtaining losses
towards the end. Neither appeared to want to win it. However this was a
swan song for Euwe. He strength and confidence rapidly declined after
this. 

Groningen
- ---------
1. Botwinnik            14.5/19
2. Euwe                 14
3. Smyslov              12.5
4. Najdorf, Szabo       11.5
6. Flohr, Lundin        11

In September 1946 again the Russians played the US. This time in Russia
over the board. The Soviets won 12.5-7.5. However probably important
psychologically were Botwinnik's 1.5-0.5 victory over Reshevsky and
Smyslov`s 1.5-0.5 victory over Fine. 

Botwinnik's final tournament before challenging for the World Title was
the Tchigorin Memorial in Moscow. He finished well above two of his
potential rivals with Ragozin scoring a surprise second. Ragozin was
always a friend and training partner, this was a real victory for the
Botwinnik school! 

Botwinnik               11/15
Ragozin                 10.5
Boleslavsky, Smyslov    10
Kotov                   9.5
Keres                   9

The Taking of the Title.
- ------------------------

Even as the war was ending the Russians wanted their man to be World
Champion at any price. They were prepared to "forget" some things about
Alekhine's private life in order to be first in the queue to take on the
ailing man. Although he had played well throughout most of the war years
he had been struck down with scarlet fever in 1944 and was a pale shadow
of his former self. It is said that on the day they came to an agreement
to play, Alekhine died aged 53. 

When Euwe became World Champion in 1935 he intended to hand over the
title to be administered by FIDE. But first he had to retain the title,
this he failed to do. On Alekhine's death, they assumed control of the
title. (not after some little argument.) They announced a six man
tournament of clearly the strongest challengers. This would comprise
those who did well in AVRO in 1938 and those who did well in Groningen,
the strongest post-war tournament. However it was already clear that the
Americans had some catching up to do. Fine always maintained that he
wanted to play in 1947, the negotiations became protracted and Fine
decided that he couldn't make the 1948 date that was already fixed. Fine
must have realised having lost mini-matches in both USA-USSR matches
that things were going to be very tough. The rewards were not very high
in monetary terms, and his chances slim. So there was an extra place in
the Match tournament of six? Well maybe there should have been, but the
Soviets were insistent (Najdorf was suggested) no extra player. In the
end the event went ahead with five players playing a bizarre 5 man 5
cycle event. 

The Match tournament itself, much like its AVRO counterpart was a
disappointment. The event was split between two countries, Netherlands
and Moscow. One player had a free day in each round. But the real
disappointment was that one player (Euwe) was in such miserable form
that most of his games had little or no value. On every measure applied
in compiling the players for the event he should have been there, but he
just played dreadful chess. 

But there have been whispers ever since the event about Keres'
performance in this event. Was he simply told not to win? He had played
in the Nazi tournament's during the war, and the Soviet regime were not
known for their generosity of spirit in these things. However also Keres
was a creature of moods, he genuinely could play badly. Also is it
conceivable that the Soviets would allow Keres to win above sounder men
such as Botwinnik and Smyslov? Anyway the mean spirited might say he was
told to lose his first four and then allowed to win the last as
Reshevsky threatened to overhaul him. 

However no-one really doubted Botwinnik really was the best at this
time. He won all his mini-matches and only lost two games throughout the
entire event. This was simply the natural consequence of having been
playing strong opposition consistently since 1943, and having access to
some pretty good ideas. The war swept away the form and confidence of
Fine, Reshevsky was a better player in 1950 when due to politics he
didn't enter the cycle, Keres never really was the carefree player he
was before the Russian's walked into Estonia in 1940 and Euwe belonged
to a different age. He was the best, he was now the 6th World Chess
Champion. 

The Hague - Moscow March 2 - May 16th 1948
- -----------------------------------------------------
                  1      2    3     4     5     TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------
1. Botwinnik    ***** ==1== 11110 1=011 1=1==   14
2. Smyslov      ==0== ***** 00=1= ==1== 11011   11
3. Keres        00001 11=0= ***** 0=10= 1=111   10.5
4. Reshevsky    0=100 ==0== 1=01= ***** 1==11   10.5
5. Euwe         0=0== 00100 0=000 0==00 *****   4
- -----------------------------------------------------

What happened after 1948 really colours our view of Botwinnik. We don't
know his pre-war games, we don't know his pre-war style, we forget his
war time tournaments. At the age 36 he was World Champion. In those days
35 was generally said to be the best age for a top-class player. The
matches we remember Botwinnik for are the ones after this point.
Botwinnik started a slow decline from this high point, Especially
considering he was not to play for another 3 years ...... 

The Years as Champion
- ---------------------

So not even once between the years of 1948 and 1951 did Botwinnik play a
public game of chess. Botwinnik had a profession as an electrical
engineer, and was awarded his doctorate in 1951. However it must also be
said that he had been playing high pressure chess since 1933. The whole
strategy of Soviet Chess was based on his success, tournaments were
arranged in the mid-1930's simply because Botwinnik could do well in
them. Only with the emergence of Smyslov and the younger generation
could they actually count on anyone else doing well. In those days
players didn't play much, and everything counted when you did play.
There wasn't any room for rustiness (although tournaments were longer)
it was a one shot deal. There has been some talk that in fact Botwinnik
had some sort of nervous breakdown in the missing years, I don't know
about this but certainly he took an unnatural amount of pressure for a
sustained number of years. A break was probably the minimum he needed.
>From now to the end of his World Title career there are many stories of
both his paranoia and, certainly in the 1951, some possible external
pressure on his opponents. In a society such as that in the Soviet Union
stories such as this are natural. Is there any truth in them? There are
now some opportunities to find out perhaps .... 

The 1951 match was held in Moscow. Boleslavsky had come very close to
qualifying directly to play Botwinnik from the InterZonal.  He agreed a
short draw in the final round only to see Bronstein catch him with an
extraordinary win in the last round against Keres. Their match too was
closely fought, Bronstein only winning after the scheduled number of
games and into the sudden death playoff of pairs of games. Bronstein
talks of the pre-match negotiations, Botwinnik wanted two pairs of
envelopes with any sealed moves in them. Bronstein didn't understand
this pre-match ritual then. A large number of demands that he was
supposed to accede to. Bronstein countered with a question about what
happens if the moves were different when the envelope was opened ... 

Bronstein-Botwinnik March 1951
- ------------------------------

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4   TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Botwinnik       = = = = 0 1 1 = = = 0 1 = = = = 0 = 1 = 0 0 1 =   12
Bronstein       = = = = 1 0 0 = = = 1 0 = = = = 1 = 0 = 1 1 0 =   12
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The match was marked by theoretical disputes, gross blunders, and a
number of exciting games. Botwinnik won a rook but only drew. Bronstein
wandered his King out of the square in a totally drawn ending. But by
game 22 he was one up with two to play. He played poorly in game 23 and
stood worse when offered a draw in game 24. There are stories that there
was some persuasion of Bronstein prior to game 23 but like so many
stories there has never been any evidence. He'd held onto his title, but
no-one was exactly convinced. His decline had set in, they wouldn't have
to worry about him for much longer. 

Anyhow Botwinnik needed to play after such a close match. He played in
the 19th Soviet Championships finishing a modest 3rd-5th. Not such a bad
result. He tended to lose in bloodbaths to the younger players from now
on, whenever he did encounter problems in these Championships. Keres won
the Championship. 

In 1952 he was left out of the Soviet team to play in the Olympiad in
Helsinki. You see the other players had this meeting ..... 

In his autobiography Botwinnik says that he ran into Smyslov the
following day and asked about his involvement in this meeting. He
recalls Smyslov saying "I didn't think it would all come out." However
Smyslov recalls it slightly differently saying that he always tried to
stay out of such things and that he expressed surprise that Botwinnik
didn't know about the meeting. 

Korchnoi describes the meeting thus: "Every single member of the team
said something bad about him. The only one who didn't say a word was
Kotov, who was the organiser of the Plot!"

Botwinnik finished 3-5th in the Maroczy Memorial and he came joint first
with Taimanov in the 20th Soviet Championships. He beat Taimanov in the
playoff of the following year. 

Smyslov-Botwinnik 1954
- ----------------------

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4   TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Botwinnik       1 1 = 1 = = 0 = 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 = = = 0 = = 0 =    12
Smyslov         0 0 = 0 = = 1 = 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 = = = 1 = = 1 =    12
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Most people believed that Smyslov was the strongest player in the World
at this time. Maybe with Keres just slightly behind. As you can see, it
was a strange match, with Smyslov committing the classic mistake that
Short did of trying too hard at the start. Although by game 11 he was in
the lead the effort seemed to damage him and he lost four out of the
next 5. Eventually in the last game Botwinnik stood much better when
Smyslov offered a draw. Your offer is so attractive I can't possibly
refuse was Botwinnik's answer. 

After this result the players decided there might be a few miles left in
the old man and allowed him to play in the Amsterdam Olympiad later in
the year (his first time). Botwinnik was a regular from this point until
the 1964 event. 3rd - 5th in the 22nd Soviet Championships and a minimal
loss to Reshevsky in a four game match as part of US v USSR saw off
1955. 

1956 was a vintage year, +6 =7 in the Moscow Olympiad was followed by
1st= in the Alekhine's Memorial. 

Botwinnik, Smyslov              11/15
Taimanov                        10.5
Gligoric                        10
Bronstein                        9.5
Najdorf                          9
Keres                            8.5

Smyslov-Botwinnik 1957
- ----------------------

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Botwinnik       0 = = 1 1 0 = 0 = = = 0 1 = = = 0 = = 0 = =  9.5
Smyslov         1 = = 0 0 1 = 1 = = = 1 0 = = = 1 = = 1 = = 12.5
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

A convincing win for Smyslov. Botwinnik misassessed an ending in game 18
and this had a damaging effect on his confidence. Although
congratulating Smyslov on a fine victory, he complained about Smyslov
"knowing" in advance a variation that he had never played and refuting
it over the board. It was a complaint he was to return to. He had the
right to a rematch the following year and was receiving "friendly"
advice in the Soviet press that he'd had a good innings and not to
bother... 

Smyslov-Botwinnik 1958
- ----------------------

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Botwinnik       1 1 1 = 0 1 = = = = 0 1 = 1 0 = = 1 0 = = 0 = 12.5
Smyslov         0 0 0 = 1 0 = = = = 1 0 = 0 1 = = 0 1 = = 1 = 10.5
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

A dreadful start which Smyslov blames on a cold allowed Botwinnik a lead
which he nursed throughout the rest of the match. He revamped his
openings and changed his style slightly to counteract Smyslov. The match
was actually very tense, the key game was the tragedy of game 18 when in
pressing for a win he erred and lost. This result knocked the stuffing
out of Smyslov for a lot of years. He bizarrely reached the Candidates
Final again only in 1983 when he lost to Kasparov. 

+7 =4 -1 at the Munich Olympiad as followed by a victory in a small
tournament in the Netherlands (Wageningen)

In 1959 he only played in the Spartakiad. +1 =6. 

Botwinnik-Tal 1960
- ------------------

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Botwinnik       0 = = = = 0 0 1 1 = 0 = = = = = 0 = 0 = =  8.5
Tal             1 = = = = 1 1 0 0 = 1 = = = = = 1 = 1 = = 12.5          
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

Tal was ripping the chess World to shreds, however unusually Botwinnik
started favourite in some eyes. Tal wasn't playing soundly and Botwinnik
would show him why.... 

In fact Tal outprepared Botwinnik and managed to get complex positions
in many of the games. Time trouble and exhausting complications simply
wore Botwinnik out. Retirement from World Championship play was obvious,
no-one could come back from this .... 

Botwinnik-Tal 1961
- -------------------

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tal             0 1 0 = = = 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 = 0 = 1 0 1 = 0   8
Botwinnik       1 0 1 = = = 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 = 1 = 0 1 0 = 1  13
- --------------------------------------------------------------------

Botwinnik thought about it and after a solid Olympiad result decided to
take up the challenge. In fact it was already known that Tal was having
some trouble with his kidneys. There was some talk about postponing the
rematch but Tal preferred to play. Of more concern was the venue for the
match. Tal wanted at least half the match in Riga, whereas Botwinnik
maintained that the rematch should be as close a copy of the original as
possible... except perhaps in result! Botwinnik arrived well prepared
for the match. Tal offers few excuses (loss of his lucky pencil after
game 8 being perhaps decisive!) he certainly believed that his
preparations were as good if not better than for the first match. He was
unprepared for the change that came about in Botwinnik. Here Botwinnik
did not try and evade complications if he believed them favourable. 

Botwinnik played the European Team Championships and won Hastings later
in the year. 

In 1962 Botwinnik only played in the Varna Olympiad (where he played
Fischer for the only time - a draw) His result +8 =5. 

Later in the year his return match clause was removed. There were to be
no second chances when he played Petrosian. Botwinnik was bitter and
embattled. He decided to do without a second, remembering his match
against Smyslov... 

Petrosian-Botwinnik 1963
- -------------------------
                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 TOTAL
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Botwinnik       1 = = = 0 = 0 = = = = = = 1 0 = = 0 0 = = = 9.5
Petrosian       0 = = = 1 = 1 = = = = = = 0 1 = = 1 1 = = = 12.5
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Petrosian decided to re-examine how Botwinnik won all his matches. 
There were a number of impressions expressed by many players about
Botwinnik's play, the could be summarised as "all his life Botwinnik has
suffered from a disease, the name of which is weakness of combinative
vision. On the other hand, Botwinnik's mastery in the field of chess
strategy and the handling of the ending is so great, that only the
foolish would decide to battle on this territory." He also noted that in
many of the matches Botwinnik took big leads early in the match.
Petrosian's strategy was to play his own game and not to worry too
heavily about this supposed superiority. 

The match was closely fought, but Botwinnik, working entirely alone and
conceding a lot of years (he was 52) was gradually ground down.
Petrosian talks of Botwinnik's bad sealed move in game 16 followed by
his defeat in game 18 as being the decisive moments of the match. He
lost honourably, but was upset about the loss of his rematch. He quickly
announced that he wouldn't be joining the Candidates Stage of the World
Title Cycle. 

Closing Years of Tournaments
- ----------------------------

Botwinnik started to play chess again. He played tournaments and caused
trouble to the younger generation. He worked at his game less too. He
stated that in his final years he used the analytical fat that he had
built up over the championship years. He continued to have good results
in team events too. He lost only one game in the combination of events
of the III Spartakiad (1963) and the Moscow Team Championships, USSR
Team Championships and the Olympiad (all 1964). He won a small event in
Noordwijk in 1965. In the 1966 USSR team championships he beat Spassky ,
Smyslov and Keres (in drastic fashion) He rounded off 1966 by winning
Hastings. 1967 saw more team events and a 2nd-3rd placing behind Larsen
at Palma de Majorca.  (He beat Larsen here) In 1968 he came second in
Monte Carlo demonstrating yet again how "poor" his tactics were in a
game against Portisch. He played some good chess in Beverwijk in 1969
coming 1st equal but came 7th in Belgrade later in the year. He scored
+1 =3 on a low board in the USSR v the ROW of 1970. He was already
considering retiring when a match against Fischer was negotiated in
Leiden. This didn't come off and he played in a small 4 player double
round tournament. He came 3rd-4th=. Having already decided to retire the
previous year he had played his final tournament at the age of 59. 

Lifetime records against his most frequent opponents.
(Warriors of the Mind)

+       =       -       Player
- -------------------------------
26      48      21      Smyslov
12      20      12      Tal
5       22      2       Flohr
7       16      6       Bronstein
3       18      6       Petrosian
8       9       3       Keres
5       7       2       Reshevsky
2       8       2       Euwe
4       6       2       Taimanov
6       5       0       Boleslavsky
3       6       1       Szabo
1       5       4       Geller
2       5       2       Gligoric
3       4       1       Kotov
3       3       2       Larsen
1       5       1       Capablanca
1       6       0       Spassky

The Origins of the Botwinnik Style.
- -----------------------------------

When ever Botwinnik was asked seriously to give his views on who
influenced him in his early career three names appear. Those of
Tarrasch, Rubinstein and Capablanca. 

He names the following books as being most influential upon his career.
Chess Fundamentals and My Chess Career by Capablanca, Die Hypermoderne
Schachpartie by Tartakover (probably his only serious book,
unfortunately never, so far as I'm aware translated into English) ,300
games and Die Moderne Schachpartie by Tarrasch. Probably these last two
most influenced his annotational style. The mix of general ideas, deep
analysis and advice for the readers still produces the most satisfactory
and readable accounts of chess games (an art sadly lost these days).
Botwinnik was given a copy of Collijn's Larobook in 1926 written by
Rubinstein, Reti and Spielmann. Alekhine's games collections were not
available in the Soviet Union until much later although he also
recommends them for reading even today. I get the feeling, like Fischer,
that apart from certain elements of his play, Botwinnik didn't really
want to play chess like him. It is interesting, and probably not
surprising that this list of books is almost an exact copy of those that
influenced Fine, about 10 years later. (See NIC 2 1992 for the Check
Your Library Article)

In Botwinnik's writing he regards his own methods of working and the
"Soviet School of Chess" as being really synonymous. The national drive
towards excellence at chess started at the same time as Botwinnik was
developing, the scheme being officially started in 1924. Of course chess
had been popular in Russia for many years before this. The official
reason for the support was to "raise the cultural and educational level
of the people" I have a feeling that it more had to do with there being
keen chess players in the hierarchy of the Soviet Union who wanted to
have their own champion. 

Botwinnik would describe his method as being a scientific study of the
game. This method's key would be, once sufficient mastery of the game
had been achieved, the follows: 

1) Published annotation of games, both of others and especially oneself,
in as much detail and clarity as possible. This allows others to spot
your errors. 

2) The deep study of ones opponents games, so as to know their style and
personality in advance. Their preferences etc. 

3) Private study of systems of development, private practice matches
aimed at eliminating known weaknesses, and developing ones ideas. 

4) A player must be a researcher. They must develop their own individual
views on the game away from the board. (He said that Karpov was not a
researcher, merely a good user of other people's ideas. 

Botwinnik used to study every aspect of the game. I remember reading
that he spent many weeks studying one extremely rare type of ending, not
really in the hope that it would come up, but simply to understand the
game better. 

I wouldn't say that there wasn't anything spectacularly novel about this
"method" even at the time. The most disciplined players had such
methods. Botwinnik was clearly influenced by the Alekhine introduction
to New York 1927, although it is not clear to me whether this article
wasn't written by the winner with a clear benefit of hindsight. 

Botwinnik had an almost touching attachment to the first tenet outlined
above. He criticises modern players for being deficient in annotating
games. Whilst as a chess fan I can say I'm disappointed in the general
level of instructional and descriptive writing from today's players I
don't believe personally that it makes that much difference. What
today's players miss is the time for long quiet study of the game in its
entirety. 

After Botwinnik (I don't see much evidence in his own writings that he
had one) there was the idea of the personal trainer from the earliest
years. Botwinnik used to work and train with Ragozin, but I don't
believe he really took advice from him. 

The later use of teams of trainers for ideas in big events probably also
started with Botwinnik. Certainly there was a very large retinue of
officials went with the Soviet players to the 1948 World Championship
Tournament in the Hague. I'm sure at least some were there for their
chess services.... 

Botwinnik used to annoy his successors by putting their success down to
his methods, and criticising them as being wrong when they didn't follow
his recipes down to the letter. Spassky and Petrosian became World
Champions without using much of the research methods he advocated
throughout his career. There is little doubt that his ideas did have an
effect in raising the general level of chess. More important however was
his success itself which allowed the continued pouring of large
resources into chess by the state. Most of his post-war rivals owed
little more to him than that. However the last incarnation of the
Botwinnik school (see below) seems to have been the most successful and
there is little doubt that in their formative years Kramnik, Ivanchuk
and Kasparov benefited from the ideas of Botwinnik on how chess HAS to
be studied. 

The Botwinnik School
- --------------------

These schools were aimed at teaching good basic chess to the very elite
of Russian juniors. It was an alternative to the haphazard chance of
getting a good local trainer that characterised the development of most
of the players who emerged in the first wave of Soviet stars immediately
post World War II. 

The first Botwinnik school was started in Leningrad at the end of the
1930s. His most talented pupil then was Mark Taimanov. 

The school restarted in 1963 this time in Moscow. It lasted for a year
and a half and the pupils included Karpov, Balashov, Razuvaev and
Rashkovsky. 

The final incarnation started in 1969 and runs (under the name of
Kasparov these days) still today. Kasparov joined in 1973, players like
Yusupov, Psakhis, Dolmatov and Zaitsev all were members. In recent years
a large number of the most talented newcomers attended (at least
briefly) the school. Kramnik, Ivanchuk and Shirov (he hated it and found
it "useless".)

There were clearly many levels to the Botwinnik school. It had its own
trainers, and a lot of work was done by post. When they did meet

"it was very intensive. All my pupils got strictly individual treatment,
for otherwise it just doesn't work. the procedure was that a pupil
brought four of his own games to a communal training session, two with
White and two with black. There had to be a lost game included. Then he
explained the games move by move. My job was to help with analysis of
the games; to point out mistakes; to give my opinion and finally to give
some general advice; in which area his game could be improved and which
were its imperfections. Besides this, I also let them play matches
against each other, so that I could observe their behaviour in practice.
I also commented on these games, after which I concluded the section
with problems, with special objectives, which were dealt with in writing
afterwards." (Botwinnik in Nic 0, 1984)

The clearest merit of the Botwinnik schools for young chessplayers was
that it made sure that a players development was well rounded. (even
today there are some appalling gaps in technique from the Western
players). By controlling the school it meant that trainers didn't teach
things that were "wrong". For instance Petrosian's early trainer's
preferences could be seen in his play throughout his career. The school
probably did its best work on Kasparov. It managed to teach him the
entire range of the technical aspects of the game when Kasparov's clear
personal preference is to play wild attacking chess. He retained his
natural flair with added value of a rounded game. 

His Chess Writing.
- ------------------

Botwinnik wrote from the earliest part of his career. (he contributed
four games to a book on the 1927 Capablanca - Alekhine match, which he
claims contained no errors) He took great pride in his writing. However
there was more than one strand to his writing. 

Propaganda.
- ----------

Botwinnik was Soviet chess for many years. It carried with it the duty
to justify the expenditure on the game and even more important, foreign
travel and contact at a time when they were rarely permitted for Soviet
citizens. He had to put things into an ideological context, there was a
Russian School, and this was followed by the far superior Soviet School
which was a natural result of the Communist system. These articles had
far more value inside the Soviet Union than they did outside. 

Self Promotion and advice.
- --------------------------

It was in Botwinnik's character to believe that he alone was right. He
had a fixed an immutable view of the World and he maintained this
throughout his life. His advice on studying chess was frequent and
unvarying. The advice is interesting to read, of biblical certainty but
undoubtedly doesn't suit everyone. Mere mortals probably wouldn't make
use of much of it. However his observations the pre-war greats such as
Lasker and Capablanca was without arrogance and with genuine affection
for his hero's and give genuine insight into how they thought. 

Annotations and his best books
- -------------------------------

Botwinnik's annotations are still the model of correctness. Their use of
both clear prose and well thought out lines. Modern masters do not right
in this way and that is sad. (Timman comes closest, and Kasparov did at
the start of his career.) There is still much material unpublished in
English (or indeed any other European language as far as I'm aware). He
published large games collections of which only about a quarter has made
it into English.  (Four Volumes MM Botwinnik Analysis and Criticism of
games - Fiziculture and Sport 1986. There may have been even a limited
edition of all his games from earlier which I haven't personally seen.)
There is a good selection of books in the Bibliography below. Sadly I
don't have "Achieving the Aim" his autobiography published in Pergamon
which is a useful volume of stories of his career. I recommend the Dover
book 100 selected games to anyone, it also has a good example of his
propaganda writing. In addition there are two American Pamphlets, one on
endgames and the other, 12 Games their stories. 

The Man
- --------

So what was Botwinnik like? Why did many of his Russian colleagues
either dislike, or even hate him? 

These are extremely hard questions to answer. The literature is
remarkably silent upon this. I will try and answer briefly. 

Botwinnik to the outside World was generally a quiet and very reserved
man. He was a creature of habit and self discipline. He neither drank
nor smoked. He kept himself very physically fit and didn't socialise
much. He married a ballerina in the 1930's and he looked after her when
she became ill for the last 20 years of her life. Duty and hard work
seemed important to him. 

In an interview to Gena Sosonko in 1988 (NIC 5 1988) he revealed at
least some of his attitudes. 

"Do you still play [chess] for fun sometimes? 

I have never played for fun. I always prepared myself seriously before
every game. I played training games to test my preparation. I once
played a consultation game in Amsterdam. Polugaevsky and myself against
Keres and Prins. We won the game but they missed a draw at some point. 

I suppose that you are not very keen on blitz? 

The last time I played blitz was in 1929 in a train. We travelled with a
team from Leningrad to Odessa to play a championship match and we had a
blitz tournament during the train journey. I came first."

Smyslov said of Botwinnik "you may know that his character is such that
if he holds an opinion he holds it for the rest of his life."

But it is Politically that he made all his enemies. He was a member of
the Communist Party and he had very senior political supporters. By the
end of the 1930's he was clearly trusted and his influence was very
great. Not only that but those high up in the chess administration
clearly owed their loyalties to Botwinnik. From this moment on, it is
said that until at least the mid-1950's he decided who went abroad and
who's trips were vetoed. Because of his importance and clear ability to
wield power he gained enemies. Bronstein clearly believes he was wronged
in some way by Botwinnik. I don't know the details. There are rumours
about the 1951, maybe things were done in his name by political
supporters who couldn't afford him to lose, perhaps nothing untoward
happened then. It is hard to say, but there is resentment. Then there is
the whole question of Keres. Did Botwinnik save Keres? Was there a deal
done, either with or without Botwinnik's knowledge? Also, as in later
times, some may have thought that there careers were held back to smooth
the path for the favoured son. I think these are the reasons for many
players of a certain Soviet generation hating him. True? Perhaps we will
never find out. 

Another area we may never find out about is his electrical engineering
work. What actually did he do? Did he really just go back to normal work
in the frequent gaps in his career? 

Conclusion
- -----------

A true chess giant is dead. Probably the most influential player of all
time. His career coincided with Soviet investment in chess and he
delivered. Without him the chess World would have been different. As a
player he was a modern great. It is impossible to say whether a player
is the greatest of all time, but he has sporting achievements that few,
if any, can match. I can't do justice to an analysis of his style, he
was called the iron logician, but like all great players he could play
lyrically. His contributions to opening theory would require a book
alone .He was a one off as much as any of his popular rivals. I have
tried to describe his career without sentiment. He was not a sentimental
man. I have tried to be accurate, I hope I have succeeded. 

Bibliography
- -------------
Botwinnik
- ---------
Mikhail Botwinnik - Master of Strategy Best games 1947-70
by Mikhail Botwinnik (translated by Bernard Cafferty) Batsford 4th ed 1992. 
One Hundred Selected Games by M. M. Botwinnik .- Dover 1960
Championship Chess by Mikhail Botwinnik .- MacGibbon and Kee Ltd. 1950
Four Volumes MM Botwinnik Analysis and Criticism of games by M.M Botwinnik 
.- Fiziculture and Sport 1986.

Other useful books
- ------------------
Soviet Chess - compiled by R.G.Wade.- Neville Spearman 1968
Capablanca's 100 Best Games of Chess by Harry Golombek .- Bell 1947
The Games of Tigran Petrosian Volume 1 1942-1965 compiled by Eduard Shektman
Translated by Ken Neat .- Pergamon Press 1991
The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal by Mikhail Tal .- RHM 1976
The Penguin Encyclopaedia of Chess edited by Harry Golombek .- Penguin 1981
The Oxford Companion to Chess by David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld 
.- Oxford University Press 1984 
The Best of Chess Life and Review Volume 1 1933-1960 
edited by Bruce Pandolfini.- Simon and Schuster 1988. 
Die Schachkunst in der UdSSR by P Pschebilski .- 
Oesterreichische Zeitung 1947
Warriors of the Mind by Raymond Keene and Nathan Davinsky .- Harding
Simpole 1987.
Moskau 1935 edited Albert Becker .- M.A.Lachaga 1970.
125 Selected Games by V.V Smyslov .- Pergamon 1983
Lessons from my games: A Passion for Chess by Reuben Fine .- Dover 1983
Russia Revisited by Bernard Cafferty IN British Chess Magazine July 1994
New in Chess Magazine: Issue 0 1984, Issue 5 1988, Issue 4 1989, 
Issue 4 1991, Issue 2 1992, Issue 5 1993 



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Dunno how much you want to stockpile on Botwinnik, but this sort of a
"once in a lifetime" opportunity :)

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M.D.Crowther@bradford.ac.uk 

THE WEEK IN CHESS 31. Botwinnik games 1

7 May 1995 14:58:29 -0500 UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway 

Newsgroups: 
   rec.games.chess 

THE WEEK IN CHESS 31            07/05/95        Mark Crowther   
- --------------------------------------------------------------

Part 2

[Event "Match Stockholm-Leningrad"]
[Site "Stockholm (Sweden)"]
[Date "1926.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Stoltz Gsta"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 b6 7. Rc1 Bb7 8. Bd3
Nbd7 9. O-O Ne4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Rxc7 Bc8 14. Bb5
exf3 15. Qxf3 Qd6 16. Qc6 Qb4 17. Qxa8 Ba6 18. Qxf8+ Nxf8 19. Bxa6 h5 20. Rxa7
Qxb2 21. Bc4 Ne6 22. Bb3 h4 23. d5 Nd8 24. Rd7 Qf6 25. h3 b5 26. e4 Kh7 27. e5
Qb6 28. Re1 b4 29. e6 fxe6 30. dxe6 Nxe6 31. Rxe6 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1926.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Rabinovich Joseph"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3
a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 Ng4 11. Bg5 Qb6 12. Be4 Bb7 13. Bxb7 Qxb7 14. O-O h5 15. d5
Ndxe5 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. dxe6 f6 18. Qe2 Be7 19. Rad1 h4 20. f4 h3 21. fxe5
Qxg2+ 22. Qxg2 hxg2 23. Kxg2 fxg5 24. Rf7 Rh6 25. Rxe7+ Kxe7 26. Nd5+ Kxe6 27.
Nc7+ Kxe5 28. Nxa8 Rc6 29. Rd7 Rd6 30. Rxg7 Rd2+ 31. Kg3 Rxb2 32. Rxg5+ Kd4 33.
h4 Rxa2 34. h5 Ra1 35. Kg2 Ra2+ 36. Kg3 Ra1 37. Kg2 Ra2+ 38. Kg1 Ra1+ 39. Kg2
Ra2+ 40. Kg3 Ra1 41. Nc7 c4 42. Ne6+ Ke3 43. Nf4 c3 44. Rc5 Rg1+ 45. Ng2+ Kd3
46. h6 Rh1 47. Nf4+ Kd4 48. Rc6 c2 49. Kg2 Rh4 50. Kg3 Rh1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1926.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Shebarschin M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. O-O c6 8. h3
e5 9. Be3 Qe7 10. d5 c5 11. a3 Nh5 12. Re1 Nf4 13. Bf1 h6 14. g3 Nh5 15. Rc1
Kh7 16. b4 b6 17. Kh2 Ndf6 18. Ng1 Ng8 19. Bg2 Bd7 20. bxc5 bxc5 21. Bf3 Nhf6
22. Rb1 Rfb8 23. Re2 Ne8 24. Reb2 Rxb2 25. Rxb2 f5 26. Qd2 Qf6 27. Nd1 Ne7 28.
Qa5 fxe4 29. Bxe4 Bf5 30. Bxf5 Nxf5 31. Kg2 Qf7 32. Qa6 Nf6 33. Qb7 Qg8 34. Nc3
Rd8 35. a4 Rd7 36. Qb8 Qf7 37. a5 e4 38. Rb1 Ng4 39. hxg4 Nxe3+ 40. fxe3 Bxc3
41. a6 Bd2 42. Qb3 Bb4 43. Qc2 Qe8 44. Rf1 Qe5 45. Rf4 Re7 46. Kh3 Be1 47. Ne2
Bb4 48. Rf1 g5 49. Ng1 Kg6 50. Qf2 Kh7 51. Ne2 Qg7 52. Qf5+ Qg6 53. Qf8 Qg7 54.
Qf6 Bd2 55. Qxd6 Bxe3 56. Qc6 Rc7 57. Qe6 Re7 58. Qf5+ Qg6 59. d6 Qxf5 60. Rxf5
Rd7 61. Rd5 Kg6 62. Nc3 Kf6 63. Nxe4+ Ke6 64. Kg2 Bd4 65. Kf3 Rf7+ 66. Rf5 Rg7
67. Ke2 Rg8 68. Nxc5+ Bxc5 69. Rxc5 Kxd6 70. Rf5 Rg6 71. Rf7 Kc5 72. Rxa7 Kxc4
73. Rc7+ Kb5 74. a7 Ra6 75. Kf3 Ra4 76. Rh7 Kc5 77. Rxh6 Rxa7 78. Ke4 Rg7 79.
Ke5 Rg8 80. Re6 Rf8 81. Rg6 Re8+ 82. Kf6 Re4 83. Kxg5 Kd5 84. Rf6 Re8 85. Kh6
Ke5 86. g5 Rh8+ 87. Kg7 Rh3 88. g6 Rxg3 89. Rf1 Ke6 90. Kh7 Ke7 91. g7 Rh3+ 92.
Kg8 Rh4 93. Re1+ Kd7 94. Kf7 Rf4+ 95. Kg6 Rg4+ 96. Kf6 Rg3 97. Re5 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1926.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rabinovich Joseph"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Bb4 6. Qe2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 O-O 8.
Qe3 f6 9. d4 fxe5 10. Bd3 exd4 11. cxd4 Re8 12. Ne5 Qh4+ 13. g3 Qh5 14. O-O Nc6
15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Bb2 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Bh3 18. Rf4 Rad8 19. Re1 Rd1 20. Rxe4 Rf8
21. Qb3+ Kh8 22. Qc4 Qf3 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 05 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1927.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Iljin-Genevsky Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. g3 dxe4 4. Bg2 Bd7 5. Nh3 Bc6 6. O-O Nd7 7. Nxe4 Ngf6 8.
d3 Be7 9. Nf4 O-O 10. Bd2 e5 11. Nxf6+ Nxf6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Ng2 Qd7 14. Ne3
Nd5 15. Nc4 f6 16. Be3 Rae8 17. a3 a6 18. Kg2 Bd6 19. f3 f5 20. Bg1 Rf6 21. Qe2
h5 22. Kh1 h4 23. gxh4 Nf4 24. Qd2 Rh6 25. Be3 Rxh4 26. Bxf4 Rxf4 27. Rae1 Qf7
28. Qg2 Qh5 29. Re3 Re6 30. Rg1 Qh6 31. b4 Rh4 32. Qe2 Qf4 33. Qg2 Rg6 34. Qf2
e4 35. Nxd6 Rxh2+ 36. Qxh2 Rh6 37. Re2 Qxf3+ 38. Reg2 Rxh2+ 39. Kxh2 Qh5+ 40.
Kg3 cxd6 41. dxe4 Qg4+ 42. Kf2 Qf4+ 43. Ke2 Qxe4+ 44. Kd2 Qd4+ 45. Ke2 Kf7 46.
Rg6 Qc3 47. Kd1 d5 48. R6g3 Qd4+ 49. Ke2 Qe4+ 50. Kd2 Qf4+ 51. Ke2 Qh6 52. R1g2
g6 53. a4 f4 54. Rc3 g5 55. b5 Qh5+ 56. Kd2 cxb5 57. axb5 axb5 58. Rc7+ Kf6 59.
Rc6+ Kf5 60. Rc5 Qf7 61. Rxb5 g4 62. c4 f3 63. Rg1 f2 64. Rf1 g3 65. Rxd5+ Kg4
66. Rd4+ Kh3 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 05 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1927.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rabinovich Joseph"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nf3 d5 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2
Qe8 9. Bf4 Qh5 10. Rad1 Nbd7 11. b3 Ne4 12. Ne5 Ng5 13. h4 Ne4 14. Bf3 Qe8 15.
Nxd7 Bxd7 16. Kg2 Bb4 17. Bxe4 fxe4 18. Rh1 Qh5 19. f3 Qg6 20. Kf1 e5 21. dxe5
Rxf4 22. gxf4 Qg3 23. Nxe4 dxe4 24. Rxd7 Bc5 25. e3 Qxf3+ 26. Qf2 Qxh1+ 27. Ke2
Qh3 28. f5 Qg4+ 29. Kd2 Rf8 30. e6 Qxf5 31. Qxf5 Rxf5 32. Rxb7 Rf2+ 33. Ke1 Rf6
34. b4 Bxe3 35. Ke2 Bg1 36. e7 Kf7 37. e8=Q+ Kxe8 38. Rxg7 Rg6 39. Rxh7 Bd4 40.
c5 Rg2+ 41. Kf1 Rf2+ 42. Ke1 e3 0-1

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1927.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Ragozin Viacheslav"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 f6 5. Nf3 c5 6. a3 Ba5 7. b4 cxb4 8. Nb5 Nc6
9. axb4 Bc7 10. c3 Nge7 11. exf6 gxf6 12. Bd3 O-O 13. O-O Bd7 14. Bh6 Rf7 15.
Qd2 e5 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 fxe5 18. Nxc7 Qxc7 19. Qg5+ Kh8 20. Qh5 Be6 21.
Rae1 e4 22. c4 Rf5 23. Qe2 Qe5 24. Bc1 Qd6 25. cxd5 exd3 26. Bb2+ Kg8 27. Qg4+
Ng6 28. Rxe6 Qxd5 29. Rxg6+ hxg6 30. Qxg6+ Kf8 31. Qg7+ Ke8 32. Re1+ Kd8 33.
Qe7+ Kc8 34. Rc1+ 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 06 Ch"]
[Site "Odessa (Ukraine)"]
[Date "1929.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Silic Vladislav"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. Qc2 e6 5. e4 Bb4 6. Bd3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6 8.
Ne2 c5 9. O-O Nc6 10. f4 Qe7 11. d5 Na5 12. Ng3 O-O-O 13. Qe2 h5 14. e5 Ne8 15.
exd6 Nxd6 16. f5 e5 17. f6 gxf6 18. Nxh5 f5 19. Ng7 e4 20. Nxf5 Nxf5 21. Rxf5
Qd6 22. Qxe4 Qxh2+ 23. Kf2 Rde8 24. Qg4 Qh4+ 25. Qxh4 Rxh4 26. Bf4 Rf8 27. Bd6
Rg8 28. Rxf7 Kd8 29. Re1 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1930.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Romanovsky Petr"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. b3 d5 3. Bb2 Bg4 4. e3 e6 5. Be2 Bd6 6. d3 Nbd7 7. c4 O-O 8. O-O
c6 9. Nc3 e5 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. e4 Qa5 12. Nd2 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Bb4 14. Ncb1 Rac8
15. Nf3 d4 16. a3 Be7 17. Rc1 Rxc1+ 18. Bxc1 Rc8 19. Qd1 Qc7 20. Bd2 Nc5 21.
Ne1 Qd7 22. Ra2 Qb5 23. b4 Na4 24. Rc2 Rc6 25. g3 Rxc2 26. Qxc2 Qc6 27. Qxc6
bxc6 28. f4 Nd7 29. Kf1 f6 30. Ke2 c5 31. Kd1 c4 32. dxc4 Nb2+ 33. Kc2 Nxc4 34.
Kb3 Nd6 35. Nf3 Kf7 36. Be1 Nxe4 37. a4 Ke6 38. Na3 Nd6 39. Bf2 Kd5 40. Nc2 Nc4
41. fxe5 fxe5 42. Nfxd4 Nd2+ 43. Ka2 exd4 44. Bxd4 Bxb4 45. Bxg7 Bc5 46. Ne1
Ke4 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Bogatyrchuk F"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Ne4 Rd8 12. Qc2 Nf8 13. Rac1 Bd7 14. Nc5 Be8
15. e4 Nb6 16. Bb3 Rac8 17. e5 Rc7 18. Ne4 f5 19. Nd6 Kh8 20. Nd2 Bh5 21. Rfe1
Ng6 22. g3 Nf8 23. Qc3 Rcd7 24. N2c4 Nd5 25. Qd2 h6 26. Ne3 Nb6 27. Qa5 Nc8 28.
Nec4 Nxd6 29. Nxd6 Ra8 30. Qc5 Nh7 31. Nc4 Ng5 32. Qxe7 Rxe7 33. Bd1 Bxd1 34.
Rexd1 Rd8 35. Kf1 Red7 36. Nd6 Kg8 37. Ke2 Nf7 38. Nxf7 Kxf7 39. Ke3 Rd5 40.
Rd3 Ra5 41. a3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Kan Ilia"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. b3 Qe8 8. Qc2
Qh5 9. Nc3 Nc6 10. Ba3 Bd7 11. d5 Nd8 12. Ne5 dxe5 13. Bxe7 Rf7 14. Ba3 exd5
15. Nxd5 f4 16. Rad1 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 Be6 18. Qd3 Bxd5 19. Qxd5 Nc6 20. Bc5 Re8
21. b4 a6 22. b5 axb5 23. cxb5 Na5 24. Qe6 Ra8 25. Rd7 Qg6 26. Qd5 h6 27. Rxc7
Re8 28. Bb4 b6 29. Bxa5 bxa5 30. b6 Qe6 31. Qxe6 Rxe6 32. Rb1 Re8 33. Rxf7 Kxf7
34. b7 Rb8 35. gxf4 exf4 36. Kg2 Ke6 37. Kf3 g5 38. Ke4 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Kasparian Genrikh"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bf4 Bb4 6. e3 O-O 7. Qb3 c5 8. a3
Qa5 9. Rc1 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 11. bxc3 b6 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Bg3 Bb7 14. Bb5
N5f6 15. Ke2 a6 16. Bd3 Rfc8 17. Rhd1 Ne4 18. c4 Bc6 19. Bf4 f6 20. h4 h6 21.
Bh2 Ra7 22. Ne1 f5 23. f3 Nef6 24. Rd2 b5 25. dxc5 bxc4 26. Bxc4 Nxc5 27. Bd6
Nfd7 28. Rdc2 Re8 29. Kf2 Nb7 30. Ba2 Nxd6 31. Rxc6 Nf7 32. Bxe6 Ne5 33. Rc8
Re7 34. Rxe8+ Rxe8 35. Bxf5 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Lisitsyn George"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Ne4 N5f6 12. Ng3 c5 13. Qe2 Nb6 14. Bb3 cxd4
15. Nxd4 Bd7 16. e4 Ba4 17. e5 Nfd7 18. Bxa4 Nxa4 19. Rad1 Rad8 20. Nb5 Nab6
21. Nd6 Nb8 22. f4 Nc6 23. f5 exf5 24. Ngxf5 Qxe5 25. Qxe5 Nxe5 26. Nxb7 Rb8
27. Nc5 Rfe8 28. b3 f6 29. Nd6 Red8 30. b4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Rumin N"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bd3 Nbd7 6. O-O Bd6 7. Nbd2 e5 8. e4
O-O 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. exd5 exd4 11. Ne4 Nxe4 12. Bxe4 Nc5 13. Bc2 Bg4 14. Qxd4
Bxf3 15. gxf3 Re8 16. Rd1 Re2 17. Bf5 g6 18. Bh3 Nd7 19. Be3 Be5 20. Qc4 Rxb2
21. Rac1 Nb6 22. Qe4 Qd6 23. f4 Bg7 24. Bc5 Qd8 25. Be7 Qe8 26. d6 Qb5 27. d7
Nxd7 28. Bxd7 Qb6 29. Qe3 Qxe3 30. fxe3 Rxa2 31. Bc8 h5 32. Rd8+ 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Iljin-Genevsky Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. d3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. Nbd2 Nc6 12. Qe2 Re8 13. Nf1 d5 14. exd5 Nxd5 15.
Bd2 Bf8 16. Ng3 Bb7 17. a4 b4 18. Ng5 h6 19. N5e4 g6 20. Qf3 f5 21. Nxf5 gxf5
22. Qxf5 Bg7 23. Nxc5 Bc8 24. Qg6 Nce7 25. Qh5 Nf5 26. d4 Rf8 27. dxe5 bxc3 28.
bxc3 Qe7 29. e6 Qxc5 30. Bxf5 Qe7 31. Bxh6 Rxf5 32. Qxf5 Bxh6 33. Qxd5 Bb7 34.
Qd7 Bg5 35. Rab1 Bc8 36. Qc6 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rauzer Vsevolod"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. Nf3 c6 6. Qb3 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Be2
b6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. O-O Bb7 11. Rfd1 Rc8 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. dxe5 Nd7 14. Bf4 Bg5
15. Bxg5 Qxg5 16. f4 Qe7 17. e4 Qc5+ 18. Kh1 Rcd8 19. exd5 Qe3 20. Qc4 cxd5 21.
Nxd5 Bxd5 22. Rxd5 Nc5 23. Bf3 Nd3 24. h3 Rxd5 25. Bxd5 Qg3 26. Rf1 Nf2+ 27.
Kg1 Nxh3+ 28. Kh1 Nf2+ 29. Rxf2 Qxf2 30. Bxf7+ Rxf7 31. e6 Rxf4 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Sozin Veniamin"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2 Qc7 8. O-O
Be7 9. f4 Nc6 10. Bf3 Bd7 11. Qe1 Na5 12. Rd1 Rc8 13. Qf2 Nc4 14. Bc1 e5 15.
Nf5 Bxf5 16. exf5 O-O 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 Nb6 19. Bb3 Nc4 20. Kh1 Na5 21. c3
Nxb3 22. axb3 f6 23. Qf3 Qc6 24. Rd5 Rfe8 25. Rfd1 Rc7 26. h3 Bf8 27. Be3 b5
28. Kh2 Rf7 29. R1d2 Qc8 30. g4 Qc6 31. Qd1 Qc8 32. Qf1 Qc6 33. fxe5 fxe5 34.
Qd3 Rb8 35. Qe4 Re8 36. g5 Qd7 37. Rf2 Be7 38. Rd1 Ref8 39. Qd5 Kh8 40. Rdf1
Bd8 41. h4 Qb7 42. Qxb7 Rxb7 43. Rd2 Rd7 44. Rd5 Kg8 45. Kg3 Bc7 46. Kg4 g6 47.
f6 Kf7 48. Kf3 Ke6 49. Ke4 Rb8 50. b4 Bb6 51. f7 Rxf7 52. Rxd6+ Kxd6 53. Rxf7
Bxe3 54. Rf6+ Ke7 55. Kxe3 Ra8 56. Rb6 Kf7 57. Ke4 Rc8 58. Kxe5 Rc4 59. Rxa6
Rxh4 60. Ra7+ Kg8 61. Rc7 Rg4 62. Kf6 Rf4+ 63. Ke6 Rf8 64. Rc5 Rb8 65. Kd6 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 07 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Yudovich Mikhail M"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Bb5 Ba5 8. Nf3
Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qg4 f5 11. exf6 Rxf6 12. Bg5 Rf8 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Ne5 Rf5
15. Bxe7 Qc7 16. Bd8 Qxd8 17. Nxc6 Qc7 18. Nxa5 Qxa5 19. Qd4 Bd7 20. Rad1 Raf8
21. Qe3 Bc8 22. Rd2 a6 23. Rfd1 Qc7 24. h3 Qf7 25. f3 Bb7 26. Kh2 Kh8 27. Re1
e5 28. Qc5 e4 29. fxe4 dxe4 30. Qe3 Qc7+ 31. Kg1 Qc4 32. Rde2 Re8 33. Rf2 Rxf2
34. Qxf2 h6 35. Nd1 Qb5 36. Qd4 Qg5 37. Qe3 Qg6 38. Nc3 Rf8 39. Rf1 Rf3 40. Qa7
Bc6 41. Qxa6 Rg3 42. Rf8+ Kh7 43. Qf1 e3 44. Qf5 Rxg2+ 0-1

[Event "Ch Leningrad"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Ragozin Viacheslav"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 Nc6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 Ne4 8.
Qd3 d5 9. g3 b6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Bg2 Qf6 12. O-O Bf5 13. Nh4 Be6 14. Be3 Rfe8
15. Rac1 Bd7 16. Rc2 a6 17. b4 a5 18. b5 Na7 19. a4 c6 20. Qb3 Qd6 21. bxc6
Nxc6 22. Nf3 Nb4 23. Rcc1 b5 24. axb5 Bxb5 25. Rfe1 Bc4 26. Qa4 f6 27. Nd2 Nxd2
28. Bxd2 Ra6 29. Qxe8+ 1-0

[Event "Ch Leningrad"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Goldberg Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be6 7. e3 Nbd7 8.
f4 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Bd3 Nb6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. O-O Rac8 13. Na4 c5 14. Nxb6
axb6 15. Qa4 Qe7 16. Ne5 c4 17. Bb1 Bd2 18. Rf3 c3 19. Qc2 f5 20. b3 Qa3 21.
Qd1 Rc7 22. Bc2 b5 23. Rg3 b6 24. h3 Rf6 25. Kh2 Qf8 26. Qe2 b4 27. Qb5 Qd6 28.
Nd3 Bf7 29. Ne5 Re7 30. Qa6 Be8 31. a3 bxa3 32. Rxa3 Bh5 33. Ra1 Rf8 34. Qd3
Kh8 35. h4 Qf6 36. Rh3 g6 37. Kg3 Rh7 38. Kf2 Kg8 39. Qb5 Qe6 40. Ra6 Rb7 41.
b4 Rd8 42. Bb3 c2 43. Bxc2 Qc8 44. Nc6 Rd6 45. Ba4 Bd1 46. Rxb6 Rxb6 47. Qxb6
Kh8 48. Bb5 Bg4 49. Qc5 Rxc6 50. Qxc6 Qxc6 51. Bxc6 Bxh3 52. gxh3 Bxb4 53. h5
g5 54. Kf3 Kg7 55. Bxd5 gxf4 56. Kxf4 Kf6 57. Bc6 Bd6+ 58. Kf3 Bh2 59. Bd7 Bb8
60. Ke2 Bh2 61. Kd3 Bg1 62. Bc8 Bf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 08 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bogatyrchuk F"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8.
Qd2 Ng4 9. Bxg4 Bxg4 10. Nd5 O-O 11. c4 Bd7 12. O-O f5 13. exf5 Bxf5 14. Nxf5
Rxf5 15. Rad1 Qd7 16. Bh6 Bxh6 17. Qxh6 Raf8 18. Qd2 Ne5 19. Ne3 Rh5 20. f3 Qe6
21. b3 Qf6 22. f4 Nc6 23. Rde1 Qg7 24. Nd5 g5 25. Qe2 Qh6 26. fxg5 Rxg5 27.
Nxe7+ Kh8 28. Rxf8+ Qxf8 29. Nxc6 bxc6 30. Qe7 Qxe7 31. Rxe7 Ra5 32. a4 d5 33.
cxd5 cxd5 34. Rd7 a6 35. Ra7 d4 36. Rd7 Rc5 37. Rxd4 Rc1+ 38. Kf2 Rc2+ 39. Kf1
Rb2 40. Rd8+ Kg7 41. Rb8 a5 42. Rb5 Kg6 43. h4 h5 44. Kg1 Kh6 45. Kh2 Kg6 46.
Kg3 Rb1 47. Kf2 Kh6 48. Ke3 Rg1 49. Rxa5 Rxg2 50. Rb5 Rg3+ 51. Kf2 Rg4 52. Rb6+
Kg7 53. a5 Rxh4 54. a6 Rh2+ 55. Kg3 Ra2 56. b4 h4+ 57. Kxh4 Kf7 58. b5 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 08 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Alatortsev Vladimir"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Qe7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Bxd2 8.
Qxd2 Ne4 9. Qc2 d6 10. d5 Nd8 11. Nd4 Nf6 12. Nc3 g6 13. e4 fxe4 14. dxe6 Nxe6
15. Nxe6 Bxe6 16. Nxe4 O-O 17. Ng5 Bf5 18. Qd2 c6 19. Rfe1 Qd7 20. h3 h6 21.
Nf3 g5 22. h4 Ne4 23. Qd4 Rae8 24. hxg5 hxg5 25. Re3 Bg6 26. Rf1 Qf5 27. Qxa7
c5 28. Qxb7 Rb8 29. Qc6 Rxb2 30. Nh4 gxh4 31. Bxe4 Qf6 32. Qd5+ Kh8 33. Bxg6
Qxg6 34. Re6 Qh7 35. Qxd6 Qf5 36. Rh6+ Kg7 37. Rxh4 Rxf2 38. Qh6+ 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 08 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Kan Ilia"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 e6 7. Be3 Be7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Qd2 a6 10. a4 Qc7 11. Nb3 Ne5 12. Qd4 Bd7 13. f4 Neg4 14. Qb6 Qb8
15. Bd4 e5 16. fxe5 dxe5 17. Bc5 Bxc5+ 18. Nxc5 Bc6 19. Rf3 Ne8 20. Rd1 Ngf6
21. b4 Nd6 22. Nxa6 Rxa6 23. Bxa6 Nd7 24. Qf2 bxa6 25. Rfd3 Qxb4 26. Na2 Qc4
27. Rxd6 Bxa4 28. Nc1 Nf6 29. Rd8 Qxc2 30. Qb6 Qxd1+ 31. Rxd1 Bxd1 32. Qxa6 Bc2
33. Nd3 Re8 34. Nxe5 Bxe4 35. Qd6 h6 36. h3 Ra8 37. g4 Ra1+ 38. Kf2 Ra2+ 39.
Ke1 Ra8 40. Kf1 Ra1+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 08 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Sorokin N"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Qd6 7. e3 Ne4 8.
Bf4 Qg6 9. Qb3 c5 10. f3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Ba5 12. Bxb8 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 08 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Yudovich jr M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 c6 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bd2 O-O 8. e4
Nb6 9. Rd1 N8d7 10. a4 a5 11. Be3 Qc7 12. Be2 Qd6 13. Na2 e6 14. O-O h6 15. Rc1
f5 16. Nc3 Kh7 17. Rfd1 fxe4 18. Nxe4 Qb4 19. Qc2 Qxa4 20. b3 Qa3 21. Nh4 Qe7
22. Nxg6 Kxg6 23. Bh5+ 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 08 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rauzer Vsevolod"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8.
Nb3 Be6 9. f4 O-O 10. O-O Na5 11. Nxa5 Qxa5 12. Bf3 Bc4 13. Re1 Rfd8 14. Qd2
Qc7 15. Rac1 e5 16. b3 d5 17. exd5 e4 18. bxc4 exf3 19. c5 Qa5 20. Red1 Ng4 21.
Bd4 f2+ 22. Kf1 Qa6+ 23. Qe2 Bxd4 24. Rxd4 Qf6 25. Rcd1 Qh4 26. Qd3 Re8 27. Re4
f5 28. Re6 Nxh2+ 29. Ke2 Qxf4 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Flor S"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Na6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 Nxc5 8.
f3 d6 9. e4 e5 10. Be3 Qc7 11. Ne2 Be6 12. Qc2 O-O 13. Nc3 Rfc8 14. Be2 a6 15.
Rc1 Ncd7 16. Qd2 Qb8 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 Rxc1+ 19. Qxc1 Qd8 20. O-O Rc8 21.
Qd2 Qc7 22. Rc1 Qxc1+ 23. Qxc1 Rxc1+ 24. Bxc1 Kf8 25. Kf2 Ke7 26. Be3 Kd8 27.
Ke1 Kc7 28. Kd2 Nc5 29. b4 Ncd7 30. g3 Nb6 31. Kc2 Nbd7 32. a4 Nb6 33. a5 Nbd7
34. Bc1 Kd8 35. Bb2 Ne8 36. Kd2 Nc7 37. Ke3 Ke7 38. Bf1 Nb5 39. h4 Nc7 40. Bh3
Ne8 41. f4 f6 42. Bf5 g6 43. Bh3 h6 44. Bc1 Ng7 45. fxe5 dxe5 46. Kf3 h5 47.
Be3 Kd6 48. Bh6 Ne8 49. g4 hxg4+ 50. Bxg4 Nc7 51. Be3 Nb5 52. Ke2 Nc7 53. Kd3
f5 54. exf5 gxf5 55. Bxf5 Nxd5 56. Bd2 N7f6 57. Kc4 Kc6 58. Bg6 b5+ 59. Kd3 Ne7
60. Be4+ Ned5 61. Bg5 Nh5 62. Bf3 Ng3 63. Bd2 Kd6 64. Bg4 Nf6 65. Bc8 Kc6 66.
Be1 e4+ 67. Kd4 Ngh5 68. Bf5 Kd6 69. Bd2 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Flor S"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 dxc4 7. d5 Ne5 8.
Qd4 Nd3+ 9. Bxd3 cxd3 10. Nf3 g6 11. Bxf6 exf6 12. O-O Qb6 13. Rfe1+ Kd8 14.
Qh4 g5 15. Qh5 Bd6 16. Qxf7 Rf8 17. Qxh7 g4 18. Nd2 Qc7 19. Qh6 Qf7 20. Nc4 Be5
21. Nxe5 fxe5 22. Qg5+ Qe7 23. Qxe5 Qxe5 24. Rxe5 Bf5 25. Rf1 Kd7 26. f3 b5 27.
fxg4 Bxg4 28. h3 b4 29. Ne4 Rxf1+ 30. Kxf1 Rf8+ 31. Ke1 Bf5 32. g4 Bg6 33. Re6
1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Flor S"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 d5 6. Nf3 c6 7. O-O O-O 8. b3 Qe8
9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. Qd3 Qh5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nd2 Ne4 13. f3 Nxc3 14. Bxc3 f4 15.
Rfe1 Bd6 16. Nf1 Rf7 17. e3 fxg3 18. Nxg3 Qh4 19. Nf1 Nf6 20. Re2 Bd7 21. Be1
Qg5 22. Bg3 Bxg3 23. Nxg3 h5 24. f4 Qg4 25. Rf2 h4 26. Bf3 hxg3 27. Bxg4 gxf2+
28. Kg2 Nxg4 29. h3 Nf6 30. Kxf2 Ne4+ 0-1

[Event "It"]
[Site "Hastings (England)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Euwe Max"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. c4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Nf3 dxc4 8.
Bxc4 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Rc1 a6 11. Bd3 h6 12. Be3 Nb4 13. Bb1 b5 14. Ne5 Bb7
15. Qd2 Re8 16. f4 Nbd5 17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. f5 Bd6 19. fxe6 Rxe6 20. Bf5 Re7 21.
Bh3 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qxe5 23. Bf4 Qd5 24. Qxd5 Nxd5 25. Bd2 Rae8 26. b3 Re2 27.
Rf2 Nf6 28. Ba5 Rxf2 29. Kxf2 Ne4+ 30. Kf1 Ng5 31. Bd7 Re7 32. Bf5 Re5 33. Bb1
Be4 34. Bxe4 Nxe4 35. Rc6 Rf5+ 36. Ke1 Rf2 37. a4 Rxg2 38. Rxa6 bxa4 39. bxa4
Rxh2 40. Ra8+ Kh7 41. Bb6 Ra2 42. a5 h5 43. a6 h4 44. a7 h3 45. Bg1 Nf6 46. Kd1
Ng4 47. Re8 h2 48. Bxh2 Rxa7 49. Bb8 Ra8 50. Rd8 Ne5 51. Bc7 Rxd8+ 52. Bxd8 Kg6
53. Ke2 Kf5 54. Ke3 Kg4 55. Bc7 Nf3 56. Kf2 f5 0-1

[Event "It"]
[Site "Hastings (England)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Lilienthal Andre"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 c5 7. Bd2 Bxc3 8.
bxc3 O-O 9. e3 b6 10. c4 Qc6 11. Bc3 Nbd7 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. Bd3 h6 14. f4 Bb7 15.
O-O Rac8 16. Rac1 Rfd8 17. Ba1 Ba8 18. Rcd1 Qb7 19. d5 exd5 20. Nxd7 Nxd7 21.
cxd5 c4 22. Bxc4 b5 23. Qb2 Nf6 24. Bb3 Qb6 25. Rfe1 a5 26. Kh1 a4 27. Bxa4
Rxd5 28. e4 Rxd1 29. Bxd1 Qa5 30. Re2 Rd8 31. Bb3 Qc7 32. e5 Ne4 33. Qc2 Qd7
34. Bb2 Qg4 35. e6 1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Hastings (England)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Menchik V"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bf4 dxc4 6. e3 Nd5 7. Bxc4 Nxf4 8.
exf4 Bd6 9. g3 O-O 10. O-O Nf6 11. Qe2 b6 12. Rfd1 Bb7 13. Rac1 Qe7 14. a3 Rfd8
15. Ne5 c5 16. Nb5 cxd4 17. Nxd4 Bxe5 18. Qxe5 Qd6 19. Bb3 Qxe5 20. fxe5 Ne8
21. f4 a6 22. Kf2 Kf8 23. f5 Bd5 24. fxe6 Bxb3 25. e7+ 1-0

[Event "It"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Euwe Max"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Qe2 Nc5 12. Nd4 Nxb3 13. N2xb3 Qd7 14. Nxc6 Qxc6
15. Be3 Bf5 16. Rfd1 Rfd8 17. f3 Bf8 18. Qf2 a5 19. Rd2 b4 20. Rc1 Qa4 21. Nd4
Bg6 22. b3 Qe8 23. cxb4 Bxb4 24. Rdd1 c5 25. Nc2 Bxc2 26. Rxc2 d4 27. Bg5 Rd5
28. f4 a4 29. Qf3 axb3 30. axb3 Rd7 31. f5 Rda7 32. Qg3 Ra1 33. Rcc1 Rxc1 34.
Rxc1 Kh8 35. Rf1 Ra6 36. h3 Qa8 37. Kh2 Qe8 38. Rf3 Ba5 39. Bf4 Bc7 40. Rf1 Ra8
41. Re1 Qc6 42. e6 Bxf4 43. Qxf4 fxe6 44. fxe6 Re8 45. e7 h6 46. Qf5 Qd6+ 47.
Kh1 Kg8 48. Re6 Qd7 49. Qe5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match Moscow-Leningrad"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Belavenets Sergey"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. d4 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bd3 Nbd7 6. Nc3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3
a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. O-O Qd5 14. Qe2 Ra5 15.
f4 Bd6 16. Bd2 b4 17. a3 Bxe5 18. fxe5 Qxe5 19. Qf3 Qd5 20. Qg3 Ra7 21. Rxf6
gxf6 22. Qg7 Rf8 23. Bxb4 Re7 24. Rc1 Bb7 25. Rc5 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Kmoch G"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. c5 Be7 8. Bb5
O-O 9. Nf3 Ne4 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. Rc1 Ng6 12. O-O Bd7 13. Bd3 f5 14. b4 Be8 15.
g3 Rc8 16. Re1 Qf6 17. a3 Ne7 18. Ne5 Qh6 19. f3 Nf2 20. Qe2 Nh3+ 21. Kg2 g5
22. Nb5 Bxb5 23. Bxb5 Rf6 24. Bd7 Rd8 25. b5 Qh5 26. c6 Rh6 27. Kh1 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lisitsyn George"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 5. d4 Bg7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O b6 8. cxd5
Nxd5 9. Bd2 Bb7 10. Rc1 e6 11. Qa4 Re8 12. Rfd1 Nd7 13. e4 Nxc3 14. Bxc3 Qc7
15. b4 a6 16. Qc2 Rad8 17. Bd2 Bf8 18. e5 Rc8 19. Qb2 c5 20. Be3 Bxf3 21. Bxf3
c4 22. b5 c3 23. Qb3 axb5 24. Qxb5 Ba3 25. Rc2 Nb8 26. Qb3 Bb2 27. Bc1 Qa7 28.
Bxb2 cxb2 29. Qxb2 Rxc2 30. Qxc2 Rd8 31. h4 b5 32. d5 exd5 33. Bxd5 Re8 34. Bb3
Nd7 35. Qc6 Re7 36. e6 Ne5 37. exf7+ Nxf7 38. Qxb5 Kg7 39. Qd5 Qc7 40. Qd4+ Kh6
41. Qd2+ Kg7 42. Bxf7 Kxf7 43. h5 Qe5 44. hxg6+ hxg6 45. Qh6 Ra7 46. Qh7+ Qg7
47. Qh3 Qe5 48. Rd7+ Rxd7 49. Qxd7+ Kg8 50. Qc8+ Kg7 51. Qb7+ Kh6 52. Qb1 Qa5
53. Qc1+ Kh7 54. a3 Qa4 55. g3 Kg8 56. Qc8+ Kg7 57. Qc5 Kf7 58. Kh2 g5 59. Qf5+
Ke8 60. Qxg5 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Romanovsky Petr"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Be2 Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. e5 Nd7 6. Nxd5 Ndxe5 7. Nxe5 Nxe5
8. d4 Qxd5 9. dxe5 Qxd1+ 10. Bxd1 Bf5 11. Bf3 O-O-O 12. Be3 e6 13. O-O Be7 14.
Rfd1 Kc7 15. Rxd8 Rxd8 16. Rd1 Bxc2 17. Rxd8 Kxd8 18. Bxb7 Bb1 19. a3 Bd3 20.
f4 Kc7 21. Bf3 Kb6 22. Kf2 Kb5 23. Ke1 Bc4 24. Kd2 Bd5 25. Be2+ Kc6 26. g3 a5
27. Kc3 f6 28. a4 Bd8 29. Bb5+ Kb6 30. b3 fxe5 31. fxe5 h6 32. g4 Bf3 33. h3
Bh4 34. Bc4 Bd5 35. Bf4 g5 36. Bh2 Kc6 37. Kd3 Kd7 38. Ke2 1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Lasker Emanuel"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qa4+ Nbd7 5. Qxc4 e6 6. g3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8.
Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Qe7 10. Nc3 h6 11. e4 e5 12. Na4 Re8 13. Nh4 Nb6 14. Qxc5 Nxa4
15. Qxe7 Rxe7 16. b3 Nc3 17. Ba3 Re8 18. Bb2 Ncxe4 19. Rfe1 g5 20. Nf3 Bf5 21.
Nxe5 Rad8 22. g4 Bh7 23. f3 Nc5 24. Bf1 Nd5 25. Bc4 Ne6 26. Rad1 Nef4 27. Nd7
Rxe1+ 28. Rxe1 Bd3 29. Nf6+ Nxf6 30. Bxf6 Rc8 31. Bd4 Bxc4 32. bxc4 b6 33. Re4
Ne6 34. Bf6 Rc5 35. a3 Kh7 36. Kf1 Kg6 37. Bb2 Rc7 38. h4 h5 39. hxg5 hxg4 40.
Rxg4 Kf5 41. Rh4 Nf4 42. Rh7 Ke6 43. Bc1 Ng6 44. f4 b5 45. Ke2 bxc4 46. Kd1 Kf5
47. Kc2 Nf8 48. Rh6 Ne6 49. Rf6+ Ke4 50. g6 Nd4+ 51. Kc3 fxg6 52. Rxg6 Ne2+ 53.
Kc2 1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qa4+ c6 5. Qxc4 Bf5 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. g3 Ne4 8.
Bg2 Nd6 9. Qa4 Nb6 10. Qd1 Qc8 11. O-O Bh3 12. e4 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 e6 14. d5 Be7
15. e5 Nb5 16. d6 Nxc3 17. bxc3 Bd8 18. Qd4 c5 19. Qg4 Rg8 20. Qe4 Rh8 21. Be3
Nd7 22. Nd2 f5 23. Qa4 Kf7 24. f4 a6 25. Kg1 b5 26. Qc2 Qc6 27. c4 Rf8 28. Nb3
b4 29. a3 bxa3 30. Rxa3 a5 31. Qg2 Qxg2+ 32. Kxg2 a4 33. Nxc5 Nxc5 34. Bxc5 Rc8
35. Bf2 Rxc4 36. Rfa1 Rc2 37. R1a2 Rxa2 38. Rxa2 Kg6 39. Rxa4 Rf7 40. Ra8 Rd7
41. Kf3 Kf7 42. Ke2 1-0

[Event "It"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Spielmann Rudolf"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Qb6 7. cxd5 Qxb2 8.
Rc1 Nb4 9. Na4 Qxa2 10. Bc4 Bg4 11. Nf3 Bxf3 12. gxf3 1-0

[Event "It"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Capablanca J"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 b6 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. O-O c5 6. b3 Nc6 7. Bb2 Be7 8. Nc3
O-O 9. d4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Bxg2 11. Kxg2 cxd4 12. Qxd4 Qc7 13. e4 Rad8 14. Rad1
Qb7 15. f3 Ne8 16. Rd2 f5 17. Rfd1 Bg5 18. Rd3 Bf6 19. e5 Be7 20. Qf2 Rf7 21.
Qd2 Bb4 22. a3 Bf8 23. Ne2 Nc7 24. Nf4 g6 25. h4 b5 26. cxb5 Qxb5 27. Rc1 Qb7
28. Rxc7 Qxc7 29. Nxe6 dxe6 30. Rxd8 f4 31. g4 Qe7 32. Kh3 Qb7 33. Qd3 Kg7 34.
b4 a5 35. b5 a4 36. g5 Bc5 37. Rd6 Bxd6 38. exd6+ Kf8 39. Bf6 Ke8 40. Be7 Rf5
41. Qc3 Kd7 42. b6 Qc6 43. Qg7 Qxf3+ 44. Kh2 Qg3+ 45. Kh1 Qxh4+ 46. Kg1 Qe1+
47. Kh2 Kc6 48. Qb2 Rd5 49. Qc2+ Kb5 0-1

[Event "It"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Flor S"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 c6 6. O-O dxe5 7. Nxe5 Bxe2 8.
Qxe2 Nd7 9. f4 e6 10. c4 N5b6 11. Be3 Be7 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Rf3 Qe8 14. Rd1 Rd8
15. b3 f5 16. Nd3 Bf6 17. Bf2 Qf7 18. Ne1 Rfe8 19. Rfd3 Nf8 20. Nf3 Qc7 21. Ne5
Nbd7 22. Qd2 Be7 23. Nf3 Nf6 24. Qc1 Ne4 25. Ne5 Nxf2 26. Kxf2 Nd7 27. Qe3 Nxe5
28. fxe5 Qa5 29. a4 Rd7 30. g3 Qd8 31. Kg2 Bg5 32. Qf3 Qe7 33. c5 a5 34. Nb1
Qf8 35. Na3 Bd8 36. Nc4 Bc7 37. Nd6 Rb8 38. Rb1 Qd8 39. b4 axb4 40. Rxb4 Bxd6
41. exd6 Qa5 42. Rdb3 Re8 43. Qe2 Qa8 44. Re3 Kf7 45. Qc4 b5 46. Qc2 Rxd6 47.
cxd6 c5+ 48. Kh3 cxb4 49. Qc7+ Kg8 50. d7 Rf8 51. Qd6 h6 52. Qxe6+ Kh7 53. Qe8
b3 54. Qxa8 Rxa8 55. axb5 Rd8 56. Rxb3 Rxd7 57. b6 1-0

[Event "It"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Lasker Emanuel"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 Nbd7 7. Nc3 dxc4 8. e4
c6 9. a4 a5 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. Rd1 Bb4 12. Ne5 Qe7 13. Be3 Bd7 14. Nxc4 Nxc4 15.
Qxc4 b5 16. Qe2 Rab8 17. axb5 cxb5 18. e5 Ne8 19. d5 exd5 20. Nxd5 Qxe5 21.
Nxb4 1-0

[Event "It"]
[Site "Nottingham (England)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Alekhin Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. Be3 Nc6 8.
Nb3 Be6 9. f4 O-O 10. g4 d5 11. f5 Bc8 12. exd5 Nb4 13. d6 Qxd6 14. Bc5 Qf4 15.
Rf1 Qxh2 16. Bxb4 Nxg4 17. Bxg4 Qg3+ 18. Rf2 Qg1+ 19. Rf1 Qg3+ 20. Rf2 Qg1+
1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Nottingham (England)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Capablanca J"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 c5 5. O-O cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bxg2 7. Kxg2 g6 8.
c4 Bg7 9. Nc3 Qc8 10. b3 Qb7+ 11. f3 d5 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14. Bb2 O-O
15. Qd3 Rd8 16. Rfd1 Nd7 17. Rac1 Nc5 18. Qb1 Qb7 19. Nc2 Qa6 20. Kf1 Bh6 21.
Nb4 Qb7 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Rd1 Rd7 24. Nd3 Nxd3 25. Rxd3 Bg7 26. Bxg7 Rxd3 27.
Qxd3 Kxg7 28. Qd8 b5 29. b4 a6 1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Nottingham (England)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Euwe Max"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. e3 c5 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8.
bxc3 Nbd7 9. Nf3 b6 10. c4 Qd6 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Be2 Rc8 13. O-O Be4 14. Qc3 O-O
15. Rad1 Rfd8 16. d5 Qf8 17. dxe6 fxe6 18. Ne5 Qe7 19. Nxd7 Nxd7 20. Rd2 Bc6
21. Bg4 Nf6 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Bxd1 Qd6 25. Be2 Kf7 26. f3 Ba4
27. Bd3 h6 28. g3 Bc6 29. Kf2 e5 30. Be2 Nd7 31. Qd3 Qxd3 32. Bxd3 e4 33. Bxe4
Bxe4 34. fxe4 Nb8 35. Kf3 Nc6 36. Bc3 g6 37. Kf4 a6 38. a4 Ke6 39. h4 Nb4 40.
Kf3 Nd3 41. Bg7 Ne5+ 42. Ke2 Nxc4 43. Bxh6 Nb2 44. Bg7 Nxa4 45. g4 b5 46. h5
gxh5 47. gxh5 Kf7 48. Ba1 Nb6 49. Kf3 b4 50. e5 Nd7 51. Ke4 Ke6 52. h6 Nf8 53.
Kd3 Kd5 54. e4+ Kc6 55. Kc4 a5 56. e6 Kd6 1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Nottingham (England)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lasker Em"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. cxd5 Nxg5 7. Nxg5 e6 8.
Nf3 exd5 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2 c6 11. O-O Qe7 12. a3 Be6 13. Rc1 Nd7 14. Ne1 Nb6
15. Nd3 Rad8 16. Nc5 Bc8 17. b4 Nc4 18. Nb1 b6 19. Nb3 Ba6 20. Re1 Rfe8 21.
N1d2 b5 22. Ra1 Bc8 23. Bf1 Qd6 24. Nc5 Re7 25. Ndb3 Rde8 26. Qc1 f5 27. Nd3 g5
28. Qc3 f4 29. exf4 gxf4 30. Rxe7 Rxe7 31. a4 a6 32. axb5 axb5 33. Ra8 Re8 34.
Qc1 Rf8 35. Qd1 Bf5 36. Rxf8+ Bxf8 37. Qh5 Qg6 38. Qxg6+ hxg6 39. Nxf4 Bxb4 40.
Bd3 Nd2 41. Nxd2 Bxd2 42. Bxf5 gxf5 43. Ne6 Bc3 44. Kf1 1/2-1/2

[Event "It"]
[Site "Nottingham (England)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Reshevsky Samuel"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d5 7. Nc3 c6 8. Rb1
Qe8 9. c5 Qh5 10. b4 Ne4 11. Qc2 Nd7 12. b5 Bf6 13. Bf4 Qe8 14. Bc7 Rf7 15. Ba5
e5 16. e3 Nxc3 17. Bxc3 e4 18. Nd2 Nf8 19. f3 cxb5 20. fxe4 dxe4 21. d5 Bxc3
22. Qxc3 Bd7 23. Nb3 Rc8 24. g4 g6 25. Qd4 Qe7 26. Rbc1 Be8 27. Rf4 Rd8 28.
Rcf1 Qd7 29. gxf5 gxf5 30. Bh3 Qxd5 31. Rxf5 Qxd4 32. Nxd4 Rg7+ 33. Kh1 Bd7 34.
Rh5 Bxh3 35. Rxh3 Rg5 36. Nf5 Rd7 37. Rh4 Rc7 38. Nh6+ Kg7 39. Nf5+ Kg8 40.
Nh6+ Kg7 41. Nf5+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Be6 7. d4 Bxc4 8. d5
Nb8 9. Qa4+ b5 10. Nxb5 Bxb5 11. Qxb5+ Nd7 12. e4 Ne7 13. O-O O-O 14. Nc3 Rb8
15. Qe2 c5 16. dxc6 Nxc6 17. Be3 Nc5 18. Qd2 Ne6 19. Rac1 Ned4 20. f4 Qa5 21.
f5 f6 22. Rf2 Kh8 23. Qd1 Rbd8 24. fxg6 hxg6 25. Qg4 Ne7 26. Bf1 d5 27. Nxd5
Nxd5 28. exd5 Nf5 29. Bc5 Bh6 30. b4 Qa3 31. Qxg6 Qxc1 32. Rxf5 Bg5 33. h4 Rg8
34. Qh5+ Bh6 35. Rxf6 Kh7 36. Qf5+ Kh8 37. Qh5 Kh7 38. Qf5+ Kh8 39. Qh5 Kh7 40.
Rf7+ 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O b6 8. b3 c5
9. dxc5 Ne4 10. Bxe4 dxe4 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. Nd4 bxc5 13. Nde2 Bg4 14. f3 exf3
15. gxf3 Bh3 16. Re1 Nc6 17. Ba3 Nb4 18. Rab1 Bh6 19. f4 Nc2 20. Bxc5 Nxe1 21.
Rxe1 Bf8 22. Kf2 Bg4 23. Rd1 Rxd1 24. Nxd1 Rd8 25. Ndc3 Rd2 26. Ke1 Rc2 27. Kd1
Rxc3 28. Kd2 Bxe2 29. Kxc3 a6 30. a4 e5 31. Bxf8 Kxf8 32. b4 Ke7 33. fxe5 Kd7
34. Kd4 Kc6 35. b5+ axb5 36. axb5+ Kb6 37. Kd5 Bg4 38. Kd6 Be6 39. c5+ Kxb5 40.
c6 Kb6 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O e6 8. b3
Nbd7 9. Qe2 Re8 10. Bb2 b6 11. Rad1 Bb7 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. dxe5 Nd7 14. f4 Qe7
15. cxd5 exd5 16. e4 d4 17. Nb1 c5 18. Nd2 g5 19. g3 gxf4 20. gxf4 Kh8 21. Nc4
Rg8 22. Kh1 f6 23. Nd6 fxe5 24. Nxb7 exf4 25. e5 Bxe5 26. b4 Nf6 27. Qf3 Ng4
28. Rd2 Rab8 29. Be4 d3 30. Qxd3 Rxb7 31. Bxb7 Qxb7+ 32. Qf3 Qxf3+ 33. Rxf3
Bxb2 34. Rxb2 Ne5 35. Rf1 Nd3 36. Rg2 c4 37. Rc2 b5 38. a3 f3 39. Rd2 Rg2 40.
Rxg2 fxg2+ 41. Kxg2 c3 42. Kf3 c2 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. b3 Be7 5. Bb2 O-O 6. Nc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8.
Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Bc4 Qd8 10. O-O Nc6 11. Qe2 Bf6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Rac1 b6 14. Bb5
Ne5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. d4 cxd4 17. exd4 Qd6 18. Qe5 Qa3 19. h4 Bb7 20. h5 h6 21.
Rc3 Rfd8 22. Rg3 Qf8 23. Qc7 Rab8 24. Qf4 Qd6 25. Qxd6 Rxd6 26. Rc1 Rxd4 27.
Rc7 Rd1+ 28. Kh2 Rd5 29. Be2 Rd2 30. Bf3 Bd5 31. Rxa7 Rxf2 32. Kg1 Rd2 33. Bxd5
Rxd5 34. Rf3 Rf8 35. a4 Rd4 36. Rb7 Rb4 37. Kf2 e5 38. Ke2 e4 39. Rc3 Rd8 40.
g4 Rf8 41. Rbc7 f5 42. Re7 f4 43. Rcc7 f3+ 44. Kf1 Rd8 45. g5 Rd1+ 46. Kf2 Rd2+
47. Ke1 Re2+ 48. Kf1 hxg5 49. Rxg7+ 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Be6 7. d4 Bxc4 8. d5
Nb8 9. Qa4+ b5 10. Nxb5 Bxb5 11. Qxb5+ Nd7 12. e4 Ne7 13. O-O O-O 14. Nc3 Rb8
15. Qe2 c5 16. dxc6 Nxc6 17. Be3 Nc5 18. Qd2 Ne6 19. Rac1 Ned4 20. f4 Qa5 21.
f5 f6 22. Rf2 Kh8 23. Qd1 Rbd8 24. fxg6 hxg6 25. Qg4 Ne7 26. Bf1 d5 27. Nxd5
Nxd5 28. exd5 Nf5 29. Bc5 Bh6 30. b4 Qa3 31. Qxg6 Qxc1 32. Rxf5 Bg5 33. h4 Rg8
34. Qh5+ Bh6 35. Rxf6 Kh7 36. Qf5+ Kh8 37. Qh5 Kh7 38. Qf5+ Kh8 39. Qh5 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. cxd5
Nxd5 9. e4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 c5 11. Ba3 a6 12. Rc1 Qc7 13. e5 b6 14. Qe2 Bb7 15. e6
Bxf3 16. Qxf3 fxe6 17. Qe4 e5 18. dxc5 Nxc5 19. Qc4+ Kh8 20. Bxc5 Qxc5 21. Qxc5
bxc5 22. Be4 Rab8 23. Rb1 Bh6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. b3 d5 8. cxd5
exd5 9. d4 Nbd7 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Rc1 c6 12. Qd2 Ne4 13. Qc2 Nxc3 14. Bxc3 Bd6
15. Rfe1 Nf6 16. Nd2 Bf8 17. Bb2 Rc8 18. Qd3 Rc7 19. Rcd1 g6 20. Nb1 Bc8 21.
Ba3 Bf5 22. Qa6 Bg7 23. Nc3 h5 24. Bc1 Ne4 25. Nxe4 dxe4 26. h4 Rd7 27. Bg5 Bf6
28. Bxf6 Qxf6 29. Qc4 Red8 30. Rc1 Rd6 31. Qc3 Qxd4 32. Qxd4 Rxd4 33. Rxc6 Rd2
34. a4 Rb2 35. Rc3 Rd4 36. Re3 Rb4 37. Rc1 R2xb3 38. Rxb3 Rxb3 39. Rc4 Rb1+ 40.
Kh2 Rb2 41. Bf1 Ra2 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 c5 7. Bd2 Bxc3 8.
Bxc3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 e5 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Rd1 Qc5 12. e3 O-O 13. Be2 Bg4 14. O-O
Rac8 15. Qb3 Qe7 16. h3 Bh5 17. Qa4 Rfd8 18. Qh4 a6 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Rd1
Rxd1+ 21. Bxd1 Qd6 22. Bb3 Bxf3 23. gxf3 b5 24. Kg2 Nd7 25. Qh5 g6 26. Qh4 Nc5
27. Bc2 a5 28. Qg4 b4 29. Qc8+ Kg7 30. Be1 Qd5 31. Qa8 Qc4 32. Bb1 Qd5 33. a3
e4 34. fxe4 Nxe4 35. Ba2 Qd7 36. axb4 Ng5 37. Bc3+ Kh6 38. Kf1 Qd1+ 39. Kg2
Qf3+ 40. Kf1 Ne4 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. e3 c5 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8.
bxc3 b6 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. c4 Qd6 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Be2 cxd4 13. exd4 O-O 14. O-O
Ng4 15. h3 Bxf3 16. hxg4 Bxe2 17. Qxe2 Rac8 18. Rfd1 Rc7 19. d5 e5 20. Re1 f6
21. a4 h6 22. a5 bxa5 23. Ba3 Nc5 24. Reb1 a6 25. Qe1 Rfc8 26. Qxa5 Qd7 27. Rb6
Nd3 28. d6 Nf4 29. dxc7 Qxg4 30. g3 Ne2+ 31. Kh2 Nf4 32. Kg1 Ne2+ 33. Kh2 Nf4
34. Kg1 Ne2+ 35. Kg2 Nf4+ 36. Kg1 Ne2+ 37. Kg2 Nf4+ 38. Kg1 Ne2+ 39. Kh2 Nf4
40. Kg1 Ne2+ 41. Kg2 Nf4+ 42. Kg1 Ne2+ 43. Kh2 Nf4 44. gxf4 Qxf4+ 45. Kg2 Qg4+
46. Kf1 Qxc4+ 47. Ke1 Qe4+ 48. Kd2 Qd4+ 49. Kc2 Rxc7+ 50. Kb1 Rc3 51. Rb4 Qd3+
52. Ka2 Rc2+ 53. Bb2 Rxf2 54. Rc1 Kh7 55. Rb3 Qe4 56. Qxa6 h5 57. Rc7 Rg2 58.
Qd3 Qxd3 59. Rxd3 Kh6 60. Kb3 h4 61. Rc2 Rg4 62. Rf2 Kh5 63. Kc2 Rg1 64. Ba3 e4
65. Re3 Kg4 66. Rxe4+ Kg3 67. Rff4 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5 8. Qa4
Qxc5 9. Qb5 Qxb5 10. Nxb5 Na6 11. Rd1 Be6 12. Nfd4 Bd7 13. Be5 Rfc8 14. cxd5
Nxd5 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. e4 Ndb4 17. Nc3 Nc5 18. a3 Nc6 19. Be2 Nxd4 20. Rxd4 e5
21. Rd5 Be6 22. Rd1 Bb3 23. Rd2 Rd8 24. f3 Ne6 25. Rf1 Nd4 26. Bd1 Bc4 27. Rff2
Rac8 28. Bc2 a6 29. Bb1 b5 30. Ba2 Bxa2 31. Nxa2 a5 32. Rd1 f6 33. Rfd2 Kf7 34.
Nc3 Ke7 35. Kf2 Rc5 36. f4 Rcc8 37. g3 Rc5 38. Rd3 Ke6 39. R1d2 Ke7 40. Ke3
Rcc8 41. Nd5+ Kf7 42. Nxf6 exf4+ 43. gxf4 Nf5+ 44. exf5 Rxd3+ 45. Rxd3 Kxf6 46.
fxg6 hxg6 47. Rd5 b4 48. axb4 axb4 49. Rd4 b3 50. Rd3 Rh8 51. Ke4 Rxh2 52. Rxb3
Re2+ 53. Kd3 Rf2 54. Ke3 Rg2 55. Rb5 Rg1 56. Kd3 Rf1 57. Rb4 Rf2 58. b3 Rf3+
59. Ke4 Rg3 60. Rb6+ Kf7 61. Rb5 Rg1 62. Rd5 Rb1 63. Rb5 Kf6 64. Rb6+ Kf7 65.
Rb8 Kf6 66. Rb6+ Kf7 67. Rb4 Kf6 68. Rb6+ Kf7 69. Rb8 Kf6 70. Rb6+ Kf7 71. Rb7+
Ke6 72. Rb6+ Kf7 73. b4 Re1+ 74. Kd4 Rf1 75. Ke5 Re1+ 76. Kd6 Re4 77. b5 Rxf4
78. Rc6 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3 c5 7. cxd5 cxd4 8.
exd4 Nbd7 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Bf3 Bf5 11. Rd1 Qd7 12. h3 h5 13. Be5 Rfd8 14. Bxf6
exf6 15. Nge2 Rac8 16. O-O Nc4 17. Ng3 Nd6 18. Rfe1 Bf8 19. Be4 Bxe4 20. Ngxe4
Nxe4 21. Nxe4 Kg7 22. Qf3 f5 23. Nc3 b5 24. a3 a5 25. Qg3 b4 26. axb4 axb4 27.
Ne2 Kh7 28. Nf4 Re8 29. Qf3 Rcd8 30. Re5 Bg7 31. Rde1 Rc8 32. d6 Rf8 33. Rd5
Rfe8 34. Rxe8 Rxe8 35. Nd3 Rd8 36. Nc5 Qc6 37. d7 Bxd4 38. Rxd4 Qxc5 39. Qd5
Qxd5 40. Rxd5 Kg7 41. Kf1 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 c5 7. Bd2 Bxc3 8.
Bxc3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nc6 10. e3 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bd7 12. Qc5 Qxc5 13. Bxc5 Bc6 14. f3
Nd7 15. Bd4 f6 16. e4 Ke7 17. Be2 a6 18. Kf2 Bb5 19. Rhd1 Bxe2 20. Kxe2 Rhd8
21. Rd2 Rac8 22. Rad1 Ke8 23. g4 e5 24. Be3 Nf8 25. Rxd8+ Rxd8 26. Rc1 Ne6 27.
h4 Kd7 28. Rc3 Rc8 29. Rd3+ Kc7 30. Rc3+ Kd7 31. Rd3+ Kc7 32. Rc3+ Kd7 33. Rd3+
Kc7 34. Rc3+ Kd7 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Leningrad/Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bd3 cxd4 6. O-O Bc5 7. Nbd2 Nge7 8.
Nb3 Bb6 9. Bf4 Ng6 10. Bxg6 hxg6 11. Re1 Bd7 12. Bg3 Rc8 13. Re2 Ne7 14. Nbxd4
Nf5 15. Nxf5 gxf5 16. Bf4 Bb5 17. Rd2 Rc4 18. g3 Qe7 19. c3 Bd7 20. Rd3 Re4 21.
a4 f6 22. a5 Bd8 23. Rd4 Qf7 24. exf6 gxf6 25. Nd2 e5 26. Nxe4 dxe4 27. Rxd7
Qxd7 28. Qxd7+ Kxd7 29. Be3 a6 30. b4 Be7 31. Rd1+ Kc6 32. h4 f4 33. gxf4 exf4
34. Bxf4 Rxh4 35. Bg3 Rg4 36. Kf1 e3 37. Rd3 exf2 38. Kxf2 f5 39. Rf3 Rc4 40.
Be5 f4 41. Bxf4 Re4 42. Bd2 Bh4+ 43. Kf1 Re6 44. Rh3 Re4 45. Rf3 Re6 46. Rf5
Rf6 47. Rxf6+ Bxf6 48. Ke2 Kd5 49. Kd3 Bh4 50. Be3 Bf6 51. c4+ Kc6 52. Kc2 Bh4
53. Kb3 Bf6 54. Ka4 Bh4 55. b5+ axb5+ 56. cxb5+ Kd5 57. Bb6 Bf6 58. Kb3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Levenfish Grigory"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O b6 8. b3 Bb7
9. Ba3 Re8 10. Rc1 e6 11. Qe2 Nbd7 12. Rfd1 Qb8 13. h3 a6 14. Bb2 c5 15. cxd5
exd5 16. Bb1 Qa7 17. dxc5 bxc5 18. Na4 d4 19. Nd2 Nd5 20. Nc4 Bc6 21. Qf3 Nb4
22. Qg3 Bxa4 23. bxa4 dxe3 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 25. fxe3 Nf6 26. a3 Nbd5 27. e4 Nb6
28. Nd6 Re6 29. e5 Ne8 30. a5 Na4 31. Nc4 Rb8 32. Qf2 Rxb1 33. Rxb1 Nc3 34.
Rbc1 Nxd1 35. Rxd1 Qc7 36. Rd5 Rc6 37. Qd2 Qe7 38. Rd7 Qe6 39. Qd5 Qxd5 40.
Rxd5 Kf8 41. Rd7 Rc7 42. Rd8 Ke7 43. Rd6 Ra7 44. Rc6 Kd7 45. Rb6 Ke7 46. Kf2 f6
47. Ke2 Ra8 48. Rc6 fxe5 49. Rxc5 Nd6 50. Rc7+ Ke6 51. Nxd6 Kxd6 52. Rxh7 Rb8
53. Rg7 Rb2+ 54. Kf1 e4 55. Rxg6+ Ke5 56. Rxa6 Ra2 57. Ra8 Kf4 58. a6 Ra1+ 59.
Ke2 Ra2+ 60. Kd1 Rxa3 61. a7 Ke3 62. h4 Rd3+ 63. Kc2 Rd7 64. g4 Rc7+ 65. Kb3
Rd7 66. Kc3 Rc7+ 67. Kb4 Rd7 68. Kc5 1-0

[Event "It AVRO"]
[Site "Netherlands"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Alekhin A"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e3 Nc6 7. Bc4 cxd4 8.
exd4 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 b6 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. Bb5 Bd7 13. Qa4 Nb8 14. Bf4
Bxb5 15. Qxb5 a6 16. Qa4 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Rac1 Ra7 19. Qc2 Re7 20. Rxe7
Qxe7 21. Qc7 Qxc7 22. Rxc7 f6 23. Kf1 Rf7 24. Rc8+ Rf8 25. Rc3 g5 26. Ne1 h5
27. h4 Nd7 28. Rc7 Rf7 29. Nf3 g4 30. Ne1 f5 31. Nd3 f4 32. f3 gxf3 33. gxf3 a5
34. a4 Kf8 35. Rc6 Ke7 36. Kf2 Rf5 37. b3 Kd8 38. Ke2 Nb8 39. Rg6 Kc7 40. Ne5
Na6 41. Rg7+ Kc8 42. Nc6 Rf6 43. Ne7+ Kb8 44. Nxd5 Rd6 45. Rg5 Nb4 46. Nxb4
axb4 47. Rxh5 Rc6 48. Rb5 Kc7 49. Rxb4 Rh6 50. Rb5 Rxh4 51. Kd3 1-0

[Event "It AVRO"]
[Site "Netherlands"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Capablanca J"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 exd5 8.
Bd3 O-O 9. Ne2 b6 10. O-O Ba6 11. Bxa6 Nxa6 12. Bb2 Qd7 13. a4 Rfe8 14. Qd3 c4
15. Qc2 Nb8 16. Rae1 Nc6 17. Ng3 Na5 18. f3 Nb3 19. e4 Qxa4 20. e5 Nd7 21. Qf2
g6 22. f4 f5 23. exf6 Nxf6 24. f5 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 Re8 26. Re6 Rxe6 27. fxe6 Kg7
28. Qf4 Qe8 29. Qe5 Qe7 30. Ba3 Qxa3 31. Nh5+ gxh5 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Qxf6+ Kg8
34. e7 Qc1+ 35. Kf2 Qc2+ 36. Kg3 Qd3+ 37. Kh4 Qe4+ 38. Kxh5 Qe2+ 39. Kh4 Qe4+
40. g4 Qe1+ 41. Kh5 1-0

[Event "It AVRO"]
[Site "Netherlands"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Reshevsky Samuel H"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d4 exd4 8.
exd4 O-O 9. O-O Nf5 10. d5 Ne5 11. b3 a5 12. Bb2 Nd7 13. a3 Nc5 14. b4 Nd7 15.
Qb3 Nd4 16. Nxd4 Bxd4 17. Rad1 Bg7 18. Rfe1 axb4 19. axb4 Nf6 20. h3 h5 21. c5
Bf5 22. Nb5 Bd7 23. c6 bxc6 24. dxc6 Bc8 25. Nxd6 Be6 26. Rxe6 fxe6 27. Nf5 Qe8
28. Nxg7 Kxg7 29. Rd7+ Rf7 30. Be5 Kg8 31. Rxc7 Rxc7 32. Bxc7 Ra1+ 33. Kh2 Ra7
34. Be5 Rf7 35. c7 Nd7 36. Qc2 Rf8 37. c8=Q 1-0

[Event "It AVRO"]
[Site "Netherlands"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Capablanca J"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. Qb3 cxd4 8. Nxd4
dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nbd7 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. Rd1 Nxg3 12. hxg3 Qa5 13. O-O Nb6 14. Bd5 Rb8
15. a3 e6 16. Bf3 a6 17. Nde2 Nd7 18. Ne4 Ne5 19. Rc1 Bd7 20. Nd4 Ba4 21. Qc3
Qxc3 22. Nxc3 Nxf3+ 23. gxf3 Bd7 24. Rfd1 Rfd8 25. f4 Be8 26. Ne4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 11 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1939.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Yudovich Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 O-O 6. g3 e5 7. Bg2 exd4 8. Nxd4
Nc6 9. Nc2 Be6 10. b3 Qd7 11. O-O Bh3 12. f3 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Nh5 14. Bb2 f5 15.
exf5 Qxf5 16. Ne3 Qf7 17. Qd5 Rae8 18. Rae1 Nf6 19. Qd2 a6 20. f4 Ne7 21. Rf2
Nf5 22. Rfe2 Nxe3+ 23. Rxe3 Rxe3 24. Rxe3 Re8 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 11 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1939.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Tolush Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5 8. cxd5
Rd8 9. Qd2 Nxd5 10. Bc7 Qxc7 11. Nxd5 Rxd5 12. Qxd5 Be6 13. Qd2 Nc6 14. Rd1 Rd8
15. Qc1 Qa5+ 16. Rd2 Rd5 17. Ne2 Rxc5 18. Nc3 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Rxc3 20. Qb2 Ra3
21. Qb5 Qc3 22. Qb2 Qc5 23. Qb1 Bxa2 24. Rxa2 Qa5+ 25. Rd2 Ra1 26. Bd3 Rxb1+
27. Bxb1 Ne5 28. Ke2 Qb5+ 29. Bd3 Nxd3 30. Rxd3 a5 31. Rd1 Qc4 32. Kf3 b5 33.
Rd7 b4 34. Ra7 a4 35. Rd8+ Kg7 36. Rda8 a3 37. g3 Qb5 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 11 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1939.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Dubinin Petr"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. d3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. Nbd2 Qc7 12. Nf1 h6 13. h3 Be6 14. Ne3 Rad8 15.
Nf5 Bxf5 16. exf5 Nc6 17. d4 exd4 18. cxd4 d5 19. Be3 Rfe8 20. Rc1 c4 21. g4
Ne4 22. Bb1 Bd6 23. Nh4 Bf4 24. Qf3 Bg5 25. Ng2 Bxe3 26. Qxe3 Re7 27. Qf4 Nxd4
28. Qxc7 Nf3+ 29. Kf1 Ned2# 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 11 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1939.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Panov Vasily"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d6 8.
Bg5 Qe7 9. Re1 Nd8 10. d4 Ne6 11. Bc1 c6 12. Bf1 Nd7 13. g3 c5 14. dxc5 dxc5
15. Nh4 g6 16. Ng2 Ng7 17. Ne3 Nf6 18. Bg2 Be6 19. c4 Rad8 20. Qe2 Nd7 21. Bb2
f6 22. f4 Rde8 23. Rad1 b6 24. Rd2 exf4 25. gxf4 g5 26. fxg5 fxg5 27. e5 Qf7
28. Nd5 Nh5 29. Rf1 Nf4 30. Qe4 Qf5 31. Qxf5 Bxf5 32. Nxf4 gxf4 33. Bd5+ Kg7
34. e6+ Nf6 35. Rxf4 Kg6 36. Rg2+ Ng4 37. Rgxg4+ Bxg4 38. Rxg4+ Kf5 39. Rg3 Rg8
40. Bg7 Re7 41. Bf8 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 11 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1939.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Kan Ilia"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qa5 7. Bd2 Ne4 8.
Qc2 Nxd2 9. Nxd2 d6 10. e3 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Bd3 h6 13. O-O O-O 14. f4 Nd7
15. f5 Nf6 16. Ne4 Qd8 17. Nxf6+ Qxf6 18. Be4 Rb8 19. Rad1 b6 20. h3 Ba6 21.
Bd5 b5 22. cxb5 Rxb5 23. c4 Rb6 24. Rb1 Rd8 25. Rxb6 axb6 26. e4 Bc8 27. Qa4
Bd7 28. Qa7 Be8 29. Rb1 Rd6 30. a4 Kh7 31. a5 bxa5 32. Qxa5 Ra6 33. Qxc5 Ra2
34. Qe3 Qa6 35. Rb8 Qa4 36. Kh2 Ra3 37. Qc5 Ra2 38. Ra8 Qxa8 39. Bxa8 Rxa8 40.
Qxe5 Bc6 41. Qc7 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 11 Ch"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1939.??.??"]
[Round "17"]
[White "Kotov Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d5 6. e3 O-O 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8.
Qxc3 Bd7 9. b3 a5 10. Bd3 a4 11. Nd2 Re8 12. O-O e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Bb2 axb3
15. Nxb3 Ne4 16. Qc2 Nxc4 17. Bxc4 dxc4 18. Qxc4 Qg5 19. f4 Qg6 20. Rfd1 Nd6
21. Qd3 Bf5 22. Qc3 Be4 23. Rd2 Bc6 24. Qd3 Nf5 25. Be5 f6 26. Bxc7 Rxe3 27.
Qc4+ Kh8 28. Bb6 Ree8 29. Qf1 h5 30. Nd4 Nxd4 31. Bxd4 Re4 32. Re1 Rxe1 33.
Qxe1 Rxa3 34. Kh1 Ra8 35. Re2 Kh7 36. h3 Re8 37. Qf2 Qxg2+ 38. Qxg2 Rxe2 0-1

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Boleslavsky Isaak"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5+ Nc6 6. Ngf3 Bd6 7. dxc5 Bxc5
8. O-O Ne7 9. Nb3 Bb6 10. Be3 Bxe3 11. fxe3 O-O 12. Qd2 Qb6 13. a4 Bf5 14. Nfd4
Nxd4 15. exd4 Rac8 16. Nc5 a6 17. Rae1 Rc7 18. Bd3 Bxd3 19. Qxd3 Qd6 20. c3 a5
21. Qf3 Ng6 22. Re3 b6 23. Nd3 Rd7 24. Rfe1 Qc6 25. g3 Rd6 26. h4 f6 27. Qf5
Qc8 28. Qxc8 Rxc8 29. h5 Nf8 30. Re7 Rcd8 31. Nf4 R8d7 32. g4 Rxe7 33. Rxe7 g5
34. hxg6 Nxg6 35. Nxg6 hxg6 36. Rb7 Kf8 37. Kf2 Ke8 38. Ke3 g5 39. Kd3 Re6 40.
b4 axb4 41. cxb4 Kd8 42. a5 Kc8 43. a6 b5 44. Rxb5 Rxa6 45. Rxd5 Ra1 46. Rc5+
Kb7 47. d5 Rf1 48. Rc4 f5 49. Ke2 1-0

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Lilienthal Andre"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 Nbd7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O e5 8. e4
Re8 9. Be3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Ne5 11. b3 Nfg4 12. Bf4 Nc6 13. Nde2 f5 14. h3 Nf6 15.
exf5 Bxf5 16. Qd2 h5 17. Rae1 Qd7 18. Kh2 Kh7 19. Bg5 Ne5 20. Nf4 c6 21. Bxf6
Bxf6 22. Ne4 Be7 23. Qc3 Qc7 24. Ne2 Rad8 25. f4 Nf7 26. Nd4 Nh6 27. Ng5+ 1-0

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Keres Paul"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 c5 8.
O-O-O Bxc3 9. Qxc3 g5 10. Bg3 cxd4 11. Qxd4 Nc6 12. Qa4 Bf5 13. e3 Rc8 14. Bd3
Qd7 15. Kb1 Bxd3+ 16. Rxd3 Qf5 17. e4 Nxe4 18. Ka1 O-O 19. Rd1 b5 20. Qxb5 Nd4
21. Qd3 Nc2+ 22. Kb1 Nb4 0-1

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Bondarevsky Igor"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. Qc2
c5 9. dxc5 Qa5 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Qd2 Be6 12. Rc1 Nc6 13. Be2 Qxc5 14. O-O Qa5
15. Rfd1 Rfd8 16. a3 a6 17. Nd4 Nxd4 18. exd4 Rac8 19. Ra1 Bg5 20. f4 Bf6 21.
b4 Qc7 22. Rac1 Qd7 23. b5 Qd6 24. bxa6 bxa6 25. a4 g5 26. g3 gxf4 27. gxf4 Kh8
28. Kh1 Rg8 29. Bf3 Rc4 30. Qe3 Rgc8 31. Ne2 Bf5 32. a5 Qd7 33. Rg1 Re8 34. Qf2
Qc8 35. Rce1 Be4 36. Rg2 Bxf3 37. Qxf3 Qf5 38. Reg1 Bxd4 39. Ng3 Qh7 40. Qxd5
Bxg1 41. Qxc4 Ba7 42. Nf1 Qf5 43. Qc3+ f6 44. Qc7 Qh7 45. Qc6 Qf7 46. Qxa6 Bd4
47. Qd3 Re1 48. h3 Qd7 49. f5 Qd5 50. a6 Ra1 51. Qe2 Qc6 52. Kh2 Be5+ 53. Kg1
Qc5+ 54. Kh1 Qc3 55. Kg1 Bd4+ 56. Kh2 Be5+ 57. Kg1 Qxh3 58. Qc4 Qe3+ 59. Rf2 h5
60. Kg2 Qg5+ 61. Kh1 Rc1 62. Qa4 Qg8 63. Qh4 Qa8+ 64. Kg1 Rc7 65. Rg2 Qa7+ 66.
Kh1 Qxa6 67. Kg1 Qa7+ 68. Kh1 Qa6 69. Kg1 Qb6+ 70. Kh1 Qb5 71. Kg1 Qa6 72. Kh1
Qb5 73. Kg1 Qc5+ 74. Kh1 Qc1 75. Kg1 Qd1 76. Qe4 Kh7 77. Rd2 Rg7+ 78. Rg2 Rd7
79. Qc4 Rg7 80. Rxg7+ Kxg7 81. Qe4 Qg4+ 82. Qxg4+ hxg4 83. Nd2 Kh6 84. Ne4 Kh5
85. Kh1 Kh4 86. Kg2 Bd4 87. Kh2 Bb2 88. Kg2 Be5 0-1

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Smyslov Vassily"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Nbc6 8.
Bd3 Qa5 9. Qd2 c4 10. Be2 Qa4 11. h4 Bd7 12. h5 h6 13. Nh4 Nf5 14. Nxf5 exf5
15. Rg1 Ne7 16. g4 fxg4 17. Bxg4 Bxg4 18. Rxg4 Nf5 19. Qe2 Qd7 20. Rf4 Qe6 21.
Qf3 g6 22. a4 O-O-O 23. Ba3 b6 24. Kd2 Rhg8 25. Rb1 Kb7 26. a5 Rc8 27. axb6
axb6 28. Qg4 Kc6 29. Rh1 Kd7 30. Rh3 Rce8 31. Rhf3 Kc7 32. Qh3 Rg7 33. Qh1 Ra8
34. Qc1 Rgg8 35. Qb2 Ra4 36. Bd6+ Kc6 37. Qb1 Rga8 38. Qh1 Ra1 39. Qh3 Rg1 40.
hxg6 Raa1 41. Re3 Rad1+ 42. Ke2 Nxd4+ 0-1

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Boleslavsky Isaak"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5+ Nc6 6. Ngf3 Bd6 7. O-O Ne7 8.
dxc5 Bxc5 9. Nb3 Bb6 10. Be3 Bxe3 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 12. fxe3 O-O 13. Qd2 Qb6 14.
Qc3 Rb8 15. Rab1 Re8 16. Rfe1 Ng6 17. Nc5 Bg4 18. Nd4 Ne5 19. b4 Rbd8 20. e4
dxe4 21. Rxe4 a5 22. a3 axb4 23. axb4 f6 24. Rbe1 Kh8 25. Kh1 Bd7 26. Nxd7 Rxd7
27. Qxc6 Qd8 28. Nf3 Rc7 29. Nxe5 fxe5 30. Qxe8+ Qxe8 31. Rxe5 Qg8 32. Re8 Rxc2
33. Rxg8+ Kxg8 34. Rb1 Kf7 35. b5 Ke6 36. b6 Rc8 37. h3 Rb8 38. Kh2 Kd5 39. Kg3
Kc6 40. Kg4 Kb7 41. Re1 Rg8 42. Re6 Ka6 43. Kg5 Kb7 44. h4 Ka6 45. h5 Kb7 46.
g4 Ka6 47. Kh4 Kb7 48. h6 gxh6 49. Rxh6 Rg7 50. Kh5 Ka6 51. Rc6 Re7 52. Rc7
Re5+ 53. g5 Kxb6 54. Rxh7 Kc6 55. Kh6 Kd6 56. g6 Re1 57. Rf7 Ke6 58. Rf2 Ra1
59. g7 Rh1+ 60. Kg6 Rg1+ 61. Kh7 Rh1+ 62. Kg8 Ke7 63. Re2+ Kd7 64. Re4 Rh2 65.
Kf7 1-0

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Lilienthal Andre"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Ne2 d5 6. a3 Be7 7. cxd5 exd5 8. g3
Nbd7 9. Bg2 Nb6 10. Qd3 a5 11. a4 c6 12. O-O Nbd7 13. Rd1 Nb8 14. b3 Na6 15.
Na2 Re8 16. Bb2 Bd6 17. Re1 Qe7 18. Rad1 g6 19. Nf4 Bf5 20. Qe2 Nb4 21. Nxb4
Bxb4 22. Rf1 Bg4 23. f3 Bf5 24. Bc1 Ba3 25. Rfe1 Bxc1 26. Rxc1 h5 27. Qd2 Qa3
28. Qc3 Re7 29. Ra1 Qd6 30. Ra2 Rae8 31. Rae2 b6 32. Nd3 Bxd3 33. Qxd3 c5 34.
Bf1 Nd7 35. Rd1 Qf6 36. f4 cxd4 37. exd4 Rxe2 38. Bxe2 Qe7 39. Bf3 Nf6 40. Kg2
Rc8 41. Rd2 Qb4 42. f5 Rc3 43. Qe2 g5 44. Qe5 Rxb3 45. Re2 Kg7 46. Bxd5 Rb2 47.
Bc4 Rxe2+ 48. Bxe2 Qxa4 49. Bxh5 Qc2+ 50. Be2 a4 51. d5 Qc5 52. h4 Qxd5+ 53.
Qxd5 Nxd5 54. hxg5 a3 0-1

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "15"]
[White "Smyslov Vassily"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1
b5 9. Bc2 d5 10. Nbd2 dxe4 11. dxe4 Be6 12. h3 h6 13. Nh2 Nh7 14. Ng4 Bg5 15.
Qe2 Qd6 16. Ne3 Rfd8 17. Nf3 Bxe3 18. Qxe3 Qe7 19. Nh2 Nf8 20. Qf3 Rd7 21. Nf1
Nh7 22. Ng3 Rad8 23. Nf5 Qf6 24. g4 Ne7 25. Qg3 Bc4 26. f3 Bd3 27. Bb3 c5 28.
Be3 c4 29. Bd1 Ng5 30. h4 Ne6 31. a4 b4 32. cxb4 Nf4 33. Kh1 g5 34. b5 a5 35.
Bc5 Nxf5 36. gxf5 Kh7 37. Qg4 gxh4 38. Rg1 h5 39. Qg5 Qxg5 40. Rxg5 f6 41. Rg1
Nh3 42. Re1 Rg8 43. Ra2 Bb1 44. Ra1 Bd3 45. Ra2 Nf4 46. b4 Rc8 47. b6 Rb7 48.
Be3 axb4 49. a5 b3 50. Ra3 b2 51. Ba4 c3 52. Rb3 Ne2 53. Bb5 Bxb5 54. Rxb5 Nd4
55. Bxd4 exd4 56. a6 Rxb6 57. Rxb6 d3 58. Rg1 d2 59. Rxf6 Rc7 60. Rfg6 d1=Q 0-1

[Event "Ch URS (match-tournament), 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow/Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "17"]
[White "Lilienthal Andre"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3
a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. O-O Qd5 14. Qe2 Ba6 15.
a4 Bd6 16. axb5 Bb7 17. Rxa8+ Bxa8 18. Nc6 Bxc6 19. bxc6 Ke7 20. Bc4 Qxc6 21.
Bg5 Qc5 22. Bxf6+ Kxf6 23. b3 g6 24. Rd1 Rd8 25. g3 Kg7 26. Qf3 Be5 27. Qb7 Rb8
28. Qe4 Bf6 29. Kg2 Qa5 30. Qe2 Ra8 31. Rd3 Qc5 32. Qe4 Ra1 33. Rd2 Qa5 34. Qe2
Qa8+ 35. Kh3 Rg1 36. f4 Qc8 37. Ba6 Qc5 38. Bd3 Qd5 39. Rd1 Rg2 40. Qe4 Rxh2+
41. Kxh2 Qh5+ 42. Kg2 Qxd1 43. Bc4 h5 44. Qf3 Qxf3+ 45. Kxf3 Be7 46. Ke4 Bc5
47. Bb5 Kf6 48. Be2 Ke7 49. Bb5 Bb4 50. Kxd4 Be1 51. Ke4 Bxg3 52. Kf3 Be1 53.
Bc6 Bb4 54. Ba4 Bd6 55. Bc6 f5 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Bondarevsky Igor"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 Nc6 8.
Ne2 d6 9. e4 e5 10. d5 Na5 11. O-O a6 12. Ng3 b5 13. cxb5 c4 14. Bc2 axb5 15.
a4 bxa4 16. Rxa4 Nd7 17. Be3 Nc5 18. Bxc5 dxc5 19. Qh5 f6 20. Rfa1 Bd7 21. R4a3
Qb6 22. Qd1 Ra7 23. Nf1 Rfa8 24. Ne3 Kf8 25. R1a2 Ra6 26. h3 Qd8 27. Nxc4 Bb5
28. Nxa5 Rxa5 29. Qa1 Rxa3 30. Rxa3 Rxa3 31. Qxa3 Qc7 32. Qa8+ Kf7 33. Bd1 Kg6
34. Bg4 Bd7 35. d6 Qxd6 36. Qd8 Qd2 37. Qxd7 Qe1+ 38. Kh2 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Boleslavsky Isaak"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. g3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. e4
Re8 9. d5 Nc5 10. Ne1 a5 11. h3 Rf8 12. Be3 Ne8 13. Nd3 b6 14. Qd2 f5 15. exf5
gxf5 16. f4 Nxd3 17. Qxd3 e4 18. Qd2 Qf6 19. Rf2 Bd7 20. Rd1 Qg6 21. Ne2 Nf6
22. Bd4 Rae8 23. Qe3 h6 24. Nc3 Rf7 25. Bf1 Kh7 26. Be2 h5 27. Rg2 Bh6 28. Rf1
Rg8 29. Rff2 Bg7 30. a3 h4 31. gxh4 Qh6 32. Rg5 Qxh4 33. Rfg2 Be8 34. Rxf5 Bh6
35. Rfg5 Bxg5 36. fxg5 Nh5 37. Bxh5 Qxh5 38. Qxe4+ Rg6 39. Qxe8 Rxg5 40. Qh8+
Kg6 41. Qg8+ Kf5 42. Qc8+ Kf4 43. Qe6 Rxg2+ 44. Kxg2 Qf3+ 45. Kg1 Qg3+ 46. Kf1
Qf3+ 47. Bf2 Qh5 48. Ne2+ Kg5 49. h4+ 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Smyslov Vassily"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. h3
O-O 9. c3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Nc6 14. a3 Bd7 15.
d5 Na5 16. Nf1 Nh5 17. Bd3 g6 18. Bh6 Rfc8 19. Ne3 Qd8 20. b4 Nc4 21. Bxc4 bxc4
22. Rc1 c3 23. Qb3 Qc7 24. Rc2 Nf4 25. Nd1 Qc4 26. Qxc4 Rxc4 27. Rxc3 Rac8 28.
Rxc4 Rxc4 29. Bxf4 exf4 30. e5 Kf8 31. Nb2 Rc3 32. e6 Be8 33. Re4 g5 34. Nd4
Bf6 35. Kh2 Be5 36. Nf3 Rxf3 37. e7+ Kg7 38. Rxe5 Rxf2 39. Rxg5+ Kf6 40. Nd3
Ra2 41. Rg8 Kxe7 42. Nxf4 Rxa3 43. Rg4 Bd7 44. Rh4 Bf5 45. Ne2 Bg6 46. Rf4 h5
47. Nd4 Kd7 48. b5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Makagonov Vladimir"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 d5 6. O-O O-O 7. b3 c6 8. Ne5
Nbd7 9. Nd3 Qe8 10. f3 b6 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Nd2 c5 13. e3 Rc8 14. Qe2 dxc4 15.
bxc4 Qf7 16. Ne5 Qe8 17. f4 Bxg2 18. Qxg2 cxd4 19. exd4 Bb4 20. Nef3 Nb8 21. a3
Bxd2 22. Nxd2 b5 23. Rac1 bxc4 24. Nxc4 Qd7 25. Rfe1 Rfe8 26. Ne3 Nc6 27. d5
Nxd5 28. Nc4 Rb8 29. Rc2 Rb3 30. Rd2 Reb8 31. Qe2 Nd8 32. Qe5 R8b5 33. g4 Rc5
34. gxf5 Rxc4 35. fxe6 Nxe6 36. Rxd5 Qf7 37. f5 Nf8 38. Bd4 Rd3 39. Rd8 Rd2 40.
Rxf8+ Qxf8 41. Qd5+ Kh8 42. Qxc4 Qd8 43. f6 Rxd4 44. f7 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Keres Paul"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Bg5 Bb7 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Bxc3+ 8.
bxc3 d6 9. Nd2 e5 10. f3 Qe7 11. e4 Nbd7 12. Bd3 g5 13. Bf2 Nh5 14. g3 Ng7 15.
Qe2 h5 16. h4 gxh4 17. Rxh4 Nf8 18. Rh2 Ng6 19. d5 O-O-O 20. Nf1 h4 21. g4 Qf6
22. Qe3 Kb8 23. Nd2 Ne8 24. O-O-O c6 25. Kb2 Nc7 26. Nb3 Na6 27. Rdh1 Rh7 28.
Bf1 Rdh8 29. Be1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "15"]
[White "Mikenas Vladas"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 c5 8.
O-O-O O-O 9. dxc5 Bxc3 10. Qxc3 g5 11. Bg3 Ne4 12. Qa3 Be6 13. f3 Nxg3 14. hxg3
Qf6 15. e3 Rc8 16. Kb1 Nd7 17. Ne2 Rxc5 18. Nd4 a6 19. Bb5 Rac8 20. Bxd7 Bxd7
21. g4 Qg6+ 22. Ka1 Qf6 23. Qd3 Ba4 24. Rde1 Bc2 25. Qd2 Bh7 26. Rc1 b6 27.
Rxc5 bxc5 28. Nb3 c4 29. Nd4 Re8 30. Re1 Bd3 31. Qc3 Qe5 32. Nc6 Qd6 33. Nb4 d4
34. exd4 Rxe1+ 35. Qxe1 a5 36. Nxd3 cxd3 37. Qe3 Qa6 38. b3 Qc6 39. Qd2 a4 40.
Kb2 a3+ 41. Kxa3 Qd6+ 42. b4 Qxd4 43. Kb3 Kf8 44. a4 Qd5+ 45. Kc3 Qc6+ 46. Kxd3
Qxa4 47. Kc4 Kg8 48. Kc5 Qa7+ 49. Kb5 Qb7+ 50. Ka4 Qa6+ 51. Kb3 Qe6+ 52. Ka3
Qa6+ 53. Kb2 Qc4 54. Qc3 Qb5 55. Qc8+ Kg7 56. Qc5 Qe2+ 57. Qc2 Qf1 58. Kb3 Kg8
59. Qc8+ Kg7 60. Qc6 Qd1+ 61. Kb2 Qd2+ 62. Ka3 Qd3+ 63. Ka4 Qd1+ 64. Ka5 Qd2
65. g3 Qe1 66. Qe4 Qd2 67. Qe5+ Kg6 68. Kb5 Qd7+ 69. Kb6 Qd8+ 70. Kb7 Qd7+ 71.
Qc7 Qd3 72. Qc6+ Kg7 73. b5 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 12 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1940.??.??"]
[Round "17"]
[White "Lilienthal Andre"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2
Nxc3 9. Qxc3 d6 10. Qc2 f5 11. Ne1 Nc6 12. d5 exd5 13. cxd5 Nb4 14. Qd2 a5 15.
a3 Na6 16. b4 Bf6 17. Bb2 Qd7 18. Bxf6 Rxf6 19. Nd3 a4 20. Rac1 Qf7 21. Nf4 Bc8
22. Rc3 Bd7 23. Rfc1 h6 24. h4 Ra7 25. h5 Ra8 26. Re3 Kh7 27. Rcc3 Rb8 28. Qd3
Ra8 29. Ng6 Rxg6 30. hxg6+ Kxg6 31. Re6+ Kh7 32. g4 c5 33. b5 Nc7 34. gxf5 Nxb5
35. f6+ Kg8 36. Rc4 Re8 37. Rg4 g5 38. Rxe8+ Bxe8 39. Re4 Kf8 40. Re7 Qg6 41.
Be4 Qh5 42. Bf3 Qg6 43. Rxe8+ 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1943.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Smyslov Vassily"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2 Nxf2 12. Rxf2 f6 13. exf6 Qxf6 14. Qf1 Bg4
15. Kh1 Bxf2 16. Qxf2 Rae8 17. Qg3 Ne5 18. Bd1 Nd3 19. h3 Bh5 20. Bc2 Nf4 21.
Ng1 c5 22. Ndf3 Ne2 23. Nxe2 Rxe2 24. Bd1 Re6 25. Bd2 h6 26. Kh2 Re4 27. Ng5
hxg5 28. Bxh5 Re5 29. Bf3 Qe7 30. a4 Kh7 31. axb5 axb5 32. Ra7 Qd6 33. Bg4 Rd8
34. Kh1 d4 35. cxd4 cxd4 36. Bf4 Re1+ 37. Qxe1 Qxf4 38. Rd7 Rxd7 39. Bxd7 d3
40. Bg4 d2 41. Qe2 b4 42. Qd3+ g6 43. Kg1 Kh6 44. b3 Kg7 45. Bf3 Qf7 46. Kf2
Qe6 47. Qe3 Qd6 48. Bd1 Qd5 49. g4 Kh7 50. Ke2 1-0

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1943.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tolush Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Nbc6 8. a4
Bd7 9. Be2 Qc7 10. O-O b6 11. Ba3 Na5 12. Nd2 Bxa4 13. c4 Bd7 14. cxd5 exd5 15.
c4 O-O 16. dxc5 Qxe5 17. cxb6 axb6 18. Bf3 Rfe8 19. Re1 Qf6 20. cxd5 Nf5 21.
Ne4 Qd4 22. Qe2 Nh4 23. Rad1 Qc4 24. Qd2 Qa4 25. Bc1 Nc4 26. Qf4 Ng6 27. Qg3
Bf5 28. Rd4 Qc2 29. h4 Ra1 30. Nf6+ gxf6 31. Rxe8+ Kg7 32. h5 Rxc1+ 33. Kh2 Qb1
34. Qb8 Rh1+ 35. Kg3 Qg1 36. Rg8+ Kh6 37. Bg4 Qh2+ 38. Kf3 Nce5+ 39. Ke2 Bxg4+
40. Rxg4 Qxh5 0-1

[Event "Tournament"]
[Site "Sverdlovsk (Russia)"]
[Date "1943.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Smyslov Vassily"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nd5 Be7 5. d4 d6 6. Bb5 Bg4 7. dxe5 dxe5 8.
h3 Bd7 9. Qe2 Nf6 10. Bg5 O-O 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. O-O-O Be6 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14.
Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. Qe3 Rfb8 16. a3 Rb5 17. Qg5 Rab8 18. b3 h6 19. Qxf6 gxf6 20. Rd3
f5 21. exf5 Bxf5 22. Rc3 Bd7 23. Rd1 Be8 24. a4 Ra5 25. Nd2 Rd5 26. Ne4 Rxd1+
27. Kxd1 Rd8+ 28. Ke2 Kg7 29. Rg3+ Kf8 30. Nf6 Ke7 31. Ng8+ Ke6 32. Nxh6 f5 33.
Rg7 Bd7 34. Rg6+ Kd5 35. g4 f4 36. Rg8 Rxg8 37. Nxg8 Kd4 38. Nf6 Bc8 39. f3 Kc3
40. h4 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Bronstein David I"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Be6 10. d4 Bxb3 11. Qxb3 exd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. cxd4 c5 14. dxc5 dxc5
15. e5 Nd7 16. a4 c4 17. Qg3 Re8 18. Rd1 Bh4 19. Qg4 Bxf2+ 20. Kxf2 Nxe5 21.
Rxd8 Nxg4+ 22. hxg4 Raxd8 23. axb5 axb5 24. Bd2 Rd3 25. Ra5 Rb3 26. Bc1 f6 27.
Ra3 Rd3 28. Rxd3 cxd3 29. Be3 Re4 30. Kf3 Rb4 31. Bc1 g5 32. g3 Rc4 33. Be3 h5
34. gxh5 g4+ 35. Kf2 Rc2+ 36. Nd2 Rxb2 37. Bf4 Ra2 38. Ke3 Ra3 39. Kd4 Kf7 40.
Ke4 b4 41. Kd4 Ra5 42. h6 Rb5 43. Kc4 Rb6 44. Kc5 Rb7 45. Nb3 Kg6 46. Kc4 Rb6
47. Nc5 Kh7 48. Kb3 d2 49. Bxd2 Rd6 50. Bf4 Rd1 51. Ne4 Kg6 52. Nf2 Rb1+ 53.
Kc2 Ra1 54. Kb2 Ra3 55. Nxg4 Rc3 56. Ne3 Rd3 57. Nc2 Rd8 58. Nxb4 Kf5 59. Nc6
Rd7 60. Kc3 Ke4 61. Kc4 Kf5 62. Nd4+ Ke4 63. Ne6 Kf5 64. Nf8 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Flor S"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. e3 Nc6 4. exd4 Nxd4 5. Nxd4 Qxd4 6. Nc3 c6 7. d3 e5 8.
Be3 Qd8 9. Be2 Nf6 10. O-O Be7 11. Kh1 O-O 12. f4 exf4 13. Rxf4 Be6 14. d4 Qd7
15. Bd3 Bg4 16. Qd2 Bh5 17. Bf5 Qc7 18. Raf1 Bg6 19. Rh4 Rfe8 20. Bf4 Qd8 21.
Bxg6 fxg6 22. Rh3 Qd7 23. a3 Rad8 24. Rd3 Qe6 25. d5 cxd5 26. cxd5 Qa6 27. Rd1
Bd6 28. h3 h6 29. Bxd6 Qxd6 30. Re3 Rxe3 31. Qxe3 a6 32. Qd3 Nh5 33. Re1 Ng3+
34. Kg1 Rf8 35. Qe3 Kh7 36. Ne4 Nxe4 37. Qxe4 Rf5 38. Rd1 Rf6 39. Qb4 Qxb4 40.
axb4 Rd6 41. Kf2 Kg8 42. Ke3 Kf7 43. Rf1+ Rf6 44. Rxf6+ gxf6 45. g4 Ke7 46. h4
Kd6 47. Ke4 b6 48. h5 gxh5 49. gxh5 a5 50. Kf5 axb4 51. Kxf6 Kxd5 52. Kg6 Ke6
53. Kxh6 Kf6 54. b3 Kf7 55. Kg5 Kg7 56. Kf5 Kh6 57. Ke5 Kxh5 58. Kd5 Kg5 59.
Kc6 Kf5 60. Kxb6 Ke6 61. Kc5 Kd7 62. Kxb4 Kc6 63. Ka5 Kb7 64. Kb5 Ka7 65. Kc6
Ka6 66. b4 Ka7 67. b5 Kb8 68. Kb6 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Smyslov Vassily"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3
Qa5 9. Bd2 c4 10. Ng5 h6 11. Nh3 Ng6 12. Qf3 Bd7 13. Nf4 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 Ne7 15.
h4 Bxa4 16. h5 Qb5 17. Kd1 Rc8 18. Bc1 Rc6 19. Be2 Ra6 20. Kd2 O-O 21. g4 f6
22. exf6 Rxf6 23. Qc7 Rf7 24. Qd8+ Kh7 25. f4 Qa5 26. Qb8 Nc6 27. Qe8 Re7 28.
Qg6+ Kg8 29. Ba3 e5 30. fxe5 Nxd4 31. Bb4 Qd8 32. Qxa6 bxa6 33. cxd4 Rb7 34.
Rxa4 Qg5+ 35. Kd1 a5 36. Bf3 Rxb4 37. Bxd5+ Kf8 38. Rf1+ Ke8 39. Bc6+ Ke7 40.
Rxb4 Qxg4+ 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Black "Boleslavsky Isaak"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. Nb3 f6 7. Bb5 Be7 8. Bf4
O-O 9. exf6 gxf6 10. O-O Nb6 11. Re1 Bd6 12. Bg3 a6 13. Bd3 Na4 14. Rb1 b5 15.
c3 Bd7 16. Nh4 Rf7 17. Re3 Rg7 18. Qe2 Qf8 19. Bxd6 Qxd6 20. Rg3 Rxg3 21. hxg3
Qe7 22. Re1 Qg7 23. Qc2 Nd8 24. Nc1 Rc8 25. b3 Nb6 26. b4 Ra8 27. Nb3 Nb7 28.
Nc5 Nxc5 29. bxc5 Na4 30. c6 Bc8 31. c4 bxc4 32. Bxc4 Nb6 33. Bd3 Rb8 34. Qc5
Qf8 35. Bxh7+ Kg7 36. Nf5+ exf5 37. Re7+ Kh8 38. Bg6 Be6 39. Rxe6 Qxc5 40. dxc5
Na4 41. Bxf5 Nc3 42. Re7 Nb5 43. Bd3 Rc8 44. a4 Nd4 45. Bxa6 Nxc6 46. Re6 1-0

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Mikenas Vladas"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5
9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. g3 Qa5 12. exf6 b4 13. Ne4 Ba6 14. Qf3 O-O-O 15.
Bg2 Qd5 16. Be3 c3 17. b3 e5 18. Ng5 exd4 19. Qxd5 cxd5 20. Nxf7 dxe3 21. fxe3
Bc5 22. Nxd8 Kxd8 23. O-O-O Bxe3+ 24. Kc2 d4 25. h4 Nxf6 26. Rxd4+ Bxd4 27. Rd1
Kc7 28. Rxd4 Rg8 29. Rxb4 Rxg3 30. Ra4 Rxg2+ 31. Kxc3 Kb6 32. Rb4+ Kc5 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Kotov Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. e3 c5 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. c4 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. Nc3 d5 8. cxd5
exd5 9. Bb5+ Kf8 10. b3 a6 11. Be2 Nc6 12. Bb2 Rc8 13. Ne5 Bd6 14. Nxc6 Rxc6
15. Bf3 c4 16. g3 Rc8 17. bxc4 Rxc4 18. Qd3 Qc8 19. Rac1 Qe6 20. Bg2 h5 21. Ne2
b5 22. Nf4 Qe7 23. Qd1 h4 24. Qf3 Kg8 25. Rfd1 Ne4 26. Nd3 Rh6 27. Qe2 hxg3 28.
fxg3 Qg5 29. Bxe4 dxe4 30. Nf4 Bxf4 31. exf4 Qd5 32. Qg2 Rhc6 33. Rxc4 Rxc4 34.
h3 b4 35. Kh2 e3 36. Qxd5 Rc2+ 37. Kg1 Bxd5 0-1

[Event "Ch URS, 13 Ch"]
[Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
[Date "1944.??.??"]
[Round "14"]
[White "Tolush Alexander"]
[Black "Botvinnik Mikhail M"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Nge7 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O d6
8. Qg3 Kh8 9. f4 f5 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 Qe8 12. Nf3 f4 13. Qf2 Bg4 14. Re1 Rd8
15. Bd3 Qh5 16. Be4 Ba5 17. h3 Bf5 18. Rhf1 Bb6 19. Qe2 Be6 20. a3 a6 21. Bd3
Ba7 22. Ne4 Nd5 23. g4 Qe8 24. Neg5 Bg8 25. Qe4 Ne3 26. e6 Rxd3 27. Qxd3 h6 28